Nov 21, 2021. II Samuel 19:24-30

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THE HEISENBERG PRINCIPLE.  II Samuel 19:24-30.  Nov 21, 2021.  #46.

2 Samuel 19:24-30 [New King James Version]

²⁴ Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. ²⁵ So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶ And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame. ²⁷ And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. ²⁸ For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to [a]cry out anymore to the king?” ²⁹ So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’ ” ³⁰ Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”

• Missing in action
  • When David fled Jerusalem, Ziba went with him, but Ziba’s master, Mephibosheth, did not go
    •  Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son, who was lame due to his nursemaid dropping him
      •  Since Mephibosheth was from Saul’s house, it was important that he show open support for David
  • When Ziba was asked why Mephibosheth did not come, Ziba stated that Mephibosheth was hoping that there would be a stalemate between David and Absalom and then the people would put him on his grandfather’s throne
    •  David had placed Mephibosheth at his own table as a kindness to Jonathan
      •  David then gives all of Mephibosheth’s land to Ziba
• A ride on a donkey
  • As David enters the road to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth comes down to greet him
    •  Mephibosheth has not bathed or groomed since David left (quite a sight and odor)
      •  Mephibosheth shows great contrition and joy that David had returned
  • David asked Mephibosheth why he did not go with him
    •  David already has Ziba’s story
      •  David knew Mephibosheth’s timid and fearful nature (he was not a man to lead troops or rally followers)
  • The man that stood before David was the same skittish man that he remembered him to be
  • Mephibosheth tells a different story than Ziba
    •  Ziba was to go saddle a donkey for Mephibosheth and then take him to David
      •  Instead of preparing a donkey for Mephibosheth Ziba simply left him behind
• The uncertainty principle
  • David is suspicious of both stories
    •  It is obvious that Ziba had lied about Mephibosheth’s intent–here was no aspirant to the throne
      •  However, if Mephibosheth could come down on his own to meet David, he could have come on his own to follow David
  • David decides to divide the land between Mephibosheth and Ziba since he is uncertain of the truth
  • Many times we have to make decisions based upon incomplete information
    •  Most of the time, we do not have all the facts
      •  Unless God gives clear direction, we decide based upon the best information at hand
  • 3 areas of caution
    •  Should avoid making snap decisions (not everything is as it appears to be)
      •  We are guilty of injustice if we should have known more of the facts but just did not bother to search them out
      •  Unless not possible, take the time to make sure you are deciding correctly (no haste)
  • Mephibosheth gives us a clue as to what really happened
    •  Mephibosheth is just glad to be alive (David could have wiped out all of Saul’s house)
      •  Mephibosheth offers to let Ziba have all the land (just being at the king’s table was enough)
      •  From his reaction, Mephibosheth was probably merely afraid
        •  He hunkered down until he found out which way the war went
        •  If he were with David when Absalom won, he would have been killed
        •  If he stayed in Jer., David might kill him
      •  Mephibosheth hid until the fighting stopped