DAVID ADMINISTERS JUSTICE AND KINDNESS
LESSON FOR THE JUNIOR CLASSES
STUDY SCRIPTURE: 2 SAMUEL 9:1-7, 9-12
KEY VERSE
Then David said, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul, so that I could show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”.
2 Samuel 9:1
INTRODUCTION AND STUDY
There is something that God particularly loves. That is loyalty to your word especially when you make promises to do kindnesses, do things of justice, and show love for others. God has set up a covenant, a firm guarantee, to save those who belong to Him. He loves when we behave the way He behaves, especially in this matter.God also has done great things for usG
This is very important for some people get into situations where they cannot help themselves, sometimes they get very ill, fall into times of great stress and into poverty, and for many reasons things just do not go well.
God has given us an example of how we should honour our word, our promises, and our covenants. Kind David even before he was a king had made a covenant with Jonathan, the son of king Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul hated David and many times tried to kill him despite the fact David had served him faithfully and with loyalty. His son Jonathan knew this and loved David. They were great friends. So Jonathan protected David from death several times. Both Jonathan and David made a covenant which stated that David would look after and protect the family of Jonathan and Jonathan would protect David. After many years Jonathan along with his father Saul and most of his brothers died fighting the Philistinesin a war. Jonathan loved David but he also loved his father Saul and fought beside him and died with him.
After David became king over all of Israel and had conquered all his enemies he turned his attention to take care of Jonathan’s family as the covenant had said he should. Jonathan had one son that had not died. His name was Mephibosheth and he was crippled in his two feet because when Saul and his father died in the war a nurse grabbed the 5 year old boy and tried to run to a safe place for she feared the Philistines as well as anyone who took over the Throne would try to kill everyone in Saul’s family. So this child lived a very unhappy life, constantly hiding from his enemies. He lived with strangers and did not have the ability to enjoy the wealth produced from his grandfather’s and Jonathan his father’s property though Saul’s servant named Ziba took over the properties.
David called out for anyone to tell him if Jonathan’s family still lived and Ziba told him where Mephibosheth lived.Davis remembered the covenant with Jonathan his great and beloved friend and he was faithful to his agreements. He sent for Jonathan’s son who came trembling and bowed down to the ground before king David for he was afraid that David wanted to kill him.
But David told him not to be afraid because he had loved his father, they had been great friends, and there was an agreement to protect Jonathan’s family.
David told Ziba all Saul’s and Jonathan’s properties should be transferred to Mephibosheth’s ownership and the wealth should take care of his family. In addition, Jonathan’s son would come and live at the palace in Jerusalem and David and his family would take care of him. He had been on the outside, scared, and helpless, but now he would be elevated to a place of honour on the inside of the place of power. He would be treated as a full member of the royal family.
This fitted with God’s justice and kindness. This was an example of God’s loyal love. God wanted David and us to keep our word, live honestly, do Justice, and behave the way God behaves. We must be kind to others, especially to those who suffered emotional, physical, or spiritual damage and not treat them as throwaway people.
God loves all those who believe in Jesus and follow His teachings. He has promised that all who do that will one day sit at His Table with Him, feasting and enjoying the most beautiful life through all eternity. There will be no suffering, disability, pain, tears, or any sorrowful feelings for God would wipe away all tears and all evil.
So make sure you follow God and His Son Jesus faithfully and enjoy what they have provided. Do not forget to tell others about the beauty of what is there for all who come to Him in faith.