Zephaniah, Sultan Suleiman, and Mephibosheth

  As I've continued to meditate on Zephaniah, yesterday I was struck by one of the most beautiful images of salvation I've seen.  First in 3:14, God calls His people to sing and rejoice and exalt.  Why? They've been cleared of being criminals, and He has removed their enemies.  (Incidentally, their greatest crime which was removed was against God Himself.)  There is no longer any need for them to fear or feel guilt!  They have been saved by the Mighty One who rescues with rejoicing.  The Lord now lives among them!  Indeed, He calls all of them to a great festival.  At this festival, the crippled and the 'black sheep' are honored guests due to His salvation: they are released from oppression and isolation into love and unity.  Furthermore, their forfeited fortunes are restored to them.  Amazing!  
  
  As I pondered this, I wished for a parable or allegory to understand it better, what would it look like for a mighty king to throw a feast for crippled enemies and restore their fortunes, for life... and I got about that far and was reminded of David's treatment of Mephibosheth.  As I read the story again in 2 Samuel 9, I was blown away by the magnitude of the kindness of God as modeled by David.  See, Bethany and I are watching a show about the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman as part of our Turkish learning, and it's completely unthinkable that even such a good and wise sovereign would allow a rival to live, much less bring him to a feast.  Typically, even brothers and stepbrothers might be killed to gain and keep the throne; Suleiman had both his best friend and his oldest son killed when he thought they were threats.  

  So, think of the overwhelming grace of David, the king of Israel, who suddenly has the idea to honor the previous king's family, particularly the line of the previous crown prince!  So, David searches for a potential claimant to his throne in order to 'show the kindness of God to him'!  And yes! that is what he does, he finds Mephibosheth, a crippled grandson of the former King Saul, son of Crown Prince Jonathan.  He tells him to fear nothing and to come eat always at the king's table.  Then, he restores the family fortune to him, a crippled rival who had expected death.  Indeed, that is the kindess of God, a magnificent display of the gospel of the Mighty One's salvation of broken cripple rebels.  

  May our wondering, thankful response to our Sovereign be that of Mephibosheth to his king: And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”  

Scripture arrangement of the related passages: 2 Samuel 9:1-11 & Zephaniah 3:14-20