The Return of the King

David is saved from his son's rebellion and now is about to return to Jerusalem to assume the throne. But we must remember how much damage has been done to the kingdom and to David during this whole ordeal. He was cursed and betrayed. He was abandoned by the very people he led to the pinnacle of glory! And yet, when David returns, he models for us a compassion and grace we will only see more perfected in the true David, Jesus Christ.

First, we see hesitancy in bringing David back. So much hesitancy that he has to instigate the reconciliation himself.

2 Samuel 19:11–13 (ESV) And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’ ”

Of course, there's hesitancy on the part of the people. They did wrong to David. Yet David will not let the bad relations last. He gets busy working out the process of bringing peace between him and the nation. He begins with his own tribe, Judah and calls on them to be the leaders in reconciliation for the people. 

Friends, we have here a perfect picture of the work of the Lord Jesus. We are the ones who betrayed Him and left Him. We are the ones who hide and do not seek Him. Yet in grace, He comes after us. And how does He do this? By using His own people to initiate the message of reconciliation. You see, the Gospel comes to us by the Jews, the people of Jesus who is also from the tribe of Judah. Now the nations have the Gospel because of the faithful Jews who received Him. The New Testament writers were Jewish men who follow the Savior and shared Him with the world. 

David's return not only shows the "how" of reconciliation but the message of reconciliation. In the passage, we see two men in particular who treated David shamefully, Shimei and Ziba. 

2 Samuel 19:16–20 (ESV) And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, 18 and they crossed the ford to bring over the king’s household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19 and said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

We remember Shimei from David's exile. As he left the city fleeing Shimei cursed David terribly and blamed his troubles on his actions. David did not respond vengefully then but remained silent. And now, as David returns in triumph he could have easily told one of his commanders to strike Shimei down quickly. He would have been justified. But David sees Shimei's humility and repentance. Though his generals suggest vengeance, David gives mercy.

2 Samuel 19:23 (ESV) And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

Secondly, Ziba is mentioned here without many details. But the next passage concerning Mephibosheth's return illustrates that David did not enact vengeance on him, but blessed him! Ziba had lied to the king about Mephibosheth, suggesting he anticipated David's downfall to be the return of the kingdom of Saul to himself. Here we find out what Mephibosheth actually did:

2 Samuel 19:24 (ESV) And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety.

David asks why Mephibosheth did not come with David and Mephibosheth tells him about Ziba's lies. He then reiterates how his entire life is the result of David's compassion for him. David then gives Saul's inheritance half-half to both Ziba and Mephibosheth. But Mephibosheth's response is amazing:

2 Samuel 19:30 (ESV) And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

The return of David is a profile in GRACE and forgiveness bested ONLY by the Lord Jesus Christ. The question for us is this: what is our response to His grace? Are we only happy to not pay for our sins or are we so overjoyed to have Jesus, no other possession in life matters? That was the mentality of Mephibosheth, and I believe it should be the mentality of every child of God. The king we scorned has loved us and saved us in spite of the evil He could justly bring upon us. 

Praise His Name!