What is a name?
Series: Welcome home | Bible text: 2 Samuel 9:1–13
In the Bible, the story of David and Mefi-Bosheth gives a powerful picture of how God deals with us. God reveals his own restorative nature in the way David restores the son of his friend Jonathan.
What is a name? The thing we call a rose would smell just as lovely under any other name. This is the famous question that Juliet asks in William Shakespeare’s tragic masterpiece. The names Capulet and Montague were fatal for Romeo and Juliet and the young lovers died because of these names and the hatred between their two families. Names are important and have a lot to do with identity and home and home. This morning we are looking at names, especially the story of a particular name in the Bible. Some of my German work colleagues have asked me why I speak English to them even though I have a German family name. «Mr Grieve,» ask them, «are you not a German or of German descent?»
You are only partly right. My name originated in what is now northern Germany or Denmark, but this was during the first millennium AD when Saxons, Jutes, and Angles emigrated to England and Scotland. My name may sound German, and although it has a Germanic origin and meaning, it has been a Scottish name for over a thousand years. 150 years ago, my ancestors emigrated with their names from Scotland to Canada. There they went along with many other Scots to seek a new life in the New World. In Canada, they encountered many other family names – not only «MacMüller» or «MacMeier». Especially among the indigenous people, there are sometimes really strange names. These were often connected with important spiritual experiences or otherwise with a special event. For example, in the telephone book of a place where I used to live, there were entries like Little-Yellow-Woman, Born-With-A-Tooth, or Wolf-Choke. I like the otherness of these names. There is more to most of our surnames than the work or origin of a predecessor. Actually, we are so much, much more than what we do or where we come from.
My name is synonymous with my reputation and is closely associated with the person I am. Although family names are a relatively recent invention, names go back to the origins of humankind. They have a lot to do with our identity and therefore cannot be separated from themes like home and native land. What do you call yourself among friends and family, and what do you call yourself among strangers? What do others call you? What do people who love you call you? What do they call you when your lover looks you in the eye, when you talk to your family, when you laugh with friends or when you wake up in a hospital bed? How do these names sound in your ear? At home we are known – by names. Some names are funny, some are silly. Some names have deep meaning and some have none. Some names are burdened with painful memories and lie like a stone on our heart, others inspire our soul.
In the Bible, names have a deep meaning and play an important role. The Jewish understanding of names was that they had a prophetic influence on the person who bore the name. Therefore, these names often have deep meaning and are expressions of experience and faith. Biblical names sometimes come across as slogans or creeds. This is not often the case in our context because we do not always understand the meaning of the names we carry. For some people, the names from the Bible just sound nice. We have neighbours who don’t want to know anything about faith, but call their son the Hebrew equivalent of «a gift from God» named. May the life of this child fulfil his name.
The name Mefi-Boschet
2 Samuel introduces a person whose name was a promise that was later fulfilled. This person’s name was Mefi-Bosheth. You may never have heard of him. There are definitely not many parents today who give their children this name – even in Christian circles. Mefi-Bosheth was the son of King David’s best friend and soulmate Jonathan. His grandfather was King Saul and so Mefi-Bosheth was born to the royal family, he was a prince. Mefi-Bosheth (or Merib-Baal) has a special meaning. It consists of two Hebrew words: Pa’ah and Boschet. Pa’ah means to drive away; literally to scatter or fade away in the corners. Like leaves in the autumn wind or flour from the palm of the hand. Boschet means ashamed, great confusion, put in a shameful thing. Boschet was also used as a synonym for Baal: The idol of this world or Satan. Together, Mefi-Boschet means: banisher of shame or of Baal and its effect. We first meet Mefi-Bosheth on a very black day for the people of Israel. On that day Jonathan and two of his three brothers were killed along with Saul in battle against the Philistines. We read in 2 Samuel 4:4: «Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was paralysed in both legs. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan’s death arrived from Jezreel; so the nurse took the child and fled. But in her haste she fell and let him fall, and he was paralysed ever since.»
The news must have been a terrible shock. The king and heroes of Israel were killed by their despised enemies. What would happen? Who would lead and protect God’s people? At that time, the death of a king was typically followed by a terrible power struggle. All the king’s descendants would be routinely slaughtered to eliminate potential rivals for the throne. Mefi-Bosheth’s life was in danger. The text says nothing about Mefi-Bosheth’s nurse. Was she a young nanny or a fragile little mother, perhaps something in between? All we know is that she grabbed the child and ran. And then it happened. Mefi-Boschet was literally dropped. The result was probably the worst thing that could happen to a person in Mefi-Bosheth’s time. In the time of King David, a person’s worth was usually measured by what he could do and how strong he was. In some ways, nothing has changed until today. To be paralysed meant to have no hope, no future and no dignity. In an instant, everything was taken away from him. From here we hear nothing more of Mefi-Bosheth until David ascended the throne of Israel. In 2 Samuel 9 we read the following: «One day David asked: Is there anyone left alive from Saul’s family? I will do them good, as I promised Jonathan.» David remembered his friend and the promise he had sworn to him. We read on: «He sent for a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. Are you Ziba? the king asked. Yes, sir, replied Ziba. Then the king asked him, «Is there any of Saul’s family still alive? If so, I would like to do him good in God’s name. Ziba replied: Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive, but he is paralysed in both legs. Where is he? the king asked. In Lo-Dabar, replied Ziba, in the house of Machir son of Ammiel. David sent for him and had him brought out of Machir’s house.»
David called a former servant of King Saul to him to see if there were any survivors from the house of Saul. I think he must have been pleased to hear that Jonathan’s son was still alive. Mefi-Bosheth was found in a place with a very special name: Lo-Dabar. This name means «No pasture» and is a picture of desolation, hopelessness and no future. David had Jonathan’s son brought to his palace and poor Mefi-Bosheth must have expected the worst. We read on: «When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, came to David, he prostrated himself before him and bowed down with reverence. Then David said: So you are Mefi-Bosheth! and he answered: Yes, I am your servant.» Mefi-Bosheth must have thought that this was his last hour. And David responds in such an amazing way. In the Hebrew text he shouted only one word: Mefi-Bosheth! Do you remember what it means? Jonathan’s son had probably forgotten the promise of his name, or it became a bitter form of mockery and derision for him. «But David answered: Do not be afraid! I will do you good, as I promised your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the lands that used to belong to your grandfather Saul, and you are invited to eat with me at my table always. Mefi-Bosheth again prostrated himself before the king. Should the king be so good to a dead dog like me? Am I worth that? he exclaimed» (2 Samuel 7–8). David ignored Mefi-Bosheth’s protests about his unworthiness. He simply restored all the wealth and honour and dignity he had lost. We read further: «Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said, «I have given to your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, bring in the harvest and so provide for his sustenance. But Mephibosheth himself, the grandson of your master, will always eat at my table. Ziba, who had 15 sons and 20 servants, answered: Yes, my lord and king, I will do what you command.» I think the most impressive part of this story is the restoration of Mefi-Boshet’s belonging. The child who had lost his family, his home and his identity was given a new place as the son of the King. He was given a new family and a new home: «And from then on, Mefi-Bosheth ate regularly with David as if he were one of his sons. Mefi-Bosheth had a little son named Micah. All the members of the house of Ziba became Mefi-Bosheth’s servants. And Mefi-Bosheth, whose both legs were paralysed, lived in Jerusalem to eat with the king every day.»
Summary of the message of Jesus Christ
How do you describe something that cannot be described? How do you hold the universe in your hands or Niagara Falls in a jar? This is the challenge we face when we try to talk about God. This is the challenge we face when we talk about the nature of God. The Bible describes God in terms of situations, relationships or events that we can know or understand. Jesus, for example, used many simple stories (parables) to explain immensely complex and profound things. In this story, Jesus» great-grandfather becomes the type who describes the character of God. And the story of Mefi-Bosheth becomes a kind of shorthand version of the message of Jesus Christ. I don’t know if you have ever been dropped. If you are a human being, there is a good chance that you have experienced something like that. If you are a human being living on this planet, there is a good chance that you have also become familiar with disappointment, confusion and shame. I have a word for you today that God wants to speak into this situation: Mefi-Bosheth! God has remembered his promise. The Son of God came into this world to do good to the sons and daughters of men in the name of God. He has come to restore what was stolen or lost. He has come to invite sons and daughters of God to the banquet at the king’s table. He will prepare that table in the presence of your enemies. He has come to restore your dignity. He has come to banish your shame. He has come to give you a new name, your real, name. In Revelation 2:17 we read: «Whoever is ready to listen, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches! He who is victorious will eat of the manna hidden in heaven. And I will give him a white stone; and on the stone a new name will be written, which no one will know except the one who receives it.»
Final words
I don’t know where you are today, how you are. With all my heart I wish that you are just doing brilliantly. And I think most of us are doing well – more or less. We really try to make the best of our lives. But realistically, life brings a lot of bruises. You can probably relate to Mefi-Boschet at least a little bit. Unfortunately, most of us know the feeling of being dropped. It hurts and can rob us of our confidence and sense of belonging. It can feel like losing a piece of our home. Many people have experienced losses: of loved ones, of security and identity, of dignity. Some have lost or suffer from their name or feel they can never live up to it.
I sincerely hope that these things seem completely foreign to you. I have known these. But I can also say that for the God who calls Himself my Father and your Father, for the God who ran to meet me when I was so far from Him, for the God who has run to you or wants to run to you right now – This God, the God of Jesus, is not indifferent to this experience. And just as King David was determined to do good to Jonathan’s son in the name of God, this God wants to do good to you and me in the name of God. The question is, do we let him. Maybe you feel far away from God. Maybe thoughts of God and religion (whatever that is) are strange and foreign to you. That is all right. It is good that you are here. Make yourself at home! But if you can relate to something we talked about this morning, I want to challenge you to quietly say a prayer in your heart. It goes like this: God, please give me back the things that were stolen. You might be surprised how he responds.
Amen!
Questions for the small groups
- What does your name mean to you?
- Have you ever been dropped? How did that affect you?
- What was David’s motivation to help Mefi-Bosheth?
- Have you ever experienced God restoring something in your life?
- Can you think of someone for whom you could be a David?
