Podcasts about Mephibosheth

2nd Samuel Series  Message: 09 Episode: 3 of 3 Broadcast: June 23, 2026 Key Verses: 2nd Samuel 8 & 9 In this episode of Walk in Truth, Pastor Michael Lantz teaches through 2 Samuel 8–9 in a message titled "The Shepherd Warrior." As David leads Israel to victory over its enemies and extends unexpected kindness to Mephibosheth, we see a beautiful picture of both strength and compassion flowing from a king after God's own heart. These chapters reveal that true leadership reflects God's character—upholding justice, fighting for what is right, and showing mercy to those who could never repay it. David's covenant faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, our Shepherd King, who triumphs over sin and graciously invites the undeserving to His table. Pastor Michael unpacks these powerful truths to encourage believers to trust God's victory, extend His grace to others, and walk faithfully in the calling He has given them. This teaching will help equip you to navigate life as a Christian with courage, humility, and compassion, applying God's truth to everyday relationships and circumstances as you follow the example of the ultimate Shepherd Warrior. Welcome to Walk in Truth! These are the Bible teachings of Pastor Michael Lantz. Equipping you to reach out with God's truth to all people. And how to apply that truth to today's issues, trends, and culture.  Leave your question or comment contact@walkintruth.com  

2 Samuel 9:1–13 We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favor goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table. From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table!

2 Samuel 9:1-13 / June 18-22, 2026 From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. From the Series: How Great Is Our God! read more

2nd Samuel Series  Message: 09 Episode: 2 of 3 Broadcast: June 22, 2026 Key Verses: 2nd Samuel 8 & 9 In this episode of Walk in Truth, Pastor Michael Lantz teaches through 2 Samuel 8–9 in a message titled "The Shepherd Warrior." As David leads Israel to victory over its enemies and extends unexpected kindness to Mephibosheth, we see a beautiful picture of both strength and compassion flowing from a king after God's own heart. These chapters reveal that true leadership reflects God's character—upholding justice, fighting for what is right, and showing mercy to those who could never repay it. David's covenant faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, our Shepherd King, who triumphs over sin and graciously invites the undeserving to His table. Pastor Michael unpacks these powerful truths to encourage believers to trust God's victory, extend His grace to others, and walk faithfully in the calling He has given them. This teaching will help equip you to navigate life as a Christian with courage, humility, and compassion, applying God's truth to everyday relationships and circumstances as you follow the example of the ultimate Shepherd Warrior. Welcome to Walk in Truth! These are the Bible teachings of Pastor Michael Lantz. Equipping you to reach out with God's truth to all people. And how to apply that truth to today's issues, trends, and culture.  Leave your question or comment contact@walkintruth.com  

We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favour goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table.From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works.See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table!

We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favor goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table.From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works.See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29?v=20251111

God's grace is never-ending and the knowledge and understanding of that fact can free us from past defeats and energize our Christian walk. Pastor Morris is going to take us to 2 Samuel Chapter 9 to demonstrate the grace God gives us through the story of David and Mephibosheth. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1528/29?v=20251111

2 Samuel 9:1–13 We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favor goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table. From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table!

2 Samuel 9:1-13 / June 18-22, 2026 From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. From the Series: How Great Is Our God! read more

2nd Samuel Series  Message: 09 Episode: 3 of 3 Broadcast: June 19, 2026 Key Verses: 2nd Samuel 8 & 9 In this episode of Walk in Truth, Pastor Michael Lantz teaches through 2 Samuel 8–9 in a message titled "The Shepherd Warrior." As David leads Israel to victory over its enemies and extends unexpected kindness to Mephibosheth, we see a beautiful picture of both strength and compassion flowing from a king after God's own heart. These chapters reveal that true leadership reflects God's character—upholding justice, fighting for what is right, and showing mercy to those who could never repay it. David's covenant faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, our Shepherd King, who triumphs over sin and graciously invites the undeserving to His table. Pastor Michael unpacks these powerful truths to encourage believers to trust God's victory, extend His grace to others, and walk faithfully in the calling He has given them. This teaching will help equip you to navigate life as a Christian with courage, humility, and compassion, applying God's truth to everyday relationships and circumstances as you follow the example of the ultimate Shepherd Warrior. Welcome to Walk in Truth! These are the Bible teachings of Pastor Michael Lantz. Equipping you to reach out with God's truth to all people. And how to apply that truth to today's issues, trends, and culture.  Leave your question or comment contact@walkintruth.com  

We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favour goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table.From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works.See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table!

We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favor goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table.From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works.See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29?v=20251111

2 Samuel 9:1–13 We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favor goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table. From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table!

2 Samuel 9:1-13 / June 18-22, 2026 From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. From the Series: How Great Is Our God! read more

2 Samuel 9:1-13 / June 18-22, 2026 From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works. From the Series: How Great Is Our God! read more

We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favour goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table.From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works.See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table!

We live in a world of earning and deserving. Promotions come to those who perform. Favor goes to those with the right background. But grace—true grace—operates by a completely different economy. It seeks out the undeserving and pulls them to the table.From 2 Samuel 9, Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the remarkable story of Mephibosheth, a crippled outcast brought to eat at King David's table as one of his own sons. In this obscure Old Testament story lives the clearest picture of how God's grace works.See yourself in Mephibosheth. Embrace the grace God extends to you freely, and enjoy the life available to those who sit at His table! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29?v=20251111

Pastor Young draws from 2 Samuel 9 to unpack the story of Mephibosheth and the theme "destroying shame." Listeners are encouraged that God invites everyone to His table, that coming to church and receiving baptism and the Holy Ghost can remove shame, and that every believer has a valuable place in God’s kingdom. The podcast closes with a warm invitation to join Southwest Apostolic Church for worship, baptism, and fellowship, and provides contact information for those seeking help or more information.

King David's return to Jerusalem after Absalom's tragic rebellion reveals a difficult journey: crisis to restoration. Overwhelmed by the grief of losing a third child, David became a man of sorrows. Yet still extended mercy to former enemies, while discovering true loyalty from Mephibosheth and Barzillai. As he worked to rebuild national unity amid escalating tribal tensions, fresh rebellion came from Sheba. His painful journey mirrors our own need for restoration to God when we experience personal and spiritual brokenness. David would write "He restores my soul". [A few moments are missing from the beginning due to technical issues]

Many of us carry identities shaped by disappointment, insecurity, past experiences, or the voices around us. In *Mephibosheth: Identity at the Table*, Pastor RJ Ciaramitaro walks through one of Scripture's quieter but powerful stories—a man who expected rejection but received restoration. This message invites us to consider what changes when we stop defining ourselves by what was lost and begin living from the place God has prepared for us. Listen in and reflect on the invitation of grace, belonging, and a renewed identity.

In today's readings, we'll cover some of David's military exploits. As he and his forces are victorious over their enemies, the reader is to understand that the Lord is with him in battle. The narrative thus far has established that David prioritizes the right worship of God. Much like the gospel accounts, we'll read parallel narratives when we read portions from 2 Samuel and from 1 Chronicles, so don't be alarmed or feel like you're experiencing déjà vu. One section that's unique to 2 Samuel is a recording of David's kindness to a handicapped man named Mephibosheth; he was last remaining relative of Saul's family, the son of his friend Jonathan. 2 Samuel 8 - 1:06 .  2 Samuel 9 - 4:18 .  2 Samuel 10 - 8:22 .  1 Chronicles 18 - 14:39 .  1 Chronicles 19 - 15:29 .  Psalm 99 - 19:31 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Ish-bosheth Murdered 4When Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2Now Saul's son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day). 4Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. 5Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.7When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring. 9But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10when one told me, Behold, Saul is dead, and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?12And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

God's invitation and the miracle of restoration from the Old Testament table behind the veil to Jesus, the Bread of Life, who tears the veil and seats spiritual outcasts like Mephibosheth at the King's Table. Grace — God's Riches At Christ's Expense — has made a place for us at His Table so that we might know Him deeply and become witnesses to His redeeming love and transforming power. (2 Samuel 9)

In this profound and timely teaching, Minister Chiquita Robinson dives deep into the books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel to examine the powerful dynamic between David, Jonathan, and Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. Through personal testimony and scriptural analysis, Minister Robinson exposes how the enemy uses past injuries, fear, and deep-seated unforgiveness to hinder your spiritual walk and trap you in a cycle of shame. The message beautifully shifts from the tragedy of being "dropped" by those who were supposed to care for us to the overwhelming grace of King David's covenant promise. Ultimately, this teaching points directly to the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, showing that we no longer have to remain lame in our circumstances. We are invited to pull up a chair to the table of the King, receive restoration for things we didn't even sow, and stand firmly on a brand-new foundation. Main points from this message include: -- Understanding the difference between clothing yourself in fear and jealousy versus being clothed in the pure love of a covenant friendship. -- Recognizing that the enemy's persecution and intimidation tactics are a direct result of him being terrified that the Lord is with you. -- Discerning when to walk by faith and when the Lord is actually calling you to lay down and rest by faith. -- Releasing true forgiveness by giving it directly to the Father, freeing yourself from the "blame game" and the trap of self-centered bitterness. -- Realizing that through Jesus, your identity is completely transformed from a place of shame into a joint-heir who eats continually at the King's table. Scriptures for Further Study -- 1 Samuel 18:1-4 -- 1 Samuel 18:12 -- 2 Samuel 4:4 -- 2 Samuel 9:3 -- 2 Samuel 9:7 -- 2 Samuel 9:10-13 -- 2 Corinthians 5:7 ******* Find more information on our website: https://www.saltandlightcovenant.com/

In this week's episode, I take a look at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Spring 2026, and rate them from least to most favorite. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragontiarna series at my Payhip store: DRAGONJUNE The coupon code is valid through June 15, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 305 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is May 29th, 2026 and today we'll be discussing my Spring Movie Review Roundup for 2026, where I discuss the movies and streaming shows I watched over the last few months. We will also have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. So let's start off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragontiarna series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is DRAGONJUNE. And as always, you get the coupon code and the links in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code will be valid through June the 15th, 2026. So if you need a new ebook for this summer, we have got you covered. Now let's move on to my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. As I mentioned last week, Dragon-Mage is out and you can get it at Amazon and Kindle Unlimited and it's doing well, so thank you for that. My next main project is Blade of Thieves and as of this recording, I am on chapter 11 of 25, though that'll probably expand in the final draft, which puts me at 56,000 words in. So I'm almost halfway through. I think probably it's going to be the length of Blade of Wraiths or a little longer, but we'll see. I'm hoping to have it out towards the end of June, but depending on how June goes, that might slip till July. Hopefully we can avoid that. I'm also 5,000 words into Cloak of Frost and that will be my main project once Blade of Thieves is done. I'm hoping to have Cloak of Frost out towards the end of July, but depending on how June goes, it might slip to August. For audiobook projects, Blade of Wraiths is still processing at ACX, though I believe as of right now, you can get it at Google Play, Kobo, Spotify, and my own Payhip store. The other stores should be available within a few weeks. As of right now, I don't actually have any current audiobooks in production, though we have some scheduled for the future. Once Blade of Thieves is finally done, Brad Wills will record that for us. Hollis McCarthy is scheduled to record Cloak of Worlds in June, if all goes well. Leanne Woodward will be recording Dragon-Mage sometime in July, if all goes well. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. Hopefully we'll have new things for you to read and listen to before much longer. 00:02:32 Main Topic: Spring 2026 Movie Review Roundup Now without any further ado, let's move on to our main topic, my Spring 2026 Movie Review Roundup. It's time for the Spring 2026 Movie Review Roundup, where I review the movies and streaming shows I watched over the last few months. As always, they're listed from least favorite to most favorite. The grades are wholly subjective and based on nothing more than my own opinions and thoughts. With that disclaimer out of the way, let's go to the movies. First up is Kicking and Screaming, which came out in 2005. This is a family comedy with Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall. Pharrell plays Phil Weston, a mild mannered vitamin store owner and Duvall plays his father, Buck Weston, owner of a successful chain of sports equipment stores. Buck is one of those hyper competitive guys who has to win at everything and Phil has always rolled with it. But when Phil's son is a benchwarmer on the youth soccer team that Buck coaches, Phil's had enough and starts coaching a rival team to get his son into the game and to defeat his father. Along the way, of course, he descends into Will Ferrell style comedic lunacy, but the PG version since this is a PG movie. Mike Ditka was also hilarious as Phil's sidekick and assistant coach. It seemed like an '80s family movie. It was a sort of movie where you could have taken the entire family to the theater in 2005 and everyone would have been at least moderately entertained. Overall Grade: C Next up is the animated Lord of the Rings, which came out in 1978. As I mentioned, this was the animated version of Lord of the Rings from 1978. Extremely ambitious, but I think it's fair to say this landed in ambitious failure territory, but they tried the best they could given the constraints of the technology at the time and the actual available budget. They tried to pack the entirety of the Fellowship of the Ring and the first half of The Two Towers into about two hours and 20 minutes. I'm sorry to say it just didn't work. Like Dune, the Lord of the Rings is one of those books that requires like 10 hours of very expensive filmmaking to pull off properly. That said, I think it is fair to say that this stumbled so that the Peter Jackson live action trilogy could run. Adapting a book (especially a big book) into a movie is a challenge and I don't think this quite got there. Too much was cut out and if you hadn't read the book, you would probably have no idea what was happening or just been confused the entire time. Additionally, the movie relied heavily on rotoscoping and it didn't always quite work. Like the rotoscope Nazgul looked creepy and unsettling, so that worked for them. However, the rotoscoped orcs just looked bad. You know how in live theater stagehands will dress all in black? The orcs kind of looked like that, albeit they're wearing yellow ponchos over their black stagehand outfits, almost like the stagehands were expecting inclement weather backstage. That said, the vocal performances and the music were very good. So an ambitious and admirable failure. As I said, I think the filmmaker's vision exceeded the grasp of their budget and the available technology of the 1970s. Overall Grade: C Next up is Airplane!, which came out in 1980. It was interesting to watch this as a cultural artifact. It had the leisurely pace of an '80s movie, with far more absurdist humor. It was a parody of various airplane disaster movies from the 1970s. It's also interesting that this is remembered as a Leslie Nielsen movie nowadays, though Leslie Nielsen 's character is only a supporting character. For all that he's known for his absurdist humor these days from later movies, Nielsen plays his character stone cold dead straight, which makes him all the funnier, amazingly enough. Some of the jokes in this movie have aged very badly, but it's still worth watching as an interesting and amusing cultural artifact, given how it influenced the entire genre of comedy movies afterwards. There's also the obligatory three seconds of nudity that can get cut on cable TV broadcast. Overall Grade: B- Next up is the Thomas Crown Affair, which came out in 1999. This is an interesting remake of a movie from the 1960s. Pierce Brosnan plays Thomas Crown, a billionaire who has grown bored with his life, so he orchestrates the theft of a priceless Monet painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The heist goes off flawlessly and the museum's insurance company sends out investigator Catherine Banning (played by Renee Russo) to retrieve the painting and avoid a hundred million dollar insurance payout. Banning immediately intuits that Crown is the thief and sets about to find the painting. This investigation is complicated by the fact that Crown and Banning immediately develop a strong attraction and start an affair. It was interesting to watch since neither Crown nor Banning are particularly sympathetic characters. In 2026, the phrase "bored New York billionaire" has much more sinister connotations than it did in 1999 and Banning breaks all kinds of laws and sleeping with her target is not a particularly bright idea. That said, the opening heist was interesting and Crown's final gambit to return the painting was extremely clever and enjoyable to watch. So overall, I like the movie, but there's still way too much nudity. Cable broadcasts are probably like 10 minutes shorter than the actual runtime from cutting it all out. Overall Grade: B- Next up is Whiskey Galore, which came out in 2017 and this is a remake of the original Whiskey Galore from 1949. Honestly, this is exactly the same movie from 1949 that I watched in the Movie Review Roundup for Summer 2025, just updated with modern filmmaking techniques. If the movie makers in the '40s could have done it this way, they would have. Though I would recommend watching the 1949 one first and then the one from 2017. Overall Grade: B Next up is Super Mario Galaxy, which came out in 2026. And I have to admit, it felt a little strange to be the oldest person at the theater watching Super Mario Galaxy, but I've been playing Mario games since before any of these kids were born, so I think I had a right to be there. Anyway, I would say this movie is about 75% as good as the first one. It was a little overpacked and the plot wasn't quite as tight, but it's still fun to watch. The animation was excellent and I enjoyed all the callbacks to the various Mario games and since I haven't actually played all the Mario games (as a reminder, I played no console games of any kind between 1998 and 2019), I'm sure there were quite a few I missed. The plot is that Bowser Jr is coming to rescue his father, Bowser, who's been held captive since the end of the last movie. To power his doomsday weapon, Junior kidnaps Princess Rosalina and Princess Peach goes to rescue her while Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi stay to protect the Mushroom Kingdom. Their separate subplots will end up crossing when Bowser Jr. invades the Mushroom Kingdom to get Bowser. Glen Powell was an excellent choice to voice Fox McCloud. I'd say if you could imagine a movie that the audience would enjoy and the critics would hate, you'd end up with Super Mario Galaxy. Since that appears to be what happened to the tune of $970 million, it appears that metaphor was accurate. Also, to be less glib, "movies you can take your kids to" do serve a valuable social function (in my opinion). Overall Grade: B Next up is the Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins, which came out in 2026. This was a comedy with a fun premise. Reggie Dinkins (played by Tracy Morgan) was an elite NFL player who got bounced out of the league for placing bets on himself. Years later, he teams up with an indie filmmaker named Arthur Tobin (played by Daniel Radcliffe), to make a documentary to rehabilitate his image. However, Tobin has his own issues. He has an Oscar, but after the Oscar, he got hired to direct a Marvel movie and cracked under the pressure. He and Reggie have to go on a journey to recover their reputations. I thought this was a pretty funny sitcom. Tracy Morgan is a comedic natural, but Daniel Radcliffe turned out to be an excellent comedic actor as well. He was great in that Weird Al biopic a few years ago and he's very funny in this. Craig Robinson was also great as Jerry Basmati, Reggie's sleazy nemesis. Overall Grade: B+ Next up is The Mandalorian and Grogu, which came out in 2026. I enjoyed this. It was like three pretty good episodes of The Mandalorian show put together. The end result was an adventure movie that kind of reminded me of the best of 1980s fantasy and sci-fi movies with a lot of creature work and a lot of action scenes. For an extended stretch of the movie, Grogu takes over as the primary protagonist, and given that Grogu is a very expensive puppet, that's an impressive feat. The plot picks up from the end of The Mandalorian show. The Mandalorian and his adopted son Grogu are now working for the New Republic, helping to hunt down Imperial warlords. Mando gets assigned to hunt down in a mysterious Imperial warlord named Commander Coin, but the only people who have information on Coin's location are the Twins, a pair of Hutt crime lords and relatives of Jabba the Hutt from Return of the Jedi. The Twins are willing to give up Coin's location if Mando does a job for them, but as Han Solo could have warned Mando, working for the Hutts is not a good idea. I was surprised that the reviews for this movie were as mixed as they were, but I suspect that's a combination of three social factors: Number one, cumulative ill will towards Disney as a corporation, which has done numerous sketchy things in the 2020s. I think something similar happened with Microsoft and Starfield. Number two, the lingering bad aftertaste of the sequel trilogy and number three, the tendency of the hardcore Star Wars fandom to chronically overthink things. Overall Grade: B+ Next up is the animated Hobbit, which came out in 1977. Peter Jackson's Hobbit Trilogy from the 2010 famously stretched The Hobbit across three movies, which really didn't work and added a bunch of epic battle scenes, which was totally off for what was essentially a children's book. The animated 1977 version of The Hobbit, by contrast, went in a different direction, neatly adapting it down to 70 minutes or so, presumably because animation is very expensive. At the time, this got mixed reviews, but looking back nearly 50 years later, I think we can appreciate it more because of the sheer amount of work that goes into hand-drawn animation. Like computer-based animation is unquestionably a lot of work as well, but hand-drawn animation is on something of a higher level in terms of difficulty, in my opinion. That said, I think this adaptation did a better job of compressing the story down than the animated Lord of the Rings movie I mentioned earlier in this episode. There's also a lot of 1970s style folk singing-like a LOT. I suspect J.R.R. Tolkien would have hated every single adaptation ever made of any of his works (with perhaps the exception of the audiobooks), but he would have approved of the number of songs and poetry in this. Though it was amusing that the high elves in this movie sing in a '70s folk music style. It would be humorous if in the Silmarillion, Earnedil the Mariner had finally crossed the Sundering Seas to reach Valinor and appeal the aid of the Valar against Morgoth and his hordes, only to hear '70 style folk music echoing across the shining hills of the Undying Lands. Anyway, it's definitely worth watching this if you like The Hobbit or old style animation. Overall Grade: A- Next up is House of David Season 2, which came out in 2026. I wrestled with what grade to give this because it used a lot of AI for the big battle scene in episode one and as long time readers and listeners know, I do not generally approve of LLM generated slop. Ironically, I think episode one, the big battle sequence with all the AI, was definitely the weakest point of the entire second season. Everything else was better. That said, all the character drama and interactions and acting were really good, which amusingly shows that while LLM stuff can generate blurry scenes of mounted soldiers charging at night, the real human emotion comes from, well, real human emotion. Anyway, this picks right up from the end of Season 1, right after David kills Goliath, which means it takes place during most of the events with the third quarter of the book of 1 Samuel from the Bible. David becomes one of the chief commanders of King Saul, but David is secretly the anointed king of Israel. Saul's deteriorating mental state becomes threatening to David while Saul's children scheme for position (with the exception of Jonathan, who has accepted that God has chosen David as the next king of Israel) and the Philistines prepare for war against Israel. It is interesting how the show alternates between leaning into the Grimdark aspects of life in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age and avoiding them. Like, constant warfare was a fact of life for a Mesopotamian king around 1000 BC. But the show also shows David as having passionate romantic love for Saul's daughter Michal and in the Bible, David ended up with at least eight wives that we know about (there were likely others) and an unnamed number of concubines. So late Bronze Age/early Iron Age monarchs were not likely to have been in the grips of fervent romantic love. Though based on the Psalms he wrote, David seems to have been a man who definitely was in touch with his emotions and quite possibly he would have passionately loved multiple women at the same time. Anyway, I enjoyed the show. While I am not an expert, I probably have a higher than average level of Old Testament knowledge. So when the show expanded on something from 1 Samuel (such as the role of Doeg, the murderous Edomite shepherd), I could see where they were coming from. Or the subplot where Jonathan falls in love with an Israelite woman since in the Bible, David took care of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, logically, Jonathan had a wife at some point. Related to that as Saul continues his descent, in a moment of rage in 1 Samuel, he calls Jonathan "the son of a perverse and rebellious woman" and the show has a subplot explaining how Saul came to see Queen Ahinoam as a "perverse and rebellious woman". So I enjoyed this and will definitely watch Season 3 when it comes along. That said, the opening battle with the AI generated battle scenes is still definitely the weakest part of the series, though. Overall Grade: A- Next up is Maul: Shadow Lord, which came out in 2026. And in my opinion, this was pretty good. I think he could call the plot Sith Noir. Maul, desiring vengeance against the Emperor for all the pain he has endured, has decided to rebuild his criminal syndicate (previously destroyed in the Clone Wars) and use it to bring down the Empire. Meanwhile, Captain Lawson, a detective on a minor world, is trying to rebuild his relationship with his teenage son and keep his career afloat. This becomes tricky when a pair of fugitive Jedi fleeing from the Inquisitors turn up on their world. But in the younger of the two Jedi, Maul sees a potential apprentice for himself, one he could corrupt to the dark side. The animation has improved by quantum leaps and bounds since the days of the Clone War show. The lighting and the shadows are excellent. Maul looks spooky and a little uncanny. The lightsaber fights are quick and fluid. No spoilers, but the final episode is absolutely excellent. I also think one of the best things about the Star Wars animation shows is how Maul's character has evolved from simply the cool swordsmen at the end of The Phantom Menace to a sympathetic yet still evil warrior-philosopher, a tragic figure whose every effort always contains the seeds of its own downfall. Overall Grade: A Next up is Emma, which came out in 2020. This is an excellent adaptation of the Jane Austen's novel. Good performances, good cinematography, and it captures the essence of the novel quite well and it's probably a must for Austen fans to see. I don't really have anything negative to say about it, say that it has the three seconds of unnecessary nudity that can be cut in cable broadcasts. Ironically, and quite amusingly, that three seconds of nudity is quite literally the only thing this movie has in common with Airplane!. Overall Grade: A Next up is No Packers, No Life, which came out in 2025. This was a fun documentary about a group of Japanese Green Bay Packers fans. Obviously, there are fairly large cultural and linguistic divides between the United States and Japan, so American football is not hugely popular in Japan. However, the Green Bay Packers are the only community owned team in the NFL to this day and so they're quite a bit more sympathetic than one that's owned by a faceless billionaire. Anyway, an American businessman goes to Japan and stumbles across a Japanese man wearing a Packers jersey at a bar. From there, he learns of a small club called the Japanese Packers Cheering Team that gathered to watch Packers games. This businessman in question happened to be from Wisconsin, so he befriended the Japanese Packers Cheering Team and invited them to Green Bay for a game. The invitation snowballed and so the entire club and their families arrived to watch the game. Sports fandom really isn't one of my interests, so it's always interesting to look at it from the outside. That said, this was an enjoyable documentary about cross-cultural communication at its best. Overall Grade: A Let's close out this episode with my favorite thing I saw in spring 2026, which was Project Hail Mary, which came out in 2026. This is another "science man solves space problem that saves the day with math and science", type science fiction adventure like The Martian, though some new twists on the formula. Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship with all the other crew dead and no memory of how he got there. Gradually, he partially remembers and works out that he is part of Project Hail Mary, a last ditch effort to stop Earth's sun from dimming due to an extremophile organism called the Astrophage. Only one other star in Earth's stellar neighborhood was showing no signs of Astrophage infection, so Grace's ship was sent there on a suicide mission to try and recover some means of defeating the Astrophage. While there, he encounters an alien ship with a sole survivor and he slowly works out how to communicate with the alien, who he dubs Rocky. It turns out Rocky's people sent him there on a mission to solve the Astrophage problem as well and together Grace and Rocky try to work out how to save their respective home worlds. Quite enjoyable and worth seeing. At the time I typed this in March of 2026, it was the highest-grossing movie of 2026 and I think it deserved that, though it did eventually get overtaken by Super Mario Galaxy. Overall Grade: A I suppose that was an eclectic range of movies, wasn't it? Interestingly, I actually saw three of them in theaters: Project Hail Mary, Super Mario Galaxy, and The Mandalorian and Grogu, so I went to the theater three times in three months. I think that's the most I've been to the movie theater in a single year in the entirety of the 2020s. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show interesting. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and we'll see you all next week.  

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.Additional context: Watch the theology teaching video, What is the Bible? 2 Samuel 15 Mike Goble Download TranscriptAll right, so Chet and Spencer are away. Let's get down to business. No, no, no, no, no. My name is Mike. I'm an elder in training here. Last week at the end of the sermon, I had three people come up to me and say that I reminded them of Absalom.I had one person come up and tell me I reminded them of Abimelech and I reminded them that that's not what the story was about and that was Raz. So when they told me that I reminded them of Absalom, I said, "Oh, of course, the striking good looks." And they all pretty intentionally clarified, "No, that is not why. it is because you have long hair and you are trying to convince people to leave this church and go out with you to plant another church. And so that brings me to my first point today. Oak Ridge Church in Lexington will be meeting sometime in January of 2027. Now this is not an infomercial for our church plant, even though we are very excited about that.We're going to be today in 2 Samuel. We're going to be in chapter 15. This is going to be on page 304 of the Bibles that are at your seats. We would ask if you'd consider not using an electronic Bible if you're willing and instead maybe pick one of those Bibles up and we're going to read the Bible together. And we think that's a helpful thing. Before we get started in our text, I'm going to pray for us. Father, we thank you for being our God, for being our salvation.We thank you for your good scripture that teaches us about you. Please Lord, may the Spirit work in our hearts through the foolishness of preaching that we would be changed to be more like your Son in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Last week we saw that David permitted Absalom to return back to Jerusalem after he initially spent three years in exile after murdering his brother Amnon after Amnon's sin with Tamar. But even though Absalom was back in Jerusalem, he was not allowed to be in the king's presence.And after about two years, he kind of forces himself back into the king's presence by burning down Joab's field. Now, Joab is one of David's nephews. He is the son of David's sister. And he's one of the commanders of David's army. So, Absalom burns down the field, gets his attention, and Joab tells David, and David lets Absalom back into his presence. And then Absalom goes and spends the next four years positioning himself daily at the city gate, rendering judgments and manipulating the people, stealing their hearts is what it says. He is taking them away from their loyalty and their allegiance to King David.He then travels down to Hebron, which is about 18 miles or so south of Jerusalem. And he's got a large group of followers with him. And guys, remember Hebron is actually a pretty significant place. It's significant that he goes down there. So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the patriarchs, the men from which all of Israel descended, are buried.They're all buried in Hebron. And David himself was was anointed king down in Hebron. So this is a pretty significant place. And now we see Absalom is down there and he's proclaimed as king, but he's not anointed. He's taking it by manipulation. And we're going to see taking it by force.This is the beginning of a full-scale rebellion. And today we're actually gonna look at how David responds and how the people around David respond to what's going on here in Israel. We pick up in verse 13 of chapter 15. And a messenger came to David saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom." Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom," "Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword."And the king's servant said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my Lord, the king, decides." So the king went out and all his household after him. And the king left 10 concubines to keep the house. And the king went out and all the people after him and they halted at the last house. All right.So a messenger comes in and tells David, hey, Israel is going to follow Absalom. So through his manipulation over the last four years, he has won over a significant portion of people that this messenger comes right in and says, "Hey, is the hearts of the men of Israel, they're gone. And they're not just gone from you. They've gone to your son Absalom." Meaning Absalom has the loyalty of these people. So David responds by saying to all his servants that are still in Jerusalem that they need to flee because if they stay, they will not escape from Absalom and he will come quickly and violently and he will ruin them.And so his servants get up with him and they get ready to flee and they leave behind the 10 concubines to maintain the house. And now they're going. And this is a pretty high pressure moment in this story. And we've we've kind of seen stuff like this play out in stories before, right? You know, you know the story the the tale of the prince who his uncle wanted to become king. And so he convinces the prince that the prince killed his dad.And the prince gets so overwhelmed and so scared that he flees. And he leaves Pride Rock. And Zazu and Rafiki have no idea what they're going to do. And we see stories like this in our entertainment. But guys, this happens a lot and it has happened a lot in history.There are so many coups in history from the murder of Julius Caesar to Napoleon taking over France to Castro and the Cuban Revolution. Did you know that in 2024 there was a coup in South Korea where the president of South Korea decided he was going to declare martial law so the legislature you know they couldn't meet or do anything and then well the legislature met anyway and 11 days later he was impeached and then put on trial. That was two years ago. This kind of stuff has been happening forever throughout history. And honestly, when I think about that, I can't help but think back to 1 Samuel chapter 8, where Israel is demanding that they have a king so they can be like all the other nations.And David, their king, is now here fleeing Jerusalem because his son is coming to overthrow him just like so many other nations before them and so many other nations that will come after them. What do you think was on David's mind? What do you think he was thinking about here? You know, the text doesn't directly say, but do you remember what the Lord said through the prophet Nathan in chapter 12? In chapter 12, when Nathan is pronouncing his judgment from God on David for his sin, the Lord says to David that the sword will not depart from your house. And then right after in chapter 13, we find out Absalom kills his brother Amnon.So, one of David's sons kills the other. And now David suspects Absalom is coming for him. So his plan is to flee. And it might be because he's afraid of Absalom. It might be because he wants to avoid conflict with his own son. It might also be acceptance of the judgment of God.And I actually think that the rest of what we're going to look at today supports that idea. Supports that David has accepted what God has planned for him no matter what. All right. So, David's servants are ready to go and they begin leaving Jerusalem together. And let's pick up verse 18. And all his servants pass by him.And all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the 600 Gittites who had followed him from Gath passed on before the king. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also in exile from your home. You came only yesterday. And shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go, I know not where? Go back, take your brothers with you.And may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you." But Ittai answered the king, "As the Lord lives and as my Lord the king lives, wherever my Lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will be your servant." And David said to Ittai, "Go then, pass on." So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by and the king crossed the brook Kedron and all the people passed on toward the wilderness. Okay, so David's leaving and as he's leaving he passes by different people that are highlighted for us here in the text.First there's the Cherethites, the Pelethites and the Gittites. So the Cherethites and the Pelethites are part of the royal bodyguard. So these are warriors who protect David and they go with him. And the Gittites and their leader Ittai are originally from Gath, we're told. And that's a a Philistine city. And the reason that we're told that is because back in 1 Samuel, David when he was originally fleeing Israel, fleeing from Saul when Saul wanted him dead, lived in Gath.And these men followed him when he returned back to Israel. And so he gives Ittai the option. He says, "Go back. You can just go back and align yourself with Absalom. You do not have to come with me." He says, "There's not really a reason for you, Ittai, to go ahead and get caught up in this problem.I'm releasing you from that." And Ittai refuses and he says, "He's going to stay with David even to death." And that is pretty awesome. There's something in us that just kind of loves a display of loyalty and a display of friendship like that. If you remember the famous book series that was adapted into the blockbuster movies, The Lord of the Rings, the whole series, the whole journey, the main character is trying to destroy this ring that he has to carry. And right when he's at the end, right when he's just feet almost steps from being able to do so, he runs out of strength and and by his side with him the whole time is his friend, his best friend that he's known his whole life.And his friend looks at him and says, "I can't carry it for you." And that's the ring, "But I can carry you." And when you watch that in the theater or maybe at your house, you're like, "Yeah, and I can carry it for you, too." You just like get so swept up in it, it's really cool. And your wife says pipe down, but you're like, "No, this is this is awesome." And so we see that and that strikes a chord within our hearts because we love that display of loyalty and friendship.We want to be a part of that display of loyalty and friendship. And so I think that's a really noteworthy thing and I think it's included in that in who he passes by on his way out of town because we get to see that exceptional display of friendship and loyalty to David. So, he's got this large group of faithful friends who in his darkest hour are leaving Jerusalem with him and they're all together and it says that they're weeping and that they're headed into the wilderness. Verse 24, and Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of God.And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. Then the king said to Zadok, "carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, I have no pleasure in you, behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him." The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace with your two sons, Ahimeaz, your son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar.See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remain there. But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and they went up weeping as they went. And it was told David, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, "O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."All right. Now we are going to get into David's response to the situation that he's in. So Abiathar and Zadok, who are they? They are the chief priests. They are part of the Levites and they carry the ark of the covenant. And the ark of the covenant represents God's presence with his people.What does David say? He tells them, "Take it back to Jerusalem." Why? Why would David say that? Part of the answer to that question is because he says, "Zadok, aren't you a Aren't you a seer? Aren't you a prophet?" maybe David thinks, well, if he's back there, he can he can get some information out to me while I'm out here in the wilderness.It might be good to have him back there. And that is part of it. However, I think the main answer, the main reason that David tells him to take the ark, tells them to take the ark of the covenant back, is because he is accepting of the sovereign will of God. And he's doing it with humility. David's response is to essentially resign himself to the will of God. And if he sees the ark again, he knows God has looked favorably on him.And if not, then may God do what seems good to him. In the 1600s, German theology professor Samuel Rodegast wrote a song for his friend who was dying. And the song is called Was Gott tut das ist wohlgetan. Do you got I'll translate that for you for those of you who don't speak German. Whatever my God ordains is right. And one of the verses in this song goes, "Whatever my God ordains is right, he never will deceive me.He leads me by the proper path, I know he will not leave me. I take content what he has sent. His hand can turn my griefs away, and patiently I wait his day." So David resolutely accepts the will of God and he ascends the Mount of Olives weeping and here we see the second aspect of his response. We first see the humble acceptance of the divine will and after that we see him pray. What does he pray?He asks God to make the counsel of Ahithophel foolish. Now, Ahithophel was once David's advisor, but he turned his allegiance toward Absalom. And David here, powerless from a position of humility, asks the Lord to make whatever Ahithophel advises Absalom to be foolish. And we're actually going to see later on that God is going to answer this prayer. But something I want to see is that the two aspects of the response are actually linked together, require each other.Because intrinsic to prayer is humility. It's recognizing that the greatest thing you can possibly do is acknowledge the will of God and the fact that he is ordaining all things. And when you do that, you are going to pray. No, you are. You pray. When you have a heart posture like that, what comes out of it from within you is prayer.Because you finally understand how insignificant you are in affecting outcomes on this earth and you realize that God is sovereign and that God is ordaining all things and you are not God. What happened in Israel when they decided to accomplish their own will? Sexual sin, murder, treachery, it doesn't really go well. And the world around us doesn't really understand this, right? Because what happens when we see tragedies and things like that and people say, "Well, you know, our thoughts and prayers are are with the victims and and the things that have happened, right?" And people just don't like that.They sort of respond back with, "Well, we don't want that. We would rather you do something. We would rather see action. But if you know God and you know your relationship to him and you understand in your heart that what he ordains is right, that what he is doing has a purpose, then you know that the greatest thing you possibly could do would be to pray and to ask him, hey, if it could work out this way, would you change the counsel of Ahithophel to be foolishness? Right? And to commune with God from a position of humility is a really powerful thing.Let's pick back up in verse 32. While David was coming to the summit where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom,"I will be your servant, O king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant. Then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel."Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. Behold, their two sons are with them. Ahimeaz Zadok's son and Jonathan Abiathar's son. And by them you shall send to me everything you hear. So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.Okay. Here, David tells Hushai, another one of his close friends and counselors, to go back to Jerusalem and act as a spy, essentially to feed information to Zadok and Abiathar, who will through their sons get that information out into the wilderness to David. And so now we finish chapter 15 with David on his way out of Jerusalem. And we begin chapter 16. And as David is out of Jerusalem, Absalom has now entered Jerusalem. Chapter 16 starts, "When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled bearing 200 loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine."And the king said to Ziba, "Why have you brought these?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink." And the king said, "And where is your master's son?" That's Mephibosheth. "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father." Then the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours."And Ziba said, "I pay homage. Let me ever find favor in your sight, my Lord the king." Okay, so back in 2 Samuel 9, we see the first interaction of David with Ziba. And what's happening there is remember David wanted to honor someone of the lineage of his friend Jonathan. And so he wants to find someone of the lineage of Saul. Jonathan was Saul's son.And he wants to honor him. And Ziba says, "Well, actually, Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, is here." And David says, "Okay, bring him to me." And he brings him and he honors him. And he says, "You're going to always eat at the king's table." And Ziba then after that is made the servant of Mephibosheth.And now where we are, we've got Ziba coming to tell David, "Hey, just so you know, as you were leaving back in Jerusalem, Mephibosheth went ahead and said, "Awesome. Now I'm going to get the kingdom back because David's gone." Like as if the house of Saul is going to now take back the kingdom. And David kind of takes this just at face value. And I don't know if it's because maybe things have not been working out super well for David. So, you know, when you're not having the greatest of time and you hear a piece of information that's not that great, you're like, "Of course, yeah, that's going wrong, too.The car is broken as well." You know, it's that kind of thing where, yeah, Mephibosheth thinks he's going to be king. I guess that's what he wanted all along. I don't know if that's exactly what David's thinking, but he responds by giving what he had originally given to Mephibosheth over to Ziba. But later on, and we're not going to unpack this as much today, in chapter 19, Mephibosheth is going to dispute this.And we're not actually sure if this is what happened. But from David's perspective, he thinks Mephibosheth has also sort of abandoned him and is looking to gain his own kingdom. And he thinks that's another person who probably is not on his side anymore. Verse 5. When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. And as he came, he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David.And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out. Get out. You man of blood, you worthless man. The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you have reigned. And the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom.See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood. So Shimei, who is one of Saul's relatives, sees things aren't going very well for David. And as David and his guard and all his people with him are are passing by, he starts flinging stones at him and saying a curse at him. And the text sort of reads this as one man just out there flinging rocks into a crowd of hundreds, thousands at David and cursing at him. And we're told he does this because he resents David for what happened to Saul. In verse 9, you see, then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king?Let me go over and take off his head." But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, "Curse David, who then shall say, why have you done so?" And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today."So David and his men went on the road while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king and all his people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan and there he refreshed himself. Okay. So Abishai is Joab, the guy who we talked about from last time whose field was burned. He's his brother. So this is another one of David's nephews, one of the children of David's sister.And Abishai, he is not liking this. He does not like what he sees here. This is like, you know, if you're like in high school and maybe you're like having a feud with another person and so like all your friends, they're like shooting that other person dirty looks. Maybe that person's having a party and they're like, "Well, we're not going to go because, you know, our friends are feuding with each other. we're not going to go support that. And then your friend kind of comes up to you and he says, "Look over there at that dead dog. How about I just go bring his head to you?"And you're like, "Whoa." Love the zeal, but no. And so David here tells Abishai, "No." But this isn't the first time that's had to happen because actually back in 1 Samuel, Abishai is with David when David is in the camp of Saul when Saul wants to kill him and Saul is sleeping and David and Abishai are there and see him and Abishai goes let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear and David tells him no and he tells him here no again. So he's being cursed and mocked by Shimei and Abishai will not stand for that.And in his zeal he wants to go kill him. And you know David could have just been like yeah I am so tired of this. I am so sick of this. Go over there and bring me his head. But he does not.Instead, he says, "Let him curse because if God told him to curse, then who are we to question that? And perhaps one day God will look favorably upon it for me." This is David again accepting God's will humbly. He rejects the opportunity to control the outcome by manipulating the circumstances and instead he resigns himself to the will of God. I think that's really hard. And I know some of you feel like you're in the same boat, right?Maybe your mind is three steps ahead of everyone else and you're always trying to engineer the best outcome for yourself, especially if things haven't been going well lately. And so seeing David do this this act of humility is impressive and it's really challenging. We're going to bring our time together with this story to a close today. I want us to look back through some of those themes that we stopped to talk about. You know, we're not kings and queens. We probably will never flee our own homes on foot because of a coup.But a lot of these are reflections of what goes on in people's hearts. And I think some of these things go on in our hearts. First, I want us to reflect on Israel's desire for the king. Their desire to be just like everyone else around them. You know, this was a rejection of God as their king. And we talked about this in 1 Samuel, but now here they are just like everyone else.Because murder and sexual sin and treachery are all just glimpses of what life choosing your own sin and choosing your own will can lead to. And it doesn't ever seem like that. Nobody ever says we want a king and is thinking about a military coup. But yes, sin can take us to the place that we never think we'll go. So where are you tempted to believe these things?Where are you tempted to say that you know better that you desire a king even though that's not what God wants? I mean, I know I'm not supposed to sleep with my boyfriend or girlfriend before we're married, but what's the big deal? I mean, it's just so impractical in this economy anyway to not live together. I mean, I understand that God says I shouldn't lie, but really, honestly, taxes are crazy high, and I don't really believe in them anyway. So, what's a big deal if I count that as a deduction? Where do you think you know better than God?And where will it take you today? Reflect on that and turn from it. You can do it. You can turn from it. You can reject it and obey God, but not in your own willpower. But Romans tells us that we were once slaves to sin, but from a changed heart, we can now obey.You can obey if you have repented of sin and put faith in the gospel because your heart is changed. And only from a changed heart can we obey God. Second, I want us to see the beauty of friendship and the beauty of loyalty. David in one of his darkest hours is surrounded by men who refuse to leave him. So where do we need to be a friend like Ittai the Gittite?Where do we need to say that wherever you will be, I will be, good or bad? Are you sticking it out with your friends? Are you showing it up? Are you showing up when they need you or are you just busy? What do you need to remove from your life so that you can have the space to be there for other people? Some of you have been in rough situations in your life.Some of you are in rough situations and some of you can think of people who have showed up. Some of those people are sitting nearby you in this room. Rejoice in that because guys, you know that's a reflection of God. You know in the book of Hebrews it says that God will never leave us or forsake us. Why? Because he forsook Jesus.And so we are welcomed in a relationship with God that even death cannot sever. And we should reflect that to the friends around us that God has brought in our path. Thirdly, I want us to see David's humble contentment with God's will. We see it in his posture toward the ark of the covenant and in the cursing from Shimei. David accepts whatever God has ordained. And the temptation in times when you're walking a dark road can be to look up at God and say, "No, I am the master of my fate.I am the captain of my soul." And so I ask you today, where are you discontent with what God has sent? work, family, dating, children, health. Remind yourself of his goodness and entrust yourself to him. David ascends the Mount of Olives, weeping, resolved to God's will. And about a thousand years later, a descendant of David will sit at the base of the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane. And in grief, he is going to call out to God and say, "Let this cup pass from me."Yet, not as I will, but as you will. And that's Jesus. And that's David's descendant who humbly accepts the will of God and goes to the cross and is punished for sin and he dies and he's buried and he rises again. And because of that, because Jesus has humbly accepted the will of the Father and was crushed, you can humbly accept the will of the Father and live. And the band is going to come back up and we are going to close this morning reflecting on Jesus, on the freedom he brings from our own sinful will and desire, on the relationships that he makes possible for us to have with God and on the example of humble acceptance of the will of God that he showed us on the cross that allows us to accept whatever comes our way.

2 Samuel 9 is one of the clearest pictures of God's grace in the Old Testament. Mephibosheth, a broken and forgotten descendant of Saul, expects judgement from King David but instead receives kindness, restoration, provision, and a permanent place at the king's table. As we explore this chapter together, we'll see how David's treatment of Mephibosheth points to God's amazing grace toward us through Jesus Christ.

By Tim Pebworth - All of life from time to time requires that we deal with uncertainty. It can leave us in a difficult situation and significantly impact our Christian conduct and growth. Our faith may need to be built on uncertainty. One individual in the Old Testament endured a lifetime of uncertainty. What

“So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.” — 2 Samuel 9:13 Mephibosheth was no great ornament to a royal table, yet he had a continual place at David's board, because the king could see in his face the features of the […]

The death of Ish-bosheth In this study of 2 Samuel 4:1-4, we examine the unraveling of Saul's remaining kingdom after the death of Abner. As Ish-Bosheth hears the news, his courage fails because his position was secured by human strength rather than God's appointment. The sermon explores the contrast between lives anchored in changing circumstances and lives anchored in the unchanging character and presence of God. Through the history of the Beerothites and the introduction of Mephibosheth, the passage reveals how unresolved compromises can produce consequences for generations. Ultimately, this section of Scripture points us toward the security found in God's sovereign purposes and invites believers to build their confidence on Christ rather than on people, positions, or worldly stability.

Pastor Rodney and Pastor Gibson unpack what it truly means to grow in godliness—not through performance or behavior modification, but through a life transformed by Jesus from the inside out. Through Proverbs 11 and the story of Mephibosheth, they challenge us to live with humility, honesty, grace, and generosity as people who have been welcomed to the King's table. Listen and be challenged. Support the show

What happens when people feel forgotten, labeled, or unworthy of belonging? Pastor Andrew examines David's kindness to Mephibosheth as one of the Old Testament's clearest pictures of grace: the king seeks the broken, restores what was lost, and brings the undeserving to his table for another's sake. The sermon shows that God's grace not only reaches sinners through Christ, but also calls believers to become channels of that same grace toward others. Listeners are challenged to notice the overlooked, reject careless labels, and intentionally make room for someone who needs the kindness of God extended through them.Eastland is a Place to BelongEastland Baptist Church is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are a welcoming and close-knit family community that loves to care for each other through the Church. We strongly believe in loving and supporting each other and our neighbors. Our members don't just attend our Church; they feel a strong sense of belonging.Join UsFind service times and our location at https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/join.Connect with UsWebsite: https://www.eastlandbaptist.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastlandbaptisttulsaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlandbaptistTo support the ministry of Eastland Baptist Church, tap here: https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/give

What if the place you've been hiding is the very place grace wants to find you? In this powerful message, we explore the story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9 — a man wounded by life, hidden in Lo-debar, and convinced he was forgotten. Yet while he was hiding, the king was searching for him. This message speaks to anyone carrying pain, shame, rejection, fear, or emotional wounds that shaped how they see themselves. Through the Gospel, we discover that Jesus still invites broken people to the table — not because they earned it, but because covenant made a way. In this teaching, we talk about: • How wounds shape identity • Why the enemy attacks identity first • The healing power of grace • What “Lo-debar” looks like today • Jesus healing the brokenhearted • The invitation to leave isolation and come to the King's table No matter how far you feel from purpose, hope, or belonging — God has not forgotten your name. Key Scriptures: 2 Samuel 9:1–13 Psalm 34:18 Isaiah 61:1 Romans 8:15 2 Corinthians 12:9 Matthew 11:28 John 10:10 If this message encouraged you, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs hope today. #Faith #Jesus #Grace #Healing #ChristianMessage #BibleTeaching #Gospel #Brokenhearted

Rev Brent Hunter ; Focus , Eccl. 11;4 - Preacher Landon DeWitt - Sunday, May 17, 2026

Rev Brent Hunter ; Focus , Eccl. 11;4 - Preacher Landon DeWitt - Sunday, May 17, 2026

Send us Fan MailMephibosheth is carrying loss, labels, and a past he didn't choose—and then grace finds him. He doesn't earn the invitation. He doesn't prove himself first. He's simply welcomed. This week will challenge the voice of shame and remind you what God's kindness actually looks like.

At the King's Table In this moving and deeply personal message, Pastor Rhonda explores the "portrayal of grace" through the biblical story of Mephibosheth. She delivers a powerful reminder that no matter how many times we have been "dropped" by life, there is a seat reserved for us at the King's table—a place where sinners become saints and the broken find healing. Key Highlights The Tragedy of being "Dropped": Mephibosheth was born to royalty but became disabled at age five when his nurse dropped him while fleeing a takeover. Pastor Rhonda notes that many of us feel "dropped" by circumstances, failures, or the decisions of others. The Reality of Lo Debar: Mephibosheth ended up in Lo Debar, which means "no pasture" or "place of nothing." This represents a mental state where hope dries up and we believe our best days are behind us. Grace Seeks You First: David didn't wait for Mephibosheth to find him; he went looking for someone to show "Hesed" (loyal, unfailing love) to. Similarly, God doesn't wait for us to get it together; He comes looking for us in our broken places. Hidden Limitations: When Mephibosheth sat at the King's table, the tablecloth covered his crippled feet. Pastor Rhonda explains that at God's table, His grace covers our past, our limitations, and our shame. Treated Like Family: Mephibosheth didn't eat like a servant or a charity case; he ate "like one of the king's sons." Grace provides full dignity, honor, and rights to the household of God. The Journey from Lo Debar to the Palace Stage The Lo Debar Experience The King's Table Experience Identity "A dead dog" (Shame-based) A Son/Daughter (Dignity-based) Location Barrenness, no pasture Restoration, abundance Support Lame in both feet (Stuck) Carried by the King's chariot Future Hope has dried up Continual access to the King Living Testimonies of Grace Pastor Rhonda shared four powerful stories of modern-day "Mephibosheths" who found their seat at the table: Jenny Cross: Survived a childhood of abandonment, homelessness, and witnessing the drug trade to become a miracle of love for her own children. Zachary Wages: Spent years in foster care due to abuse but was adopted by a teacher who saw a son where others saw a case file. Priscilla Phillips: Overcame childhood trauma and a hard battle with addiction to celebrate three years of sobriety and a new life in Christ. Jay Dennison: Facing total organ failure and the "devils" of despair, he received a miraculous physical healing and a divine reminder that God wasn't done with his journey. Core Message: A Table for the "Whosoever" The message concludes with a challenge to the church to have a "Yes face"—to be a place that welcomes the outcast, the addict, and the broken without judgment. "When you sit at the king's table, your past is under the table... because grace has the final word." Scriptures Mentioned 2 Samuel 9: The core story of David restoring Mephibosheth. Romans 5:8: "But God put his love on the line for us... while we were of no use whatever to him." Psalm 139: God's ability to find us even if we "make our bed in hell." Proverbs 21:1: "The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 12:9: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Ephesians 2:19: "You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but... members of his household." "Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Fr. Mike draws our attention to David's kindness towards the house of Saul, including Jonathan's lame son Mephibosheth. We learn that even though Saul persecuted David, David continued to honor his descendants. Today's readings are 2 Samuel 9, 1 Chronicles 12, and Psalm 28. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

After David became king, he looked for an opportunity to show kindness to someone of Saul's house. He learned of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, who was crippled. The kindness David extended to Mephibosheth provides an important lesson for us to help those in need as we have opportunity (Galatians 6:10). However, this example also teaches us about GRACE. David's kindness to Mephibosheth parallels (in several ways) the grace which God shows to us. In this lesson, we are going to consider this example and what it teaches us about the grace of God.

Join us as we explore the powerful story of Mephibosheth—a man overlooked, broken, and hiding, yet pursued by the kindness of a king. This message reveals how God's grace seeks us out not because of who we are, but because of His covenant love. Discover how grace restores identity, brings us to the table, and invites us into a place we never could earn. It's a reminder that no matter where you've been, grace knows where to find you.

In Romans 4, we're reminded that we are made right with God not by what we do—but by faith in what Jesus has already done. But what does that kind of grace actually look like in real life? In this message, we turn to the story of David and Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9 to see a powerful picture of God's grace in action. Mephibosheth was broken, hiding, and expecting judgment—but instead, he received an invitation to the king's table.

It's Time to Leave Lo Debar | You're Invited to the King's TableHave you been living in Lo Debar—stuck in fear, shame, or a mindset of lack?In this powerful message from Second Book of Samuel 9, we unpack the story of David and Mephibosheth—a picture of God's grace toward broken, overlooked, and forgotten people.David  looked for someone to show kindness to, an example of the Father's heart.This message will help you:- Break free from “Lo Debar thinking” (fear, rejection, low self-worth)- Understand God's kindness isn't based on your performance- Step into your identity at the King's tableKey Scripture:2 Samuel 9:1–13

Jesus Revolution is a sermon series that launched on Resurrection Sunday at SOS Church Stockholm, exploring the transformative impact Jesus has on the believer's life.In this episode, Pastor Walter Zuniga references the story of Mephibosheth to draw a powerful parallel: like him, we are welcomed to take a seat at the King's table and are restored through grace.We pray this message blesses you.

In 2 Samuel 6–9, David brings the ark to Jerusalem, establishes his kingdom, receives God's covenant promise, and shows kindness to Mephibosheth from Saul's family.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

Having lost his family and been driven into the land of Lo-Debar, Mephibosheth receives an invitation from the King requesting his presence. Upon arrival, Mephibosheth bows in fear and pronounces himself a dead dog in the sight of the King. To his shocking surprise, the King declares that Mephibosheth will now be brought into the palace and treated as one of the King's sons. Likewise, broken in our sin and alienated from God, the gospel call goes out announcing that a way has been made for our salvation. Like Mephibosheth, we only need to respond by faith to receive it, as the work has already been done on our behalf.

Having lost his family and been driven into the land of Lo-Debar, Mephibosheth receives an invitation from the King requesting his presence. Upon arrival, Mephibosheth bows in fear and pronounces himself a dead dog in the sight of the King. To his shocking surprise, the King declares that Mephibosheth will now be brought into the palace and treated as one of the King's sons. Likewise, broken in our sin and alienated from God, the gospel call goes out announcing that a way has been made for our salvation. Like Mephibosheth, we only need to respond by faith to receive it, as the work has already been done on our behalf.

Is disciple-making only for missionaries? Or can it reshape your boardroom and your breakfast table alike? Discover the striking parallels between kingdom-driven leadership and the sacred charge Jesus Himself entrusted to all believers (Matthew 28:19-20).Ready to trade applause for obedience? Tune in as we explore how spiritual integrity, holy boldness, and authentic love can ignite revival—in your church, your workplace, and your soul.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Matthew 28:19-20Episode Highlights06:42 - It's been wonderful, but it also takes personal commitment, and you got to walk the talk. You can't just talk the talk, you got to walk it too. Your life has to be an expression of Jesus' love. Your life has to be an expression of Jesus' integrity and faith.09:05 - So we have to intentionally see others not through their brokenness, but through the lens of Christ's redemptive love. And we have to know whether someone is already a believer or if they're still exploring faith, but they have needs. And what they need to know is that God sees them, that God knows their name, that God knows, and you express, that they are valuable because they were made in the image of God.12:29 - Point to the greater King. Ultimately, our role is not to fix somebody. We can't do it. All we can do is lead them to Jesus. All we can do is plant the seed. Let the Holy Spirit do the rest. The greater King, Jesus, invites all, like Mephibosheth, to his table. To his table! And what a banquet! Remind them that in Christ they are seated in heavenly places.Connect with Daniel HughesLinkedIn

Have you ever felt left behind, forgotten, or stuck in a place you were never meant to live? In Carried to the Table, Apostle Jim Raley preaches a powerful message from 2 Samuel 9 reveals how Mephibosheth was broken, dropped, and hiding in Lo Debar, yet the King called him out, restored him, and gave him a permanent seat at the table. This is a right now word for anyone battling fear, anxiety, depression, or the weight of their past. Your condition does not cancel your calling. You may be damaged, but you are still chosen. Grace knows your address, and the King is still calling your name. If you've been surviving instead of thriving, this message will remind you that you are not forgotten, you are not disqualified, and you don't have to stay in the low place. It's time to be carried to the table. Connect with Calvary Christian Center at calvaryfl.com

Learn from the life of Mephibosheth how God extends the same kind of convenant love toward us through Jesus.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“One day David asked, ‘Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’” (2 Samuel 9:1 NLT) Mephibosheth was only five years old when his father, Jonathan, and his grandfather, Saul, were killed on the battlefield. Imagine, if you will, life as he had known it up to that point. The privilege and potential of his pampered life as a prince could not have prepared him for the hard life he would face in the future. Mephibosheth enjoyed life in the palace as a young prince, with people waiting on him hand and foot. He enjoyed the further blessing of being raised by his godly father, Jonathan. Life was good for this young boy. But there were dark clouds gathering in his world. In one moment, through no fault of his own, his entire life would change forever. His father, Jonathan, anticipated that things were going to change. That’s why he persuaded David to make an agreement to look out for his descendants after he was gone. He made David promise to show kindness to his family forever. David willingly made that promise, and he kept it. When news hit the palace that Saul and Jonathan had been killed on the battlefield, the nurse who was caring for Mephibosheth, in her frenzied state, dropped the little boy on the ground. As a result, he was crippled for life. Perhaps you’ve gone through hardships in your childhood. Maybe something traumatic has happened to you. Maybe you’ve been dropped in life, so to speak. Maybe you wonder if anything good can come out of your life. The answer is a resounding yes—thanks to God’s love, compassion, and mercy. Mephibosheth was dropped in life, but God intervened. In fact, God specializes in taking people who have been dropped and picking them up again. God prompted David to ask, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1 NLT). And when David learned of Mephibosheth’s plight, he showed extraordinary kindness to the man who had suffered so much. Not only did David make sure that Mephibosheth was cared for and provided for, but he also made sure that his life had purpose and meaning. He gave Mephibosheth the land and servants of his grandfather. He invited Mephibosheth to dine at his table. Through David, God picked up the one who had been dropped. And if you’ve been dropped, God will do the same for you. This story from 2 Samuel 9 offers comfort to those in need. But it also presents a challenge and opportunity to God’s people. Though we aren’t bound by a promise as David was, we have a responsibility to reach out to people in need. We have the opportunity to be instruments of God’s love and compassion to lift those who have been dropped. Reflection question: What would caring for someone who’s been “dropped” look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.