But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
David, king of Israel, in order to show the kindness of God to Saul’s house, raised up Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, and placed him at the king’s table like one of his own sons. The writer of 2 Samuel makes the point twice that this is not just the kindness of David, but the kindness of God. Paul says in Ephesians 2 and Colossians 3 that this is the same kindness extended to us by God. He has raised us up in Christ and seated us at the king’s table.
This is not just so we can enjoy the abundance of food on the table, although we do and we have everything to be thankful for. Sons and friends of the king sit at the king’s table. They have the ear of the king and act as counsel. We are already seated and he is making us, both individually and corporately, fit for this. We put on the new man, which is Christ, the beginning of the new creation. So we no longer walk as slaves and dead men. This is his grace in kindness toward us – he has given us the right to become sons of God.
