Crooked Feet

Throughout history, one of the most dangerous things a person could be was a surviving member of a former king’s family. Rival heirs were threats to the throne. A surviving son could divide the kingdom, start a civil war, or lead a rebellion against the new king. To many rulers, mercy was dangerous… but elimination was wisdom.

In the Ottoman Empire, new sultans often executed brothers and rival heirs to secure the throne. Even in Scripture itself, kings commonly wiped out the former king’s household to remove every possible threat.

In 1 Kings 15, when Baasha became king, the Bible says concerning Jeroboam’s house:

“He did not leave to Jeroboam any that breathed.”

In 1 Kings 16, Zimri destroyed the entire household of Elah.

In 2 Kings 10, Jehu destroyed the house of Ahab.

This was not unusual in the ancient world.

It was expected.

Which is why 2 Samuel 9 is so shocking.

Because David does something almost no king would ever do.

David looks around and asks:

“Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

Somewhere far from the palace… hiding in a place called Lo-debar… was a crippled man named Mephibosheth.

And in his mind, this summons from the king could only mean one thing:

judgment.

Read 2 Samuel 9

This chapter is a beautiful picture of the covenant mercy of the King.

Way before this in 1 Samuel David promised never to cut off his kindness from Jonathan’s family.

This is important because the King’s covenant mercy brings undeserving people into fellowship at His table.

Point 1 — The King Seeks the Undeserving

(2 Samuel 9:1–4)

Can you imagine what Mephibosheth must have felt when word reached Lo-debar that King David was asking for someone from Saul’s family?

This is not just any man.

This is the surviving grandson of the former king.

He knows what kings normally do.

Kings remove threats.

Kings protect thrones.

Kings eliminate rival bloodlines.

And somewhere in hiding sits a crippled man with crooked feet waiting to hear why the king is calling his name.

But David is not seeking Mephibosheth for judgment.

David is seeking him for kindness.

Verse 1 says:

“Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

David is acting out of covenant love.

Mephibosheth is not being pursued because he earned favor with the king.

He is being pursued because of a covenant made long before this moment.

Mephibosheth brings nothing to the table for David.

He has no army.

No political power.

No influence.

No ability to strengthen David’s kingdom.

In fact, everything about him screams weakness.

Yet the king still calls his name.

Are we any different?

We don’t bring King Jesus anymore power

We don’t bring King Jesus Strength

We don’t bring King Jesus knowledge

Yet the savior of the universe still calls our name.

And honestly church… this is where many of us forget grace.

We know we are saved by grace… but after years in church, we slowly begin acting as though we belong at the table because we have earned our seat there.

But the truth is: every one of us came before the King spiritually helpless.

We spiritually all have crooked feet.

Ephesians 2 says we were “children of wrath.”

We bring absolutely nothing to the table.

Spiritually speaking, we were living in our own Lo-debar.

An interesting commentary I read said the Hebrew for Lo-debar

Debar normally means “word” or “thing.” The prefix lois a negator; thus, the term Lo Debar would mean “no word” or “no thing.”

That’s where us Christians came from

Because without Jesus Christ you are nothing.

Far from the King.

Broken by sin.

Unable to restore ourselves.

Yet the King still called our name.

“Yet the King still called our name.”

And now Mephibosheth finally stands before David.

A crippled man from Lo-debar standing before the most powerful man in Israel.

And I believe with all my heart… he is expecting judgment.

Point 2 — The King Gives Mercy Instead of Judgment

(2 Samuel 9:5–8)

Verse 6 says:

“And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage.”

He falls before the king.

Not casually.

Not comfortably.

He collapses before David.

I would like to call to your attention Rev 22:8

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.

At the end of time or at the end of our time here on earth everybody will be flat on their face before Jesus Christ.

We may walk around prideful

We may think we are better than other people but one day

Every Religion

Every believer

Every non believer

Will fall flat on their face before the throne.

But as a believer

instead of condemnation…

David speaks words Mephibosheth never expected to hear.

“Do not fear…”

Those three words change everything.

Mephibosheth expected execution… but instead he receives mercy.

He expected the sword… but instead he hears grace.

Church, aren’t you thankful tonight that when we deserved judgment, God gave mercy?

David continues:

“for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.”

Mephibosheth is receiving kindness because of someone else.

Not because of what he has done.

Not because of what he can offer.

But because of covenant love.

“because of someone else.”

Because of someone else we can spend our eternity in Heaven

Because of someone else our sins can be washed away

And Mephibosheth responds in verse 8:

“What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

Listen to the shame in that statement.

Mephibosheth cannot even understand why the king would want him near.

In his mind, he does not belong here.

And honestly, many believers still live spiritually like Mephibosheth.

Saved…

but still ashamed.

Forgiven…

but still feeling unworthy to come near God.

Yet grace keeps inviting us closer to the table.

It’s important to note:

The King knew about the crooked feet before He ever called his name.

King Jesus already knows all of our deepest darkest secrets but He still calls us.

Point 3 — The King Welcomes the Undeserving to His Table

(2 Samuel 9:9–13)

But David is not finished showing kindness.

Grace does not simply spare Mephibosheth from judgment…

grace brings him near.

David restores the land of Saul back to Mephibosheth.

He provides servants for him.

He gives him security.

But the greatest gift in this chapter is not land.

It is not wealth.

It is not protection.

The greatest gift is fellowship with the king.

Over and over again the chapter repeats:

“he shall eat at my table always.”

The Holy Spirit does not repeat things accidentally.

This crippled man from Lo-debar…

this descendant of Saul…

this man who expected judgment…

is now sitting at the king’s table as one of the king’s own sons.

Church, isn’t that the story of grace?

We were far from God.

Broken by sin.

Spiritually helpless.

Yet through Christ, the King did not merely spare us from judgment…

He brought us near to His table.

Mephibosheth came to the table with crooked feet…

but he still had a seat.

Church, tonight I wonder how many of us have forgotten what grace really is.

We have sat at the King’s table so long that we have forgotten where He found us.

We forget the Lo-debar we came from.

We forget the crooked feet.

We forget that we brought nothing before the King except our need.

But because of covenant mercy…

because of grace…

because of the work of Jesus Christ…

the King called our name.

And one day every believer in this room will sit at the eternal table of the King…

not because we earned our place there…

but because mercy brought us near.

The King knew about the crooked feet…

and He still gave us a seat at the table.