For many years, David has been one of my favorite Bible characters. He has become a friend to turn to, and his life has encouraged mine. I especially resonate with his earliest years; the ones spent preparing for his leadership role in Israel. Many of those years were spent on the run, and the sweet psalmist of Israel penned many of his best works during that chaotic time. Because the texts explaining his life are precious to me, I am going to write a series of articles on the early years of David's life (1 Samuel 16-2 Samuel 1), with some snapshots of his later years on the throne (2 Samuel 2-24) and I will release these teachings once per month. As always, thank you for reading and I pray God ministers to your heart as we inspect His word. You can find all articles here.
“David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.” (1 Samuel 22:1–2, ESV)
There are episodes in David's life that serve as an excellent picture of the God-hearted man. He went through human struggles, complete with human failures, and our hearts are often encouraged by the way God worked in his life. Our most recent episodes are examples of David's human weakness. He had lost his confidence in God and had become certain there was but a step between him and death. No longer the brazen and faith-filled giant killer, David cowered in fear. Faithfully, God revived his man, but though David was God’s chosen man, he battled and struggled just as we do today.
There are other events in David’s life where David points us to Jesus. Jesus Christ, after all, is the Son of David, the One who will sit on David’s throne. David’s defeat of Goliath, for example, reminds us more of Christ’s victory over the bitter foe of sin and death than it does of our great and victorious faith. David’s private anointing as the next king of Israel, his care for his father’s sheep, and his public coronation after years of rejection all speak to us of Christ.
So it is here in the cave of Adullam. It is a brief episode worth meditation because it speaks blatantly and beautifully of Christ. There, in the cave, a motley crew of Israelite vagabonds found their way to David. They exited from Saul and embraced David. Though he was not yet Israel's king, they allowed him to be king over their lives. Though he was rejected by Saul, they gave themselves to him. Though small in number, they became a devoted band of Davidic followers. They pledged their allegiance to David as king before his public coronation. All this points us to Christ, for His kingdom is a currently rejected one where followers choose to pledge allegiance to him, understanding he will, one day, become the visible King of all flesh. The private king will become the public king. Jesus Christ will be revealed as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
King Jesus is rejected by many but is the anointed and rightful king. Just as David's followers were driven to David because of their distresses in life, we must allow our difficult realities and situations to push us to Jesus. Just as David's men chose him when most people chose Saul, we must choose Christ though he is largely unchosen. And just as David's men were refined by time with David, we must spend time in Christ's presence, for it is through interaction with our secret King that we become like our secret king.
1. Let Reality Push You to a New King
Notice the description of the men who ran out to David at the cave of Adullam. They were not winners in Saul’s system or society, for they were “in distress, in debt, and bitter in soul.” But these were likely the conditions necessary to create an urgency strong enough to force them to leave everything and follow after David. They had to come to the end of themselves. They had to have become disillusioned with Saul and his kingdom. Their hearts had to break. Only then would they choose David.
Are not these same conditions often used to drive men and women to Christ today? Are not our disillusionments useful in the hands of the Spirit? Does he not allow the distaste of life to permeate our souls so that we might run to Christ? With these questions in mind, let's how our condition is similar to that of David's new men.
First, these men were in distress, and we are a society filled with pressures. Some pressures are evil in nature, the direct fruits of sinfulness. Family brokenness, marital discord, sexual addictions, and substance abuse all create unbearable pressures in life. They are sins, and those sins lead to distressing pressures. Spend five minutes listening to a social worker describe the ills of your city, and you’ll learn of some of the pressures brought on by sin.
But some pressures are more neutral in nature, the indirect fruits of sinfulness. Education, for instance, is a good and wonderful endeavor, for God has created us with a need and desire to learn, but in a broken world, it is a pressure. The level of education that worked yesterday is not the level that will work today. Consider, also, our technological advancements. Though convenient, they often do little to help the soul. The speed and pace of life are nearly unbearable for our modern world. The pervasiveness of media, the advancement of information, the specialization of industries, and the power of computing all serve as advancements, but they also add pressure to an already pressure-filled life.
Consider, for example, the invention of the light bulb. It was a good invention. It has been helpful in millions of ways. But we should be honest about the drawbacks. The expansion of our days through artificial light has led to longer workdays, less sleep, and less time with the ones we love. It has not been all bad, of course, and I believe God wanted us to discover electricity as a way to subdue the earth, but each new technology we create adds to the pressure we are already under.
Second, they were in debt, and we are a society of depleted resources. Individuals imitate their nations by pushing themselves beyond their limits. Though the world preaches, “You have no limits. You can do anything!” we realize we are limited and finite beings. We have relatively fixed limits and cannot do or be anything we desire. Physically, each one of us has a limited amount of years and abilities, for you cannot do anything or everything. Mentally, we cannot try to keep up with and be in the know on too much, for we cannot know anything or everything. Financially, we have a limit to what we can spend and save and own, for you cannot do or have anything or everything. And emotionally, though you might try, you cannot extend yourself for anyone or everything. We are a society of debt on all of these levels -- physically, mentally, financially, and emotionally beyond our limits.
Third, they were bitter in soul, and we are a society filled with disappointments. Families do not live up to their ideals. Friends are flimsy and backstabbing. Churches are imperfect and carnal. Most of all, we have disappointments with ourselves, for the way we’ve acted and lived and moved has often been less than holy.
Each of these points of pain drew these men to David, and each of these points of pain can exist to help drive us to Christ. The horrible reality, however, is that many will treat their sorrows by engaging in the very things which got them the sorrows in the first place. But just as physical pain in the body is designed to tell us something, so also the pains of life are designed to tell us something.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, ESV)
They say hurt people hurt people, but let it also be said that sometimes hurt people run to Christ so that they might cease hurting people.
2. Choose the Unchosen King
The 400 did not remain stuck at the point of frustration, however, for they came out of Saul’s kingdom and joined David’s. They had made a decision. This had become a pivotal moment in their lives, a time to choose who they would serve, a time to come out and be separate. No longer would they give their strength and vigor to a king who could not return it. No longer would they serve an empire that only drained their spirits and depleted their resources. No longer would they shed their blood for a kingdom that would not reciprocate. Saul had started out well, and these men knew all about his initial years of heroism. But Saul was a far cry from the man of those early days. Left empty through decades of futility, these men made a choice: we will follow David.
The 400 serve as examples for us to emulate, men who left one kingdom to serve in another, for believers must do the same today. We are born into the world's system, a kingdom that rages against our souls. It demands our allegiance, only to drain our spirits and deplete our resources. John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). John does not mean we are to refrain from loving the people of the world, for we are often told to love people as God does; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). But John means we are not to love the world system, the spirit of the age, the current which carries along most of humanity. We swim in the world and its system. John describes it this way: “For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16-17).
First, John spoke of “the desires of the flesh,” which are feeling-based temptations. We are made in the image of God and, though God is spirit (without a body), He has given us bodies so that we can emulate Him. He loves, listens, speaks, cares, and works, and He has given us bodies by which we can do the same. Additionally, He has made His creation for our enjoyment, a place for us to experience and engage. Our bodies are mediums that enable us to taste and touch and see and enjoy the wonders of His creation. But the enemy of our souls loves to take the good desires and experiences of God and twist them. Sex, made by God for enjoyment within covenantal marriage, is perverted in Satan’s hand. Taste is turned into gluttony. The ability to appreciate the beauty of creation is turned into hours wasted on a screen. Substance abuse, sloth, procrastination, over-indulging in entertainment -- all of these are rooted in the desires of the flesh, the desire to feel.
Second, John spoke of “the desires of the eyes,” which are possessing based temptation. We have been created by God to be stewards of His creation. In these earthly bodies, we are to possess and steward for His honor and glory. In life, we acquire spouses and families and careers and homes and belongings, but they are not to acquire us. We are to consider ourselves as stewards, those entrusted with the care of another’s possessions. We are to thank God for entrusting His belongings into our care. But the enemy of our souls loves to turn us from stewarding to covetousness. Soon, we crave that which does not belong to us. This temptation is the desire to have, to possess riches and homes and treasures and even people. This is a driving force of much of the world system.
Third, John spoke of “the pride of life,” which is an appearance-based temptation. God created us with His identity placed upon us. Of all He made, humanity was (and is) the crowning jewel of His creation. We are to see ourselves as valuable because of Him. In Christ, because of the cross, this truth takes on new meaning. He valued us, not only by creating us but by shedding His own blood for us. We are loved. But the enemy of our souls loves to tempt us to be more, to find our meaning and value and identity elsewhere. The pride of life is the temptation to be or become something or someone, the desire to be seen as intelligent, accomplished, beautiful, impressive, important, etc. Though we live out this temptation in vastly different ways, everyone, from a teenager in the western world to an octogenarian in the third world, feels this temptation to be.
But for this world system, Jesus offers a different kingdom. We must make a decision to depart from the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of the life system and embrace His kingdom. Nearly 150 times in the New Testament, Jesus’ kingdom is spoken of, and it isn’t all spoken of in a future sense. His kingdom is something we are invited into today. In place of the desires of the flesh, we often deny the flesh, practicing spiritual disciplines which hone and shape our character. In place of the desire of the eyes, we practice generosity, giving away our time and treasure. And in place of the pride of life, we practice humility, lowering ourselves to love and serve those around us.
3. Spend Time With Your King
This brings us to our last and main consideration of this episode in David’s life. The 400 had run out to the cave. They had made their decision: David would be their king. They did not know how long they would be on the run with him, but for the next few years, they would run in the wilderness with this man. But what became of these men? We cannot know what became of each man, but we do know the details of some of these men, for many of them became part of David’s band of mighty men. Near his death, at the end of his reign over Israel, his mighty men were listed along with some of their exploits. What became of these men? They became impressive warriors.
One of them, Josh-Basshebeth, “wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time” (2 Samuel 23:8). Another, Eleazar, “was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the word. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain” (2 Samuel 23:9-10). Shamah defended a “plot of ground full of lentils,” for “he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:11-12). Others defeated the enemy when greatly outnumbered. Some defeated impressive individual foes. Some were even victorious over warriors descended from or related to Goliath.
But how did these men become so valiant in battle? They spent time with David. Over the years, as they watched his faith and walk with God, they became like him. He was The Giant-Killer, after all. None of them had gone out into battle against Goliath. But, over time, just by being with and following David, they became as he was. They became like him through fellowship with him.
It is in fellowship with Jesus that we become like Jesus. “And we all,” Paul wrote, “with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). In other words, as we interact with Jesus (for He is “the glory of the Lord”), we are progressively transformed to become like Him. The word “transformed” is the same word that described Jesus' transfiguration on the mountain top with Peter, James, and John. As He prayed, He was changed before them, the glory within shining without. It is similar with us. He has rebirthed us by the Spirit. We are new creatures within. As we spend time in His presence, we are transformed; the newness within is seen without.
The glory of the New Covenant is summed up this way: “I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’” (Hebrews 8:10). Slowly, relationally, and prayerfully, God writes His law onto our hearts, meaning He changes us from the inside out, creating in us the will to do and work for His pleasure.
Our King is the ultimate slayer of giants, the ultimate giant-killer. Through fellowship with Him -- in the word, in prayer, in the gathering, in fellowship, in service, in sacrifice, in generosity, in solitude and silence, in the spiritual disciplines -- He transforms us. Slowly, surely, and steadily, “from one degree of glory to another,” He changes us. From the inside out, we become more like Him. Christlikeness is our desire, but it cannot happen through willpower and determination, fixing our minds upon it. No, it will only happen as we spend time, over the years, with our secret King. Only He can transform us.
