Adullam’s Cave

by REID, A. | Category: N/a | Mar 2006

What must David have thought as he languished in the cave of Adullam? He had escaped there after what must have been one of the most humiliating experiences of his life. In order to escape from the Philistine, Achish of Gath, he had to play the madman (1 Sam.21:10-15). To be derided as a lunatic before an enemy of Israel must have been a bitter experience for a man who had known acclaim among his own people.

Those who warned Achish against him had spoken of his renown and called him king of the land. As he sat in his lonely cave, did David question the word of the Lord through Samuel, that he was the king elect? If indeed he was a king, he was a king in exile. Every king had a palace however modest but, he had nothing but an empty cave. What kind of person would follow such a king? Certainly not someone who hoped to find rich reward in the service of his lord.

These things have an echo for those who would serve Christ. A man once declared to Jesus, ‘"I will follow you wherever you go"‘ (Luke 9:57). To which he received the reply, ‘"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head"‘ (Luke 9:58). The warning was clear: "Follow me if you will, but do not expect it to be a comfortable or outwardly rewarding journey."

Through Psalm 142 (see Psalm title), David gives us an insight into his thoughts in the cave of Adullam, an experience that must have been a personal low point for him: ‘... my spirit grows faint within me, ... no-one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no-one cares for my life’ (Ps.142:3,4).

Very few people, if any, go through life without hitting some personal low point. This is especially true of a disciple of Christ, whose calling is of such a high standing, that the person’s shortcomings are only too obvious in comparison, with the result that, when low points are reached, they can seem very low indeed. It is on such occasions that we are able to draw on the discovery that David made in his cave. His discovery, or re-discovery, was heartfelt prayer: ‘I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living"‘ (Ps. 142:5). Notice that he says that God is his refuge and portion, not in some future day in heaven but, in the land of the living, in the here and now of today’s experience.

The time eventually came when first one then another came to David in the cave (1 Sam.22:1-4). First came his brothers, those same brothers who had perhaps been offended when Samuel had passed them by with the anointing oil in favour of their younger brother. We know that Eliab was angry with David when he came to see the battle in the valley of Elah: ‘"Why have you come down here? … I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is"‘ (1 Sam.17:28). None of his brothers seem to have been associated with David as he rose to be the foremost of Saul’s fighting men. Eliab’s words in the valley of Elah may have been an expression of lingering resentment. Yet when David fretted in his cave his brothers were among the first to go to him.

It may have been difficult for our Lord’s siblings to have grown up under the shadow of such perfection. Perhaps they resented Him when their faults were contrasted with His perfect obedience to their parents. Do we see something of that resentment coming out in their taunting of their brother in John 7:3-5? Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘"You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No-one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." For even his own brothers did not believe in him.’

It is touching in the light of these things that when the small band of disciples, who had watched their risen Lord ascend to heaven, returned to an upper room to pray, we read: ‘They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers’ (Acts 1:14).

Besides David’s brothers, there were others who came to him at Adullam’s cave. The description given of these early followers is not a very flattering one: ‘All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered round him, and he became their leader’ (1 Sam.22:2). Obviously, they were those who found no place or satisfaction in established society.

It was a similar story with those who gathered round the Lord in His days on earth. His opponents derided Him for the sort of people He drew to Himself. They were the common people, the despised and the disenfranchised. His detractors said of Him: ‘‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners"‘‘ (Mat.11:19). Even after He had returned to heaven, the composition of those who formed the core of His followers had not altered much. Here is Paul’s observation to the believers of his day: ‘Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth’ (1 Cor. 1:26).

When that ragged band were attracted to David, what were they looking for and more importantly, what did they find? We are told of David’s motley band that ‘he became their leader’ (1 Sam.22:2). What they found was a friend who understood their distress because he shared it, and a commander who would lead them to greater things.

The Hebrew word for leader that is applied to David, can be variously translated, leader, commander, prince or captain. An equivalent Greek word is applied to the Lord Jesus in Hebrews 2:10: ‘it was fitting that God ... should make the author (prince, captain) of their salvation perfect through suffering’. So those who come to Jesus find in Him one who understands perfectly, having gone through the mill of human experience Himself.

Those who shared the days of hardship with David were later given rank and standing among the king’s officers (see 2 Sam.23:13 & 1 Chron.11:10,15). Their valour and strong support for David’s kingship would surely mean that such men would receive recognition from the king when he had attained the glory God had promised him. To those children of God, who in the present dispensation have shared the sufferings of Christ, there likewise awaits a future share in His glory (see Rom.8:17).

Of those who came to David in his time as an exile at Adullam and immediately afterwards, there was one notable absentee: Jonathan son of Saul. There can be no doubt about Jonathan’s love for David. When he gave David his own robe, tunic, sword, bow and belt, he gave his heart also (1 Sam. 18:3,4). Jonathan knew that God had destined his friend to sit on the throne of Israel, and gave him help whenever he could (1 Sam.20), yet he was not among those who went out to the king elect during his exile. Why?

Jonathan was a man who was pulled two ways. There was his love for David, but also the loyalty he felt towards his father Saul. This division of loyalty may have been what prevented Jonathan throwing in his lot with David. It was misguided loyalty that led him to be numbered with the slain on Mount Gilboa (1 Sam.31:2), rather than share in his friend’s future triumphs.

The Lord Jesus knew of the pitfall of divided loyalty and warned His disciples against it: ‘"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; ... Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"‘ (Mat.10:37-39).

There are believers today who feel the pull of divided loyalty. They can see spiritual truth but, realise that if they wish to give expression to it in their lives, it would mean leaving those denominations that have been their spiritual homes hitherto. Perhaps it is the thought of leaving behind, in the spiritual sense, family or friends with whom they have forged close ties. Sometimes it is necessary to leave our spiritual comfort zones in order to make progress in the things of God.

The pathway of discipleship is often hard and the temptation to give up can be strong. Let us imagine those faithful followers of David, who shared the lean days of Adullam with him, being asked in the time of David’s glory, if the hardships of Adullam were worth it? We cannot conceive of them saying anything other than, "Yes, lord, it was worth it." Shall we who have been made holy through Christ’s blood (Heb.13:12), say anything other than: "Yes, Lord, it is worth it"?

(Bible quotes are from the NIV)

REID, A. | Mar 2006
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