So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men. Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold. One day the prophet Gad told David, “Leave the stronghold and return to the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth. (New Living Translation)
Saul is seeking to kill David who has resorted to hiding out in caves. I'm sure that he feels alone, abandoned, and rejected. In chapter 21 we read that God sends a friend, Jonathan who comforts him. But, he isn't alone long. In short order 400 "grumpy-old-men" join him. Folks who are unhappy, discontent, running from their own debt. The debt could be financial as in a loan; or maybe they just want to get out from under the debt owed to someone who helped them in the past, but now they realize they will never stop owing their benefactor. They realize they will forever pay with their own kidney! You know the kind of debt I speak of, right? Can you imagine be surrounded by 400 unhappy, complaining, whining, belly-aching folks that you might think even Jesus couldn't make happy! Well, this is the lot that has surrounded him . . . and even worse . . . many are family!
I bet David longed for the days when the cave was filled with just the encouragement of one dear friend, instead of this brood of troubled souls. David finds it necessary to hide out his own parents for safe keeping, but is still counting on God for help. He's still expecting God to get him out of this fix!
Then, God sends the prophet Gad to speak to David, and I find his words truly marvelous. He said, "David, get up out of this stronghold, and don't return to it again." Wow! That statement struck me powerfully this morning.
You see, I've retreated to that cave before. And in fact, I know that cave all too well. I have retreated to that cave . . . alone . . . isolated . . . feeling rejected . . . as a means of self protection and shelter, several times in my life. And, I've found that in no short order, the enemy has supplied me with as many grumbling, unhappy, miserable people to join me in the midst of my cave dwelling and I could stand! Satan will always supply you with equally miserable people!
But, God doesn't want us to dwell there. He did not create us to dwell in caves, instead He expects us to be vulnerable desert dwellers, who depend on Him, trust in Him, and find our oasis in HIM! You won't find an oasis in a cave in the dark. Instead, God wants us to get up out of "our" places of shelter . . . our caves that turn into strongholds. Places where . . . OK, we may be secure, where maybe no one can hurt us from this vantage point . . . but these caves of security often become our own self-created strongholds! We become trapped in the snare of the fowler . . . and the fowler is satan, our enemy.
So, God told David to get up out of that stronghold, and He's told me the same thing. God didn't rescue David out of the stronghold, he told David to get out of it so he COULD be rescued by God . . . and he was!
I'm aware that I need to be careful of my times of cave dwelling, as they may be more of a hindrance to me than I ever imagine!
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