David in the Cave

David in the Cave

 

Text:  1 Samuel 22:1-2

Reading:  Psalm 34:1-4

 

 

Introduction

 

      A couple of month ago,  we learned that David had bottomed out completely!

ð  He lost his job, his wife, his home, his counselor, his closest friend, and finally his self respect.

ð  When we left him, he was dribbling saliva down his beard and scratching on the gate of the enemy like a madman.

 

      Realizing that he was recognized by his enemy, he slipped out of the city of Gath.

ð  Once more he was on the run.

 

 

David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam . . .  (1 Sam 22:1a)

 

 

In the Cave

 

      This was the lowest moment of David’s life:

ð  No security

ð  No food

ð  No one to talk to

ð  No promise to cling to

ð  No hope that his circumstances would change

 

      He was alone in the dark cave, away from everything and everybody he loved.

ð  Everybody except God!

ð  Here in this cave, David could not rely …

q  … on his position!

q  … his wife / family!

q  … his mentor / teacher!

q  … his closest friend(s)!

q  Not even on his own reputation and self-respect!

ð  In this cave, David was only able to seek one Person -- God!

 

(Read Psalms 142)

 

I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.  I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.  When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.  Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.  I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."  Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.  Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.  (Ps 142:1-7)

 

      As Psalms 142 reads, David felt in the cave:

ð  Loneliness!

ð  Damp!

ð  Despair!

ð  No Escape!

ð  Nothing Left!

 

      Yet, David has not lost sight of God!

ð  He cries out for the Lord to deliver him.

ð  This is the very quality of David only God saw when He chose and anointed the young shepherd boy from Bethlehem.

 

 

Why Did this Happened?

 

      David has been brought to the place where God can truly begin to shape him and use him:

ð  Human perspective says, “Aha, you’ve lost this, you’ve lost that.  You’ve caused this, you’ve caused that.  You’ve ruined this, you’ve ruined that.  End your life!”

ð  But God says, “No.  No.  You’re in the cave.  But that doesn’t mean it’s over!  It is time to reroute your life.  Now is the time to start anew!”

 

      At times, God will place us in these circumstances in order to build us up as new people, as his spiritual Soldier!

 “When (you) enlist, you come from all different background: farmer, inner-city, break from school, between job, gangster, to seek direction in live, and even from poverty.  But when you come to boot-camp, they erase everything (your whole identity / your whole life).  Then from there, they build up a Soldier.”

It’s like a WIPE DISK feature on our computer!  Once the disk is clean, you can reinstall all new software.  Everything that was on the hard-drive is all gone now & it’s easy to install Christ!

      How does God do this?

 

 

What Happened Inside the Cave

 

When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there.  (1 Sam 22:1b)

 

 

# 1:  His Family Joins Him: God Uses Family

      While David was alone in the cave, his father, his brothers, and everyone in the household came to the cave . . .

ð  Jesse the Father who . . . snapped his finger and said, “Oh, no, I’ve got a son who keeps the sheep.” ( xxxx )

ð  The Brothers who . . . put David down by saying, “We know why you are really here.  You just want to be seen.” ( xxxx )

 

      David did not want his family, but they came!

ð  He didn’t want them there, but God brought them anyway.

ð  They crawled right into that cave with him to comfort & to join him!

 

 

# 2:  Others Also Join Him: God Uses Others

      But look!  They weren’t the only ones:

 

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.  (1 Sam 22:2)

 

      Three types of men (in the 400):

ð  In Distress: (zuk) -- which means “under pressure, under stress” / people ready to explode!

ð  In Debt: (nashah) -- which means “to lend on interest, to have a number of creditors” / people who couldn’t pay their bills!

ð  Discontented: (maar nephesh) -- which means “to be in bitterness of soul, to have been wronged and mistreated” / people under Saul’s rule, who were over-taxed & mistreated!

 

      It’s bad enough to be in there alone feeling like a worm (or like a scab).

ð  But to have over 400 more (discontented, distressed & debted) worms crawl in there with you, that’s a mess!

ð  But God was at work!

ð  He was rerouting David’s life!

 

 

# 3:  God Transforms the Cave into a Training Center: God Uses Us (our very problems) to Impact Others

      That cave was no longer David’s escape-hatch!

ð  It became a place of training for these 400 men, who were the beginning of the army that would be called, “David’s mighty men of valor!”

q  These are the men who became mighty men in battle, David’s Cabinet Officials.

q  David turned their lives around and built into them order & discipline; character & direction!

 

      David essentially became “Robin Hood,” a maverick king!

 

 

# 4:  When David is Sensitive & Obedient to God, David’s Attitude Changes

      Psalms 142 – David is on his face!

I cry aloud to the LORD …, I lift up my voice to the LORD …, I pour out my complaint before him …, I tell my trouble …, I have no refuge …, No one cares for my life …, I cry to you, O LORD …, Listen to my cry …, Rescue me …, Set me free!

ð  “I’m in a cave, I’m at the end, there’s no one on the right hand or left, I have no one who cares.”

 

      Psalms 57 – David is on his knees!

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.  I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills for me.  He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; Selah God sends his love and his faithfulness.  I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts-- men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords (400 men).  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.  They spread a net for my feet-- I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path-- but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah  My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.  Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.  I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.  For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.  (Psalm 57)  (vs. 4 – speaks of other men who were with him)

 

ð  “Now you be gracious to me, God.  I’m stretched; I’m pulled beyond my limits.  But, You meet my needs!”

 

      Psalms 34 – David is on his feet!

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.  I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.  (Psalm 34:1-4)

 

ð  David trains them with sword & arrows; then they march!

 

 

Conclusion / Why the Change Occurred

 

      David hurt enough to admit his needs!

ð  When you are hurting, you need to declare it to someone.

ð  Especially to the Lord.

q  As you share your problems with another and you become closer; as you share your problems and needs with God, you also become closer to Him.

 

      David was honest enough to cry for help!

ð  We hardly know how to cry for help anymore.

ð  But, God honors such vulnerability.

q  Vulnerability = Intimacy / Love & Closeness

 

      David was humble enough to learn from God!

ð  How tragic it is that we can live in one cave after another and never learn from God.

ð  Not David!  He obeyed and learned from God.

ð  Through this cave, came training ground for his new army – a new nation!