The Blame Game

“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.”

1 Samuel 30:6

 

It always seems that in tragic circumstances mankind looks to find someone or something to blame. After all, clarity often eludes us when we are fighting back tears and fighting back heartache. Somehow cause and effect relationships tend to give us some false sense of understanding in grief-filled times. But no matter how hard we search to lay the liability for discomfort on another we forget that nothing can ever comfort us like God can. Whether in travesty or triumph, maintaining and deepening a relationship with the Lord should be our central pursuit.

 

The last few blogs have focused on the years David lived prior to becoming king over Israel. Scripture highlights some impressive moments in David’s youth: being anointed the next king by Samuel the priest, slaying a fearsome giant named Goliath, and being employed in Samuel’s court to soothe the king when he became vexed with a depressed spirit. But just as quickly as these biblical memories are established we read that David became public enemy number one in Israel. Saul’s jealousy of David’s popularity and his bravery caused the king to desire David’s death. A fugitive existence for the shepherd boy ensued, which led David to zigzag inside and outside surrounding territories for several months. In fact, the entirety of David’s renegade running encompasses some eleven chapters in 1 Samuel, implying that David’s years hiding from Saul were many and treacherous.

 

As the time for David’s exile came to a close there was one dramatic event that nearly brought about yet another premature death experience for the future king of Israel. The setting for the incident is pretty remarkable. As a last ditch effort to evade Saul’s murderous grasp, David and his brigade sought refuge in Philistine land, which in and of itself is incredible because the Philistines were the most reviled enemy nation of Israel in the Old Testament. To show David’s loyalty to the Philistine people he and his fellow men marched with the Philistines to join them in battle against Israel (although one wonders if David would have found an alternate way of attempting to combat his own brethren had it come to that). But the Philistine rulers did not endorse David joining their ranks and sent David away from the battle staging area. As David and his men returned to their temporary home, Ziklag, the Amalekites attacked the city, likely knowing it was practically defenseless with the Philistines away on a war campaign. The Amalekites burned Ziklag and took the women and children away as their captives.

 

Imagine the emotional upheaval that transpired in David’s heart. Just a few days prior, God had miraculously intervened and released him from a no-win situation by excusing his involvement in the Philistine/Israel battle through the directive of the Philistine rulers. In gratitude and relief he and his men made their way to Ziklag to reunite with their families. But as they neared the town they likely saw smoldering smokestacks filling the sky. In disbelief, they beheld a decimated city. Their world was instantly turned upside-down. Joy became sorrow. Hope became bitterness. Victory became loss. And what happens when our lives are suddenly flooded with sorrow, bitterness, and loss? We look for someone or something to blame. And David’s men pointed accusing fingers at David. 1 Samuel 30:6 denotes that their pain and anger was so great that they openly discussed stoning David on the spot. David had been spared from Saul’s hand on more than one occasion but now he found himself minutes away from a deathly treason from his own fellow fugitives.

 

So how did David respond? He turned to God. How many of us can honestly say that we would do what David did in this situation? David inquired of God rather than in himself or other men. With his emotions screaming out for action, David reacted by seeking God’s will, guidance, and blessing. He was patient and disposed to waiting on God, even though his life literally hung in the balance. David chose God in a moment of utter vulnerability and sadness. The Lord was clearly his rock and refuge. His shelter and source of strength. Through each day and each trial we have opportunities to place our faith and trust in God. Will we submit to God or try to overcome adversity through our own efforts? David revealed his believed in the former. He fortified his spirit in God. We should endeavor to do the same. 

The Chaos of Conflict

“But David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul…’”
1 Samuel 27:1
 

Last week’s blog focused on how David, the designated replacement to Saul’s royal throne, was ushered into a gauntlet of trials and tribulations, and yet managed to receive God-ordained encouragement in the midst of strife. The would-be king was a fugitive for many years. David crisscrossed his country and surrounding regions to avoid the murderous grasp of King Saul. But God’s benevolent hand was on the youngest son of Jesse and even when David entered a cave in Adullam in 1 Samuel 22 God revealed Himself in a most unusual and magnificent way. People of desperation and brokenness came from all over to reside with David. The down-and-out opted to share in David’s tragedy. The loner was no longer alone. God’s grace and comfort could still be found, even in a cave-dwelling experience.  

This lesson fast forwards many years past David’s temporary stay at a cave in Adullam. By 1 Samuel 27 David had endured much relocation just to try and stay ahead of Saul’s army. David was likely exhausted, discouraged, and losing hope. In fact, 1 Samuel 27:1 conveys that David started to believe Saul would eventually find him and kill him, thus voiding out God’s promise to establish David as Israel’s second king. But God has never broken a pledge and never will. He is the eternal covenant-keeping God Whose word is bond. But conflict, after all, has a way of defeating the mightiest warriors before the battle has ended, and David was one of the mightiest emotional and spiritual warriors in Scripture. Through the haze of conflict, David probably surveyed the potential outcome and determined that the odds of escaping Saul’s manhunt were heavily stacked against him.

Conflict was a cross that David had to bear for the sum of his life. Conflict with enemies outside Israel. Conflict with enemies within Israel. Conflict with family members. Some of the conflict was self-inflicted through negligence and disobedience. But some of the conflict arose from forces outside David’s sphere of influence or control. All of which speaks to a world that is wrecked relationally. Sadly, the sin of humanity puts God’s followers into conflict with God, with other people, and within ourselves. David’s life shines a spotlight on the relational conflict we continually face. But the once shepherd boy provides us some insightful conduct that modern-day believers should observe and follow.

David, the man after God’s own heart, was a man knit to God’s Word. And thus he found the strength to carry on even when all his future appeared bleak. David led a band of some six-hundred men, along with wives and children, through backwoods, caves, and enemy territories to survive day after day. He understood that each day was enough trouble of its own so it was best to give the one, true God each day, and let the Lord settle future matters in His divine plan. David was presented many opportunities to compromise his standards and abandon God, but, for the most part, he chose to believe in the Lord, no matter how misplaced his confidence seemed on the surface. The underlying message is that we, as God’s followers, need to serve the Lord each day and entrust Him with tomorrow. May the Creator of heaven and earth give us the confidence to carry through our days, and help us joyfully engage the chaos of conflict.  

Comfort in Emotional Cave-Dwelling

“David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred were with him.”

1 Samuel 22:1-2

Calamity. Strife. Hardship. Suffering. Life is certainly not without its share of setbacks. At one point or another we are bound to experience a disconcerting series of events that will test our resolve and character. And this is the setting in which we approach 1 Samuel 22. David had recently undergone a pendulum swing of sentiments. At the emotional mountaintop, David had been anointed by Samuel the priest (per God’s supernatural guidance) to replace Saul as Israel’s king (1 Samuel 16). Not long after, David showed immense courage and toppled a fearsome warrior and giant named Goliath (1 Samuel 17). People praised David’s bravery, which sparked a jealous rage in Saul. And shortly thereafter David was ushered into an emotional valley. David was forced to flee for his life because King Saul had determined to kill David. Beginning in 1 Samuel 19 David embarked upon a fugitive lifestyle. He crisscrossed Israel’s landscape, and even went outside to neighboring enemy territories to evade Saul’s vindictive grasp.

In 1 Samuel 22 David came to reside in the cave of Adullam. Interestingly enough, Adullam was not far from where David defeated Goliath. Furthermore, it was only some 13 miles west of Bethlehem, where David was raised. But even though the cave of Adullam was near David’s homeland a cave is still a cave and its cold, dark environment reflected the emotional state David likely was captive to upon his travels to Adullam. Realize that much had been taken away from David because of Saul. David had been stripped of his best friend, Jonathan, Saul’s son. He had been stripped of his wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter. He had been stripped of his service as a musician in Saul’s court. He had been stripped of his dignity and his ability to sleep without fear of dying a sudden, murderous death. All that David had left was a promise from God that he would be the next king of Israel, which contained an implication that he would somehow survive Saul’s homicidal quest. 

 

But nothing on the surface looked hopeful for David. He was not only at odds against his king, a king fully committed to exhausting the country’s resources in order to slay David, but he was at odds with his own countrymen for many were loyal to King Saul and if they discovered David’s whereabouts they would not hesitate to disclose David’s location, knowing it would likely lead to David’s demise. David was effectively on his own, which is a frightening place to find yourself. The giant-slayer swiftly became a cave-dweller. He went from being revered to being a renegade in mere moments. The heir apparent to the throne was reduced to running and hiding in caves just to stay alive. Life can turn upside-down without warning. But notice what transpired after David settled in the cave of Adullam: some four-hundred downtrodden people came to settle there with David too.

Suddenly, the loner was not alone. At first glance, this crowd of debtors and discontents may not seem like the optimal body of people that would provide solace to a crushed, devastated David. But God knew exactly what He was doing and revealed His sovereign hand in this situation. Who could better understand the depth of despair than those who were mired in doubt and disillusionment? Who could better relate to David than those who had lost much? Who could better seek comfort in pain with David than those who were themselves grief-stricken? But here is the underlying message about this chapter in David’s life: our foundation and footing is on God, and not anyone or anything else. Saul’s hunt for David forced David to rely upon God like never before. The Lord had to become the spiritual shelter in which David inhabited. When a person learns to trust God in all things and stand on His holy, everlasting word then he or she can become a mighty agent of God. This was true of David. It should be true of us.