Morning Manna | 1 Sam 22:1-2 | He became a Captain over them

1 Samuel 22:1-2

1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

We have here the account of David in the Cave. As I read this verse I couldn’t help but think of Our Lord, the life he led here on earth, and the crowds of people that gravitated toward him. 

David was God’s man, yet the kingdom he was living in was contrary to him and to God, sure, Saul had the show of being a godly king, but his life proved that he was not. There was no safe place in a palace for David, not even a home was suitable because of the threat it would bring to the family that housed him. He has had to resort to the caves and wildernesses to find shelter from the enemy and being David’s family was enough to get you killed, even the priest of Nob who gave him bread and a sword was put to death. So, it was not just David but all who loved David who had to flee. Israel was at the point where no one could be neutral, loving David meant it was going to cost you your life or your comfort but either way the price would be high. 

There is a second group of people in this cave, “Everyone that was in distresses…debt…, discontented, gathered themselves unto him.” We find a rag-tag group of misfits who have found a place of refuge with the refugee King. They had been cast out by society, but they found a family to belong to and a man who would be their captain. Many of these men follow David for the rest of his days and become his “Mighty men.”

What a reminder of Our Lord Jesus we have here in these verses. Many Christians have had to make hard decisions if they were going to Love Jesus. For some being a Christian doesn’t mean getting up on Sunday morning to go to church, but crowding into a basement, cave or a secret meeting room somewhere. For some being a Christian doesn’t mean a hurtful comment here and there but being kicked out of home and Loving Jesus has even cost many their lives. What will we do when no one is allowed to be neutral anymore? When Loving Jesus means gathering in a cave or a basement? Will we still gather ourselves unto our King? The Good news is he will be in the cave with us. A cave becomes a throne room when the King is there. Paul’s prison cell became a throne room “I Paul the Prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Daniel’s lion's den became a prayer closet and the cave adullam was a place where people loved and served their king. 

Look now to that group of misfits who would pop in as David and the family set up camp. “We heard you were on the run, can we join you?” They didn’t receive a violent answer but were brought into the family. What a picture of the gospel! If we are honest we all were in this shape before we became part of the family. O the debt of sin, distress of judgment, and the discontentment of soul I was under until I found my King and he pardoned and granted me access to the family! King David was a great King because he took this band of misfits and turned them into “mighty men.” These convicts go with him his whole life and fight for him and live for him and become men of valor. Isn’t that what Jesus does? We came to him, just a mess of a man, convicts, on the run, outcast, and by his love, his wisdom, his power he makes us into his image. Apparently, hanging out with the King will make you like the King, these men started looking and acting more like God’s king than outcasts and rejects. Jesus has for his “mighty men” a group of men who were not always that, but thanks to his love, grace, and power he is making us what he wants us to be.

If you are “in the cave” with Jesus right now, take heart. The same men and family that were in the cave with him also ruled and reigned with him. We might be outcasts and rejects of society now, but coronation day is coming! Jesus will sit on the throne and will rule and reign with him! So, what do we do? Gather ourselves to Jesus, whether that be in a church, in a home, in a hut, in a basement, or a cave because one day he will gather us unto himself. O the heights of glory that we will ascend to with our King! “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”