Even though God has a plan and purpose for David, it took a while to actually achieve that position God had for him. The thing is, David knew what that was and he knew the man holding his intended position was not in the will of God. This put David in difficult position and I often wonder how others would deal with this situation. You can compare it with someone having a job that you have been promised, but the person currently in the role not doing it very well. What do you do whilst you're waiting for the role to become yours? How many of us would try and speed the process along? How many of us would make the person look bad or incompetent, or rally the other staff members in our favour and try and turn them against the other person? David did none of these things and the very way he handled himself just proves even more how competent he is, and how much reverence he has for God.
David was a wise man. In 1 Sam 18 v 5 it says So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he acted wisely and prospered; and Saul appointed him over the men of war. And it pleased all the people and also Saul’s servants.
This was just after the Goliath victory, David was still a young man - probably in his late teens, yet he was placed in charge of the army of the king, and there was no one who objected to it. No one said "Oh he's too young and inexperienced to do that job!" Because of the way he handled himself, because of the anointing of God on him and the wisdom he walked in, he was a successful and well liked man. He's still not in his rightful place - Saul's still king, but he did the job he was appointed, and he did it well.
If you're not familiar with the story, the king gets insanely jealous of David because the people rejoice over the victory, and are basically singing the praises of David for defeating Goliath; Saul gets cross that they're praising David, not him and he tries to throw his spear at David twice but David evades it. Despite the fact that now the man who had his job was trying to kill him, David continued just doing what he was doing -v 14 David acted wisely and prospered in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he publicly associated with them.
David was wise, he acted with integrity and what he was appointed to do, he did well; he also got to know the people. He was a people person, he was very likeable. He formed a close friendship with Saul's son Jonathan and they became best buddies with Jonathan looking out for David when his own father wanted him dead. The men that he commanded were faithful and loyal to him.
Saul's jealousy became so overwhelming that he sought to kill David, who ended up having to evade Saul by moving around and hiding out in caves. Many may have given up on David at this point, for who would want to hang around with a guy the king wanted to kill? And you may start to question whether this guy really was called to be the king. He's not had it easy so far, and things are getting worse for him now the king was seeking his life. What would you do? Furtively go on the run with him? Help him out? Hide in caves with him? Or give up on him?
I just want to show you what happens if you follow the man (or woman) of God. We're in ch 22 now, verse 1. So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was suffering hardship, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. There were about four hundred men with him.
Let's just analyse this for a moment. Adullam means refuge or sealed off place. So David's hiding, he's on the run but somehow his place isn't very secret as lots of people from his hometown heard of it!
But look who was gathered to him -now remember, he's in a cave, on the run from an insane king with a vendetta - everyone who was suffering hardship, everyone who was in debt, everyone who was discontent. Look at that....those in distress, debt and discontent gathered to David, the man of God. Doesn't matter where - a big fancy building or a cave - if God's presence is there people will gather. People need God, people need a refuge or a safe place. And a lot of people are in distress, debt or discontent so they will be the ones that will run to a cave to get to the place God is.
Isn't that a beautiful picture right there of God's heart? People need relationships and as I said earlier, David was a people person. He built relationships because he has a heart for God, and God loves people! David truly was a man after God's own heart, and because of that, the people were drawn to him. 400 men in a cave, just to be with the man who exuded God's personality.
The lessons from David's life are beautiful. We should all have a person like David in our lives. Some of you might be that person, you might be the David that those in debt, distress and discontent are looking to for some refuge. If you have a person like this in your life - maybe it's your pastor or a church elder, you need to pray for them, you need to get around them and you need to listen and learn from them. If you are that David figure, then you need to make sure you are continuing to act in wisdom, gentleness, compassion and love. Don't be surprised if your churches draw those in debt, distress and discontent, you're in good company! Those people shouldn't be remaining in those states, of course, but if those are the people you are drawing, you're doing a David! Amen.
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