David's Journey Through Israel

INTRO

We’re going to start with a summary of 1 Samuel 21. In verses 1–6, David fled to Ahimelech, the priest of Nab, who was probably located in the north. David was hungry and asked for the consecrated bread that had been set aside for the priest. While there, David asked for a weapon and was given Goliath’s sword. One of Saul’s servants, the chief of his shepherds, happened to be there and saw what happened (vv. 7–9). David fled from there and went to King Achish of Gath. David became fearful of Achish and pretended to be insane (vv. 10–15). What’s important for us to take away from chapter 21 is Ahimelech provided David with two things—the consecrated bread and the sword of Goliath. Saul’s servant, Doeg the Edomite, saw it all. Part of the story line in chapters 21-22 is David’s journey. David was the anointed one, and the Spirit of God left Saul and came on to David.

TEACHING

1 Samuel 22:1–2: David left Gath and hid in the cave of Adullam (v. 1a). For David, walking out his calling was a journey. We tend to think the anointing process is miraculous and the anointed one has it all together. The reality is, it’s a journey and a process. David’s family heard he was there and joined him (v.1b).

Remember, there had been issues between the brothers, but they now all came together as a family. Some of you may have family members who are not walking with the Lord and cannot support your calling. With time, David’s family came around, and yours can too.

The cave was located two miles south of the Valley of Elah, ten miles southeast of Gath, and ten miles northeast of Bethlehem. In the area are huge caves that could hold the 400 men who were “desperate, in debt, or discontented” and chose David for their leader (v. 2). Constable says of these 400 men, “David became leader of a group of people who, for various reasons, had become discontented with Saul’s government and were passionate for change.”¹David wrote Psalms

57 and 142 in this context from within the cave. As David cried out to God, the Lord began to surround him with people to support him. These 400 men would later be called the “mighty men” (1 Chronicles 11:16–18).

Wiersbe points out that David was in a region that supported him and that men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin came to fight for him.²When David became thirsty, three men from Judah risked their lives to bring him water from the well at Bethlehem. This was something David did not take lightly and could not accept. So, he poured the water out as a drink offering to God. David didn’t take his team members for granted. Over time, David’s 400 men increased to 600 (1 Samuel 23:13). This was a much smaller force than Saul had, but they were willing to walk this journey with David.

1 Samuel 22:3–5: David continued to Moab, the home of Ruth, David’s great grandmother. David asked the king to allow his family to stay in Moab for their safety (v. 3). It is essential that we also take care and love our aging parents. In the height of David’s calling, David made sure his parents were safe. The word “stronghold,” or mesuda in Hebrew, mentioned in verses 4–5 means fortress. Some biblical scholars suggest it refers to Masada, located to the west of the Dead Sea. Mesuda can also refer to “natural hiding places in the wilderness.”³Wherever this was, David stayed there while his family was in Moab. The prophet Gad came to David and told him to return to Judah. David left for Hereth or “thicket” (v. 5). Gad was a prophetic voice speaking into David’s life throughout his reign (2 Samuel 24:11). The prophet told David to take the next step. Saul never had the guidance of a prophetic voice. Gad was the king’s seer, and he “assisted David in setting up the musical ministry for the sanctuary of the Lord”⁴(2 Chronicles 29:25). Why was this prophetic voice so important to David? Dale Ralph Davis says, “Desperation is no fun, but desperation and silence are unbearable.”⁵The prophetic word can only come from God through the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19–21). If we’re not open to the prophetic word, we may be missing what God is speaking to us.

1 Samuel 22:6–10: Saul heard about the men going to David and became frightened. He questioned if David, Jesse’s son, was going to pay them to get their loyalty (vv. 6–8). Saul’s servant Doeg reported what he had seen at Ahlimelech when David was given the bread and the sword (vv. 9–10).

1 Samuel 22:11–23: Saul summoned the priest Ahimelech and his family, who were also priests, and asked why they conspired with David against him (vv. 11–13). This was the beginning of an illegal trial. Saul made false accusations against Ahimelech and Ahimilech denied the charges (vv. 14–15). Dale Ralph Davis points out that this was where “the veil slips away and Saul is seen for the antichrist figure he really is as he has Yahweh’s priests summarily butchered,” going against God’s own priests.⁶Saul ordered his guards to kill the priests who had sided with David, but the servants would not execute God’s priests (v. 17). So, Saul sent Doeg to execute the priests. Doeg killed 85 men in priestly garb, along with all the men, women, children, infants, and animals in the city of Nob (vv. 18–19). Only one of the priests escaped and he

ran to tell David what had happened (v. 20). David took responsibility for the deaths because he had seen Doeg there when Ahimelech helped him, and he did not prevent Doeg from telling Saul what had happened (vv. 22–23).

CLOSING

David had a group called The Mighty Men. Within that group God continued to raise up a king named David, a prophet named Gad, and a priest named Ahimelech. God was clearly at work bringing a new wine skin to His people. Just as today he is preparing a remnant to carry on God's plan.