1 Samuel 22: A Refuge for the Righteous

Introduction

How the mighty have fallen.

Perhaps you have heard this phrase- often used to describe the decline of a once-great person, or power. Did you know that the phrase comes from 2 Samuel 1 verse 19? There David composes a poetic lament upon hearing of the deaths of King Saul and his friend Jonathan at the end of 1 Samuel?

One of the key storylines throughout 1 Samuel is Saul’s journey from the one chosen to be king to his humiliating demise on Mount Gilboa. Saul’s story is one of a man who increasingly disobeyed God’s Word- to the point of seeking to kill David (God’s chosen King, His ‘christ’)- and suffered the disastrous consequences.

Chapter 22 focuses us again on Saul’s anti-David program. Watching Saul’s actions here we see a picture of all those who oppose God’s King, Jesus Christ, and God’s Kingdom- he is, in a very real way, a picture of one who is ‘anti-Christ’.

However, this Chapter also draws our attention to David’s spiritual renewal, and the righteous refuge God provides for His anointed one- His ‘christ’. Chapter 22, then, provides a wonderful reminder to God’s People that even in darkness and distress God is a refuge and strength, an ever-present help for those who seek Him.

So, before we consider Saul and the evil that threatens God’s People let us turn to… David, God’s Anointed, the ‘Christ’

 

Who would want to be a Christian in today’s world?

Following Jesus Christ will not necessarily mean pleasure and comfort- the ‘good life’. In fact, in many parts of the world, it means hardship and even persecution. And Jesus Himself taught that those who would follow Him must ‘count the cost’ and expect to suffer.

So who would want to be a Christian in today’s world?

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, answered that question like this:

…not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise…

We see repeatedly in God’s Word that He works in mysterious ways- both to deliver His People and to use them in His glorious plans.

Today we get another glimpse at God’s mysterious ways as we continue to follow David on the run from Saul. Last time we saw David, fearful and desperate, flee to the Philistine city of Gath, apparently thinking he could hide in that unexpected place. He was wrong. However, God worked a strange deliverance for David.

So, David was in danger not only in Saul’s territory but also now in the neighbouring Philistine territory. Where could he go next?

Chapter 22 opens with the answer to that question; in verse1:

David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam.

In the cave David must have spent time reflecting upon his circumstances and God’s purposes. Indeed, David composed two psalms (Psalms 57 and 142) from his experience in this cave- both express David’s trust in God as his only true refuge.

 

As David hid in the cave, news of David’s hiding-place reached his family- and they went down to him there. We can probably assume they joined him because they feared Saul’s hatred of David would negatively eventually impact upon their lives.

Very soon, however, it became clear that David’s family were not the only ones suffering in Saul’s kingdom. Before long the cave of Adullam became rather crowded- in verse 2:

 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.

We will see a little later in this chapter that some benefited from Saul’s reign, but they were not the ones who came to the cave of Adullam. Instead, it was the outcasts of Saul’s kingdom- the debtors, the downtrodden, the disillusioned.

No longer was David alone, but you could be forgiven for wondering whether he was not better off before he gained this crowd of misfits. However, this band of four hundred would become the core of what would become David’s kingdom. And it is worth noting that in God’s perfect design it was Saul’s injustice toward David that brought all this about.

How often God’s purposes are realised in the strangest of places and people.

There are many ways in which David points us forward to the coming Saviour, Jesus Christ. And this passage, where David gathers the unwanted of Israel, is a poignant and profound example. Just as David brought together a group of unlikely companions at Adullam, Jesus also attracted followers whom society often dismissed as outcasts and ‘good-for-nothings’.

Uneducated Fishermen, a hated tax collector, and nobodies were not the kind of followers who offered access to cultural influence or who exercised worldly power. Yet, how similar was the situation with Jesus’ forerunner David and the ever-growing band of discontents that joined him in exile.

Under David’s influence, however, these followers formed what would become a great kingdom, with an eternal legacy. Led by Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Christ’s followers ‘…turned the world upside down…’, despite their lowly appearance and worldly weakness.

Like David faced hostility from King Saul, Jesus encountered opposition from the religious authorities of His time. As the true Messiah, He proved Himself through victory on the Cross. Because Jesus overcame sin and death, we look to Him for refuge as we strive to live righteously in challenging times.

Like Jesus, David cared deeply not just for all of God’s people, but also for those closest to him. Verses 3 and 4 describe David’s concern for his elderly parents, as he arranges for their safety. The reason the king of Moab chose to help David is not explained. It’s possible that David’s situation as a refugee fleeing Saul earned him goodwill, or perhaps his distant Moabite ancestry through Ruth played a role.

A careful reading of verses 3 and 4 will alert us to the fact that David has experienced a spiritual revival- note his words in verse 3: ‘…until I learn what God will do for me?’. In Nob and Gath David had looked to his own strength and the weapons of this world. But now he expresses his desire to discern God’s Will.

 

 

David’s renewed concern for God’s Will saw David’s faith strengthened. And, with David’s strengthened faith, there came an eager willingness to obey God’s Word. We see this in the appearance of the prophet Gad in verse 5:

But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

Obedience to God’s Word demonstrates genuine faith. If we claim to follow David’s God, we should obey Scripture as he did.

When Gad the prophet came to David at Adullam, it signified God’s renewed favour. Similarly, we should value the Bible as the clearest sign of God’s will, believing and following its teachings.

Who would want to be a Christian in today’s world? Who would want to join David in the days of Saul?

Siding with David meant surrendering any hope of gaining from Saul’s kingdom. Unsurprisingly, those who joined David were people who realised Saul would never truly help them. Anyone still hopeful for Saul’s favour would not have sought refuge with David at Adullam.

Similarly, following the message of Jesus Christ requires a radical choice. It is understandable that people enjoying worldly success are reluctant to join Christ’s kingdom.

If we continue to look to the world for lasting security or comfort, we’re unlikely to turn to Jesus. Yet, it is encouraging that He welcomes those who, like David’s followers, have nowhere else to turn.

So, we have God’s refuge for David, the Christ, and now we must consider…

Saul, the ‘anti-Christ’

 

The letters of John in the New Testament contain the Bible’s five references to ‘antichrist’, although the idea is found more widely. While there have been various views among Christians about the identity of the Antichrist, we should not miss the emphasis of John that there many ‘antichrist’ influences in the world.

Antichrist means one who opposes the Christ. The ultimate antichrist is Satan, but John was keen to alert his readers that they would encounter many antichrists.

Jesus is the Christ, but a thousand years before Jesus, David was ‘christ’, the anointed king. Just as we have been learning about Jesus by hearing about his ancestor David, so we should learn about the antichrist as we hear about Saul.

Our story now leaves David temporarily. We move north to Gibeah to see what Saul was doing. In verse 6 we see that while David was huddled in a cave with a motley crew, Saul was seated securely with servants all around him.

However, Saul was not a peace. We are told he has his spear in his hand- he always has his spear in his hand- because in his soul he is at war; listen to him in verses 7 and 8:

“Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?  Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”

This is the ranting and raving of a desperate man, a paranoid soul with a head full of conspiracy theories.

Saul, consumed by self-pity and fear, viewed righteous David as a growing threat. And Saul’s paranoia made it difficult for him to trust anyone- even his own tribe.

There was no evidence whatsoever that his servants were contemplating any form of disloyalty. Saul, however, was in the grip of his fears that had nothing to do with facts.

We can imagine an embarrassed silence following his ranting. No one here thinks he would be better off with David. None of us has conspired against you. No one here has any idea what you are talking about! ⁶Those would have been the thoughts. But no one dared say a word.

The silence was at last brokenby a foreigner we spotted a chapter earlier in another place. In verses 9 and 10 Doeg shares news that greatly interests the angry king.

At last Saul had found a friend who would tell all he knew to the king. And Saul, no longer constrained by God’s Word or a holy fear of God, does not hesitate to unleash his fury at God’s holy priests.

Saul’s contempt for God is seen in his arrogant accusation of Ahimelech, Israel’s High Priest, in verses 12 and 13- the king did not give the priest the dignity of his own name. Notice that Saul is angry with Ahimelech simply for performing his function as God’s servant.

Is it the case that we can likewise be angered when Ministers preach the commands and doctrines of God’s Word? We can so easily forget that this is the very reason they are called by the Lord and His Church.

Ahimelech’s answer in verses 14 and 15 reveals his innocence in ministering to David. And he courageously confronts Saul over his well-known injustice to David.

God’s Word is clear: Ministers of the Gospel are to speak God’s truth without fear of man. In this same spirit, Ahimelech called Saul to a godlier way of thinking in verse 15. Ahimelech reminded Saul that the priests were innocent of any conspiracy against the king and undeserving of his paranoid accusations.

Ahimelech’s honest reply enraged Saul, revealing a further sign of Saul’s descent into evil: he showed no hesitation in attacking sacred people and defiling holy things. Saul either did not recognise or disregarded the priests’ holy status and the offence this would cause to God.

In verse 17 Saul, consumed by evil, unleashed the violence of the wicked on the land; we read:

Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”

But the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.

Imagine being one of Saul’s soldiers, who were mortified at the scene before them! Saul’s mad hatred for David was bad enough, but this wicked assault on innocent holy men was more than they could stomach.

Saul, however, had one obedient hatchet man. In verses 18 and 19 we witness Doeg slaughter the innocent and lay waste to the entire city of Nob. Not a soul was left but Abiathar who escaped to give the account. With this we witness Saul’s complete descent into satanic darkness.

 

In verses 21 and 22 we are back with David, listening to Abiathar relay news of the dreadful massacre at Nob. Now the bitter consequences of David’s sin of speaking falsely to Ahimelech are brought home to David.

At this David realises his calling as God’s chosen king. No longer would his mind be absorbed only with personal fears and concerns. Instead, his duty towards those who sought refuge with Him would be his concern; in verses 22 and 23 we read:

Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family.  Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”

In this offer of refuge for the righteous Abiathar, David wonderfully points forward to Jesus and His saving work. David would succeed in protecting Abiathar and many others who sought safety with him. But David himself knew that only the Lord can be the true refuge for the righteous.

As Jesus emphasised, the refuge that we need is not primarily from the Sauls of the world, who can only kill the body, but from God’s just wrath on our sin. For this greatest danger, God Himself has provided the refuge in sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to die in sacrifice for our sins.

Therefore, as the refugees of Adullam came to David in verse 2, we must flee to Christ and find refuge in Him. There, at the refuge of the Cross, the debt of sin is paid, the kingdom of Satan is defeated, and death gives way to eternal life.

 

Like David’s band of outcasts, we flee to Christ because we have come to the realisation that the things of this world can neither save nor satisfy. Jesus invites us to flee to Him for salvation, calling out to the world, ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’. Only in Christ is there true refuge for the righteous. Only in Christ is there protection and provision for all who would seek to honour the True King no matter the cost.

 

Conclusion

Chapter 22 begins with David huddled with outcasts in a cave. By the end of the chapter God had summoned David to embrace the kingship and provided him with both a priest and a prophet.

In this we see our great need: a mighty King to rule and defend us; a Priest whose perfect sacrifice bring us back to God; and a true Prophet to guide us by His Word. In Christ we have all we need to fight the good fight of faith.

And, in coming to the Lord’s Table today, we celebrate and remember this truth. Today as we remember and celebrate what Christ has done for us in the Gospel and we find nourishment for our weary souls; we find refuge in His perfect righteousness; and we declare that we belong a might and triumphant Rescuer-Kingwho reign is eternal and glorious.