The Cave

1 Samuel 21:10 - 22:1-4 THE CAVE I. THE REFUGE OF THE CAVE - 1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam(a) David's Fear - Of Saul 10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. Of Achish - 12 And David was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. (b) David's Faint 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. (c) David's Flight - 1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: 2. THE RIGOURS OF THE CAVE - 1 and escaped to the cave Adullam: A. His Sorrow – David at rock bottom! Wrote -Ps 142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. B. His Suffering – 4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul 1. God uses problems to DIRECT, 2. to INSPECT. 3. to CORRECT.

4. to PROTECT. 5. to PERFECT. God is far more interested in your character than in your comfort. C. His Supplication – 1 I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. 2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. Psa. 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 3. THE RICHES OF THE CAVE - 1 and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. A. His FAMILY - they went down thither to him. (Brethren mocked)

B. His FOLLOWERS - (a) The Distressed - 2 And every one that was in distress

(b) The Debtors - and every one that was in debt,

(c) The Discontented - and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him;

A man - a monastery - allowed to speak two words every ten years. At the end of ten years, "Bad food!" "Hard bed!" "I quit!"

"You might as well. All you do is complain anyway."

1 Cor 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; Tom Cross in Enn - Isa 33:23 - the lame take the prey. C. His FAITH - 3 David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. i. He Waited on :- God's Work - 3 till I know what God will do for me.

ii. God's Will - 4 all the while that David was in the hold.

iii. God's Word - 5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth. 4. THE REWARDS OF THE CAVE - 2 and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. What did that mean ? - (a) SURRENDER: turned from Saul to be subject to David. (b) SAFETY: - 22 And David said unto Abiathar............ 23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. (c) SUCCESS: the Rejected One will soon be the Reigning One And those who follow Him now, will be rewarded then ! Rom 8:18 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. - Napoleons soldiers were marching through Paris when a working woman put a broom to her shoulder, and marched "I don't expect to fight, but I do expect to show which side I'm on"