So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.“ I Samuel 22:1b-2 NKJV
a. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him: First, David’s family came to him. This is a precious gift from God because previously all David had was trouble and persecution from his father and his brothers (1 Samuel 16:11 and 1 Samuel 17:28). Now they join him at the Adullam cave.
b. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him: God called an unlikely and unique group to David in the Adullam cave. These were not the men David would have chosen for himself, but they were the ones God called to him.
i. These men were in distress. Their own lives weren’t easy or together. They had problems of their own, yet God called them to David at the Adullam cave.
ii. These men were in debt. They hadn’t seen a lot of success in the past and were stung from their past failures. They had problems of their own, yet God called them to David at the Adullam cave.
iii. These men were discontented. The Hebrew word for discontented means bitter of soul. They knew the bitterness of life, and they were not satisfied with their lives or with King Saul. They wanted something different, and something better, and God called them to David at the Adullam cave.
iv. These men all came to David when he was down and out, hunted and despised. Once David came to the throne, there were a lot of people who wanted to be around him. The glory of these 400 is that they came to David in the cave.
v. “These are the kind of men who came to David: distressed, bankrupt, dissatisfied. These are the kind of people who come to Christ, and they are the only people who come to Him, for they have recognised their distress, their debt, and bankruptcy, and are conscious that they are utterly discontented. The sheer pressure of these frustrations drives them to the refuge of the blood of Christ that was shed for them.” (Redpath)
c. So he became captain over them: This was not a mob. This was a team that needed a leader, and David became captain over them. God doesn’t work through mobs. He works through called men and women, but He also calls others to stand with and support those men and women.
i. Four hundred men, and desperate men at that. This was a solid beginning to a rebel army if David wanted it. An unprincipled leader might make these 400 men into a gang of rebels or cutthroats, but David did not allow this to become a rebel army against King Saul.
ii. These men came to David in distress, in debt, and discontented, but they didn’t stay that way. David made them into the kind of men described in 1 Chronicles 12:8: Mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.
d. And there were about four hundred men with him: David was the one anointed by God to be the next king over Israel, and he became Israel’s greatest earthly king. But just as much as God called David, God called these four hundred to come beside David.
i. Each principle is important. The principle that God leads through a called and anointed man is important. When an ark had to be built, God didn’t call 400 men. When Israel needed deliverance from Egypt, God didn’t call a committee. Over and over again in the Scriptures, God’s work is led by a called and anointed man.
ii. At the same time, the principle that God rarely calls that man to work alone is important. David needed these 400 men, even if he never thought so before. They are just as called and anointed as David is, but they are called and anointed to follow and support David and he is called and anointed to lead them.
iii. David had his followers, and so does the Son of David, Jesus Christ. “Do you see the truth of which this Old Testament story is so graphic a picture? Just as in David’s day, there is a King in exile who is gathering around Him a company of people who are in distress, in debt, and discontented. He is training and preparing them for the day when He shall come to reign.”(Redpath)
(Guzik)
Followers
Upon read Redpath’s commentary above I immediately thought of what Jesus said:
”Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.“ Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV
As followers of Jesus Christ, you either follow Him whole heartedly where you find rest for your soul surrounded by His Love and salvation or half heartily (casually, lazily, wearily, listlessly, desultorily, tiredly, sluggishly, languidly) without finding rest for your soul.
Are you are in distress, in debt, and discontented with the world?
Seek Jesus whole heartedly, follow Him and He will give you rest for your soul.
Blessings
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