David became a fugitive. Dreams of being Israel’s next king paled in comparison to the nightmare of being chased down by king Saul. No matter where David went within Israel there were spies updating Saul on David’s every move.
David found refuge in a cave in Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1). A cave. Not a castle. But a cold wet cave. Who would have thought that Israel’s famed giant killer would be hiding out in a cave? Thankfully David wasn’t alone in his cave. His father and brothers came to see him in his cave. Don’t forget these are the same brothers that ridiculed David for wanting to face Goliath. “Look what killing that giant got you, David.” “Nice place you got here, little brother. You decorate it yourself?” Brothers can be so cruel. Jesse probably sounded like every father, “David, why don’t you come home and have a nice meal with me and your brothers, so we can work this stuff out amongst ourselves. Just let go of this dream of being Israel’s king.” Perhaps David was happy to see his family and a probably little embarrassed too. It’s more than likely, however, that David’s family were scared of Saul too. They needed David, and he needed them too. Thank God for family in times of stress.
It wasn’t just David’s family who came to his cave. “And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men” (1 Sam. 22:2). Those who were distressed, in debt, and discontented came to be with David.
That’s what David attracted. He attracted the distressed, the indebted, and the discontented. David didn’t look at those people and turn them away because they lacked particular qualities. No, David took those discontented, indebted, and distressed people and turned them into successful people! Some of those became great warriors and are listed in 2 Samuel 23:8–39 and 1 Chronicles 11:10–41.
Who would have thought that The Son of David, the King of Israel would be crucified upon a cross and buried in a tomb? Like David, Jesus wasn’t accepted as Israel’s true King. But the writer of Hebrews wrote, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” David eventually came out of the cave, and along with him came an army. Likewise, Jesus came out of the tomb to become the Captain of salvation for the distressed, the indebted, and the discontented.