Harry Foster
Reading: 1 Chronicles 11:15-19
THE cave Adullam was, as its name signifies, a place of refuge. It became the headquarters of the rejected king, David, and many came to him there to find safety and deliverance from their bitter circumstances (1 Samuel 22:2). The men were diverse in character and came from different places, but as they gathered to David, they found joy and strength in their companionship and are often referred to as "David and his men". It was a community of mutual support, but it was more than that; it was a band of brothers, bound to one another by the bonds of their common devotion to David. The name "David" means "loved". He was not only their Leader; he was their Beloved one whom they served with deep devotion.
The typical allusion to Christ is obvious. He is King, but is now rejected. He provides refuge. We have come from our distress and emptiness of soul to find relief and safety in Him. Life has a richer meaning for us now, since He is also the provider of fellowship. We belong to one another because we belong to Him. We are not just a crowd of refugees: we are a band of brothers. But if we are to carry the allusion further we need to recognise that we should risk all for Him. The Old Testament warriors are not only an illustration to us; they are also a challenge. Christ is our Beloved, but how much do we love Him? Is our love just selfish gratitude for all that we get from Him, or does it inspire us to action and sacrifice? Adullam was not only a place of refuge and companionship; it was also a place of willing self-sacrifice, as the story of these three men so graphically shows. Here are some of the spiritual principles which we can learn from them:
1. They were near enough to David to know of his heart longings
In that company the commands of David were heard and obeyed by all. Even those most remote from his person were committed to obey his instructions when he gave them. But what we are dealing with now was not a command for all to hear but only a whispered heart longing heard by the few who were in closest association with him. Not all were near enough to be aware of this deep desire of his. Only the few who were very close to him could catch that whispered yearning of his heart: "Oh, that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" These three were near enough to overhear his words. It was not just that David was thirsty. Had it been that he would just have called loudly for water and any of the six hundred would have gladly brought it. It was much more than that. He remembered wistfully that well by the gate of his own native village and the refreshing coolness of its water, and found himself confiding to his intimate friends how much he longed to taste it again.
This was not a passing fancy. Bethlehem was his own home. If he was king of Judah, then he was certainly king of Bethlehem, his "royal city". At that time he was in rejection, and his enemies were in possession of that locality. What is more natural and more fitting, then, than that he should have a strong desire to taste its waters once more, and to whom should he confide this longing but to those more intimate friends of his?
There are many passages of Scripture which show how necessary it is to live in close touch with the Lord in order to discern His will. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him" (Psalm 25:14) which in the RSV reads: "The friendship of the Lord ...". This reminds us of Christ's own words: "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends" (John 15:15). Like the mass of David's followers we are familiar with His general commands and are committed to give obedience to them. More than this, though, He seeks those who will walk in close communion with Him and be sensitive to His slightest wishes. He will not shout as from a distance the things which are dear to His heart, but He will whisper them, if only we have ears to hear. [24/25]
I am not thinking of anything apart from His Word, as though we should look for some personal communication which is not available to others, some dream or vision which comes to us alone. No, if He whispers, it will be through the Scriptures. But only those who keep daily contact with Him and find their Bible not a mere Rule Book but a pulsating communication of the inner depths of the will of God, will know what it is to be sensitive to His desires. David quietly expressed a longing, and these three men heard it. How often the Lord might make us aware of His deep desires if only we were near enough to receive His confidences!
2. They were devoted enough to be provoked to action
One wonders if David even expected anyone to take this matter up. He certainly had no intention of ordering any of his men to fetch the water. It may be that this was no more than a vague longing -- Oh, that it were possible to taste Bethlehem's cool water! There were a few, however, whose devotion to the king was so great that the very fact that they knew his wishes acted as a spur to immediate action.
They were, of course, a small minority. I am afraid that it is still true that it is a comparatively rare thing among the subjects of King Jesus to find such eager response to that 'extra' strength of devotion. Others ask: 'Is it usual?' or 'Is it necessary?' or 'Is it commanded?'. These three asked a different question: 'Will it please our king?', and because they knew that it would they did not hesitate.
Take the matter of prayer. Our Lord whispers to us: "O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock ... let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice ..." (S. of S. 2:14). If we really love Him, this should be enough for us. If that is what He wants, then we should surely press forward to prayer times, even if it is inconvenient, and do so not because we are commanded but because we respond to the realisation that He longs to hear our voice.
This is also the most impelling reason for seeking to point men to Christ. When as a young man I left home to take the gospel to Amazonia, it honestly was not because I felt any special compassion for the forest Indians there, but because I sensed something of the Saviour's need of them. There were in that land some who could be described as part of "His inheritance in the saints", but they were captive to Christ's enemies. At any cost, then, we felt that they must be reached by the gospel of His redeeming love. This is the best argument for gospel witness, not to add to our statistics nor to satisfy personal desires for success, but simply and solely that He may see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.
3. They were strong enough to fight
The three knew that there was no chance of obtaining the water from Bethlehem's well without a fight. The Philistines were not only in that area, they actually had their garrison headquarters in the town, and the well being situated at the gate was virtually an impossible target. In the face of such a prospect they would certainly have to show themselves strong (v.10). If this were to be done, then a fight was inevitable.
We may go further and say that there is nothing worthwhile in the kingdom that does not have to be fought for. What did the Lord Jesus mean by speaking of the kingdom of heaven suffering violence, and the violent taking it by force (Matthew 11:12)? He certainly did not imply that a sinner must make great efforts if he is to enter the kingdom, for a few verses later we read of His gracious invitation to every needy soul to come to Him and find rest. No, this is surely a reminder that we can only serve in the kingdom by being ready to fight. We are soldiers of Christ and we serve by fighting.
We need to be strong with ourselves -- violent if necessary -- if we are to be stirred to show devotion to Christ. We must be strong against Satan and wear the whole armour of God if we are to invade enemy territory and capture spoil for the Lord. These three did not wait for their camp to be attacked. In such a situation all are on the defensive and must fight. No, they went out in their lord's name to get what he most wanted. If nobody else would go, they would. If everybody else ridiculed their seeming foolhardiness, they would still go. They did what we must do: they showed their love for their king by risking their lives for him.
Suppose that their foray had been a failure! How pityingly their fellow soldiers might have spoken of the pointless waste! "Waste" was the very word that the disciples used to describe the outpoured offering of Mary of Bethany. Those who are so moved by devoted love never think in terms of waste. Nor do they think overmuch of what others say about them. The one governing concern of their lives is to bring pleasure to the heart of their King. [25/26]
These three had no interest in gaining the favour of the army. Only one thing mattered to them. If there was something that David longed for, then they would fight to get it for him. Their story was written for our inspiration. It points each one of us to the possibility of venturing for Christ, even if the difficulties and opposition be great and the fight a fierce one.
4. They were united enough to succeed
No one man alone could have brought the water. This chapter is almost entirely a list of individuals, with the accounts of personal triumphs which they had in the service of the king. This story is different. There is no clear indication of the names of those involved, but stress is laid on the fact that they were a group of three. Each needed the other two; probably at the well two of them stood on guard while the third drew the water. Perhaps they took turns in carrying the heavy waterskin once there was no more need for fighting.
There is no special indication of the prominence of an individual, but every justification for saying that only their unquestioning loyalty to each other made it possible for them to succeed. Unlike Christians today they did not waste time talking about unity; they did not need to discuss or arrange unity, but they found it spontaneously as they sacrificed all for David. Their king united them. Their overriding concern for what would please him gave them that inner unity which was the secret of their success. Which of the three actually presented the gift of water to David? We do not know. They were not interested in status or precedence. The only thing that mattered was that David's lightest wish should be gratified.
This is a most important spiritual truth, the matter of mutual interdependence in the Lord's service. As it was the secret of their success, so we are taught that spiritual unity is essential if the Church is to be successful in the task of bringing back the King. "These things did the three mightiest" (A.V.). There is yet one more thing to say about them.
5. They were sacrificial enough to provide worship
Don't you feel disappointed when you read that after all that sacrifice, David did not even taste the water but threw it all away? Look again, and you will see that he did not throw it away, "he poured it out to the Lord". It was so very precious that no man, not even the king, ought to drink it. David vowed before his God that he would never do so. It may be that at first the three felt disappointed, for they had so looked forward to seeing David's enjoyment of what had been brought to him at such a cost. When, however, they appreciated the significance of his action, they must have been filled with joyful wonder, for they were witnessing the outpouring of a drink-offering to God Himself. Not only were they witnessing it, but they had played a prominent part in providing it.
Just as they had lived near to David, so David lived near to God. He was therefore sensitive to the deep desires of God's heart. As the Lord Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman, there is a sense in which God Himself thirsts with a deep longing for true spiritual worship (John 4:23). It was almost as if David had overheard God longingly whisper: "Oh, that someone would bring Me to drink of the love of men in that world which is really Mine but has become Satan's garrison!" This was his response. There must be a drink-offering for God. "David would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord". As the three saw the precious liquid poured out by their king, they began to realise that they had become involved in a priestly ministry of giving a precious drink-offering to their God.
They were not priests; they were just nameless subjects of the king; but their heroic action had provided this satisfying offering to God, and this must have filled their hearts with joy. The same prospect is opened to all believers. Paul once wrote of himself in this very connection: "If I am being poured out like a drink offering on the service and sacrifice of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you" (Philippians 2:17). There can be no higher honour for mortal man than so to sacrifice that God may receive a drink-offering of worship.
If we are to have a part in such holy ministry to the heart of God we must give serious thought to the five propositions which have been set before us by this story. In a new way we must learn to live in close communion with the Lord in the hurly-burly of our daily life, so that we may be sensitive to the whispers of the Spirit and respond with active obedience as we learn His will. We must also practise communion among ourselves, for without the maintained operation of the unity of the Spirit there will be little hope of victories in the name of Christ. And we must so deny ourselves that any expectation of glory [26/27] for men shall be forgotten in the supreme delight of providing satisfaction for the heart of God.
And where shall we do and dare for Him? Look at the map and you will find that Adullam and Bethlehem were quite near to each other. The three did not have to travel a long distance: their opportunity for service and sacrifice was close at hand. This is generally true in our case. We do not need necessarily to think of missionary service in distant lands. Right near us -- often in quite small matters -- there are opportunities for us to risk all for our King. Like these three, our names may remain unknown, but like them we can have a place among the lovers of Christ who have had some part in providing a drink-offering for our God.
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