David has set up his home in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1) with his family. We are about 16 miles from Jerusalem. Archaeologists say we are about 500 feet high giving a good view of the surrounding countryside and people approaching.

Some translate the cave as stronghold, as they believe there was a possibility that the cave was fortified. His family are also joined by 400 men.

And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. 1 Samuel 22:2

If I may, I would like to change the rules on exegesis and hope I don’t irritate too much some of the more learned theologians than me, so here we go.

God has stopped the world including the church, and in his sovereignty he has a reason and a plan. I believe it’s time for us to seek God and ask questions like: “What are you saying Lord?” “What are you doing Lord?” “What do you want us to learn Lord?”.  We surely cannot as churches go back to the way we were, with the same programmes and church meetings. I have heard so many times already people talking about getting back to ‘normal’, maybe we are not supposed to go back to normal!

Our passage tells us about the condition of the men that joined David in the cave of Adullan. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him.

The NIV uses the terms all those who were in distress, or in debt or discontented.

These were people that life had hit badly. They had lost confidence, were burdened and feeling loss. Yet they search for and find David. David our type of Christ was there for them. Was it not Jesus who said

Come to me, all who labour 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

We are in unprecedented times and the effects of these days of challenge will leave many in distress and in debt and bitter in soul.

We, the church need to ask ourselves are we ready to receive these hard pressed people? Our doors should be wide open and hearts full of compassion but our meetings and our services need to adapt to the needs of the world.

We have a vital role in helping the recovery of our world, and people will be looking for answers, and Jesus does have all the solutions.  Yes I know the gospel is the answer! That is not what I am saying. What I am saying is that we will need to provide counsel, comfort, care, prayer, friendship, we will need to pick up many that have fallen, provide help, give time, and those things don’t look like an hour of worship and  an hour of exegesis around Romans 7. I suspect we will have to rewrite church because God has a plan to change those who are in distress, in debt, or bitter of souls into mighty men.

There said it now…