The Cave of Adullam

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Church of God, In Truth</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>    |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God, In Truth"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> back to<B>  </B>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div>                                                   </div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Cave of Adullam</B></div> <div>                            </div> <bR> <div>       The English language is full of strange words with obscure or double meanings.  We have words that sound the same, like "two", "to" and "too", but each has a different application. We have words where the meaning has been totally altered like the word "gay" that used to mean "merry."  We have words that drum up emotion like "adullamite."  If someone called you an adullamite would you be insulted or honored?</div> <div>      The term "adullamite" is a reference to a cave near Bethlehem.  It's a word that is being tossed around these days, in a political sense, just like it was back in 1916.  At that time, Europe was in the middle of World War I, while the United States remained neutral and was focused on a heated Presidential Election.  President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat was running against Supreme Court Justice Charles Hughes, a Republican.  In a speech made by Mr. Wilson from his summer estate in Long Branch, New Jersey, Mr. Wilson said of the Republican Party:</div> <div>      "Men of every sort and variety of purpose-I will not say united, but associated, for an unarrowed object, shot through with many forms of bitterness, every ugly form of hate, every debased purpose of revenge, and every covert desire to recover secret power-a party made up like the occupants of the ancient cave of Adullam, of everybody discontented and insurgent against existing circumstances and therefore not very happily in conference with one another." October 7, 1916 -New York Times Archives.</div> <div>      Yes, not that much different than political speeches of our day but with a biblical reference to be understood by the audience.  The Cave of Adullam and/or shortened to adullamite, is now a reference for any small faction of vocal people that are viewed as an obstruction to the policies or practices of a larger faction.  It's usually used by one political party in a negative spin to discredit a person, policy or political platform.</div> <div>      But, is it an accurate reference?  Is the phrase used properly?  Let's begin at the beginning with a review of the facts.</div> <div>      Adullam was a city, located in the Elah Valley where David killed Goliath.  Judah, one of the sons of Israel, married a Canaanite woman from the city of Adullam.  Most references place the Cave of Adullam about 2 miles south of the Elah Valley (the Shephelah) and about 13 miles west of Bethlehem because the area has numerous caves.  One is large enough for about 250 men.  </div> <div>      Others claim the Cave of Adullam is in the Judean Wilderness southeast of Bethlehem in the mountains that over look the Dead Sea in an area called Wady Khureitun.  In that area there are numerous caves and one big enough for 400 men.  The cave has numerous small chambers attached to the main gathering area.  It's a very large cave in an area of wilderness that can only be accessed on foot.  It was also more remote than the caves near the city of Adullam.</div> <div>      Either way, David's cave of refuge was not far from Bethlehem.  As a shepherd for his father's sheep, David was very familiar with the surrounding hills and valleys where the sheep would graze or wander off and get lost.   It would be logical for David to choose the most remote location when fleeing from King Saul.  And, it was not unusual for two areas to have the same name.  For example, there are two cities with the name Bethlehem.  To distinguish which one, the Bible refers to Bethlehem of Judea as the southern location.  The other Bethlehem is near Nazareth.</div> <div>      The sub-heading on Psalm 142 labels it as a Psalm when David was in the cave.  A few of David's thoughts at the time were ". . .there was no man that would know me. . .no man cared for my soul . . .Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. . .deliver me from my persecutors for they are stronger than I. . ."</div> <div>      When David fled from King Saul he was alone.  When his brothers and parents learned that he had fled, they joined him in the cave.  "And everyone that was in distress and everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him (David) and he became a captain over them and there were with him about four hundred men"  (I Samuel 22:2).   </div> <div>      David then arranged with the King of Moab to take care of his elderly mother and father until he knew what God was going to do (I Samuel 22:1,3-4).   The King of Moab resided in the city of Mizpeh, today known as Kerak.  If the cave of refuge was in the mountains overlooking the Dead Sea, then all David and his parents had to do was follow the sea coast to Zoar at the southern edge of the Dead Sea, then head north to Kerak in Moab.  If the cave were closer to the city of Adullam, they would have had to cross more populated areas and risk running into those connected to King Saul.  </div> <div>      Now, compare the Biblical description of the people who joined David in the cave, with the description from former President Wilson.  The descriptions really don't match.  Why?</div> <div>      If you look closely at President Wilson's view of people who did not agree with his policies and wanted the "secret power"-the Republicans that were viewed as being in the cave-there's a unique glimpse of King Saul's attitude toward David.  King Saul knew his days of rulership of Israel would soon come to an end and that David was God's choice to replace him, not his own son.  Bitterness, jealously and envy motivated King Saul to try to murder David on several occasions.  Saul's hatred was so intense that he even tried to kill his son, Jonathan, when Jonathan defended David (I Samuel 20:30-33).  King Saul did not want to give up power over people that would continue through his son.</div> <div>      The people who came to the Cave of Adullam were people disgusted and in distress with the ways of Saul, a king rejected by God.  They were people who wanted what God wanted. David had already been anointed by Samuel as the next king but not yet installed as king.  David became leader over them per the Will of God.   It was the "Two Trees" choice, once more.  Satan's way, or God's way. </div> <bR> <div> So, if someone called you an adullamite would you be insulted, or would you feel honored?</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Pat Homan</div> </td> </tr></table></body>