YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE

Sometimes we all need a hiding place.  David was a fugitive.  He was running for his life.  Saul had an all-points bulletin released to his military commanding them to find David and kill him.  Finally, David found a hiding place in a remote location full of fields and caves. The place was called Adullam.

THE HIDING PLACE CALLED ADULLAM

Long before David’s time, the son of Israel named Judah, had been to visit this same place.  During that time the place was a small village.  It was busy and flourishing with life, unlike the deserted ruins of David’s times. 

While Judah was there, he met and befriended a Canaanite man named Hirah.  Hirah’s friendship, and his ways from a different culture, had a huge influence on the life of Judah.  Judah was the fourth son of Jacob.  He had grown up in a very different culture than Hirah.

Judah has been criticized for letting the ways of Hirah influence him.  It indirectly led him to take a foreign wife, She had pagan beliefs and ideas.  Generations of Israelites suffered from these pagan ways. They were indirectly passed on to Israel. 

JUDAH’S FOREIGN WIVES

The only three sons of Judah were born from this foreign marriage. Both older sons died childless.  A woman named Tamar was married to one of these sons of Judah.  We have studied her story in the past during our Genesis study.  You can read more of her story in THE GOSPEL HIDDEN IN GENESIS, BOOK TWO OF TWO. Our book is now on sale at Amazon.com. Here is the link: https://amzn.to/4mvIzWJ.

Most of our readers already know of the interesting relationship Tamar eventually shared with Judah.  If you wish to review the whole story, click here: https://mattdabbs.com/2011/08/31/why-is-that-story-there-in-the-bible-judah-and-tamar/.

Of course, this story of Tamar and Judah was all history by the time of David.  Also, we can see how history has a way of repeating itself.  The stories of Judah and his children and Tamar, reveal many things that were once concealed. 

THE HIDDEN THINGS

No one understood the concealed truth in the ancient stories from Adullam. When the hidden truth was finally revealed, it brought forth redemption. Such things had happened in the past in this place called Adullam. Now, David was a new participant in the long line of those who were hiding things.  

This is exactly what the hiding of David was about.  He was waiting on God to reveal his purpose.   If David would be King, God would reveal this in His own way and in His own timing.   However, we see this place where David hid out is the home for several stories which carry significance. They reveal the history from many of God’s people, both before and after David’s generations.

Once Adullam was home for those ancient villages of Judah’s foreign wives. It was where they had lived in generations past.  Adullam bordered the land inhabited by the Philistines.  It was odd that Judah had ventured out to that area.  He was only safe because his friend Hirah protected him.  Saul would not have ventured out into such a location.  It was the land that lay next to his greatest enemies, the Philistines.

A NATURAL FORTRESS

So, David went to hide in the caves of Adullam.  This cave of the Judean wilderness was like a natural fortress.  It became a place of refuge for many of the outcast people of Israel who were seeking temporary asylum.  The name in Hebrew literally means “a hiding place.”

I had to wonder if this story influenced the writing of the song called “You Are My Hiding Place.” 

No, actually Mr. Michael Ledner was going through a rough spot in his life when he wrote this song.  He found refuge in the place of the Lord. This was very similar to David in our story.  Mr. Ledner wrote the song in January of 1980. Later he shared the song with a youth group on a trip to Israel.  Others heard it there. A large record company heard about the song. They wanted to record and produce the music to the public. 

Many have found this song resonates with their hearts. Others have also been in need of protection and needed a place to hide.  You can listen to the song here: https://youtu.be/rrdFw0WsEAg?si=4lku1OnXEzNDB6Iw.

GOD IS THE TRUE HIDING PLACE

David learned that his real place of refuge was in God.  At Adullam He composed Psalms with words to describe his feelings.  One of those Psalms was Psalm 32:7.  You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 

These very similar words are the first thoughts in the first verse of Michael Ledner’s song. The lyrics describe the place of refuge to its listeners.  There are also references to Psalm 56:3 and 2 Corinthians 12:10 in the song.

Michael Ledner is a shepherd of people. That became the new job of David too. As he led his mighty men they responded to him like sheep to a shepherd.  These lost, broken men seeking refuge found God in this place. David helped to organize them. He trained them and prepared them for a better life.  The skills David used as Captain of his army came from the days when he was a shepherd.  Now he was shepherding humans. They had a lot of the same needs as those sheep he once cared for.

WHERE IS YOUR HIDING PLACE?

Often the lost and wondering need a place to hide. They need the refreshment of a Sabbath rest.

Have you found your own hiding place from which to escape the hard and unfair things in life?  Whatever physical place you discover when seeking peace, know that it will work only if God is there with you.  Lean in on Jesus, He is the true hiding place. 

David could go to this place of refuge and find solitude and protection. While here he was safe. 

The enemy of God, Satan and his demons, would love to kill, steal and destroy what God has planned.  When this happens, we need to find our place of refuge and rest in God’s peace.  There are times when we all need a place to hide.  It is the place where we go to escape. This is where we find peace. It is a place to worship, to seek God’s protection, and know his will for our lives. 

In Adullam God matured David into becoming a King.  This was the place where he developed into the man God intended for him to be. Sometimes we must wait in Adullam. God will strengthen us and give us wisdom as we rest in our hiding place.

FIND YOUR INNER CIRCLE IN THE REFUGE OF SAFETY

Without the wilderness experience of Adullam, David would not have been the same person. God was molding him into the man who would rule Israel.  David formed relationships and fellowshipped with people who would always watch his back. These loyal men would always be on his side. 

The desperate, broken, poor and uneducated group of men came to David. They came to learn how to live a better life.  Each man sought protection from the evil powers of the present government.  David gave them his time and attention. He helped his brothers, even though he was seeking solitude with God.  He taught them of the great God he served.  They too put their trust in Elohim.  Without even trying, this pitiful group of 400 men became a strong, focused army led by David. 

BECOMING A STRONG ARMY

So, we see that David’s base of operations began secretly at the caves of Adullam.  There he formed the band of “outlaws.” This group became known as David’s men, or David’s Mighty Men.

David’s brother’s and his father’s household soon heard that David was hiding in Adullam. They went see David.  David’s brothers joined the Mighty Men of David’s military.  They all lived together in the stronghold.

LIFE IN THE STRONGHOLD

Strongholds are interesting.  They often play a role in the lives of biblical characters. We notice a lot of such strongholds as we study Torah.  

David feared for the safety of his father and mother.  He went to Mizpah in Moab. David asked the King of Moab to let his father and mother stay in Moab. The King allowed David’s parents a safe stay. 

Now, all of David’s family had a hiding place. God had his hand on the family. He was building the foundation for a new King in Israel.