Day 1209: The higher rock - 1 Samuel 23 vs 25 – 24 vs 2

25 Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26-27 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.(or, Rock of Divisions)

29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi. 1-2 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the 'Wild Goats' Rocks'. 1 Samuel 23:24-24:2 English Standard Version

Having escaped from the men of Keilah through God's guidance, David was betrayed by the Ziphites and fled to a barren area called the wilderness of Maon. There he sought shelter in a 'rock'. This may have been the conical mountainous region of Maon. And we read that Saul pursued David there.

The situation grew tense. David and his men were likely in the sight of Saul and his army. The Hebrew word translated as 'rock' can mean a cliff or a precipice, and Saul was on one side of the gorge, and David in full view on the other. The Pulpit Commentary says that “Saul's forces were much more numerous. They prepared to separate and so enclose David, while he was 'hurrying' to get away! That word word expresses anxiety and fear, and may be translated, "David sought anxiously to go from before the face of Saul."

But at this very moment God's hand of providence was seen in messengers who arrived, who said to Saul “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” So Saul turned back from pursuing after David and went to fight the Philistines. No wonder that place became known as 'the Rock of Escape', or, as some translations put it, 'the Rock of Divisions'.

So David sought refuge in a wilderness area known as Engedi where there were rocky areas and caverns to hide in. One area had the name 'Wild Goats' Rocks'. Matthew Poole says in his commentary that it was an area “which wild goats used to delight in, and climb into. These very rocks are exceeding steep, and full of precipices, and dangerous to travellers. Yet Saul was so filed with rage that he brought his army there,that he might take David.” In our next reading in 1 Samuel we will see what happened.

Rocks have ever been a place of refuge for God's persecuted servants. 1 Samuel 13:6 says that “when the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.” And Job describes oppressed people in his day who were “drenched by mountain rain, and hug the rocks for lack of shelter.” Job 24:8. The author of Hebrews speaks of righteous people who sought refuge “in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:38. One can think too of Scotland’s history, where many a righteous soul had to hide among the rocky hills.

David knew well that rocks and caves provided a hiding pace in time of danger. In Psalm 61:2-3 he says: “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.” A Christian hymn of old sees a picture of Christ in the rock that is higher than ourselves. It says: “Rock of Ages, cleft for me - let me hide myself in Thee. Let the water and the blood - from Thy riven side which flowed - be of sin the double cure. Save me from it's guilt and power.”