“Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” 

I Samuel 22:5

If anyone needed a stronghold, it was David.

Pursued by a maniacal king, hell bent on destroying his life – David needed a stronghold, a place of safety.

He had escaped King Saul, and was lying low in the cave of Adullam. Before long, his family and a band of about 400 rag-tag followers had joined him. Now it wasn’t just David — this whole troop would be in danger from King Saul.

Up in the hills, on high ground where they could see the enemy approaching, with a series of caves and safe places to hide out — Adullum was the perfect spot for David and his men.
Nevertheless the prophet Gad brings David this puzzling message: “Do not stay in the stronghold, go into the land of Judah.”

Why would you leave a safe place — to go to where the future is uncertain? This makes about as much sense now as it did then. But David obeyed, and went down into the forest lands of Heth.

As I Samuel chapter 22 unfolds — King Saul goes into a rage when he hears that Ahimelek the priest has helped David — and executes all his family and the priests of the Lord. Ahimelek’s son Abiathar manages to escape and flees to find David. After David hears his story, he says these words:

Stay with me; don’t be afraid…. You will be safe with me.” (I Samuel 22:23)

In many instances throughout his life, David was a picture of Christ – telling us the story of Jesus. This story here in I Samuel 22 has much to teach us about following and trusting in Jesus to lead us.

Often times — we look to a stronghold to be a place of safety and comfort.
A stronghold could be many things in our lives – a literal place, a job, relationships, a lifestyle, a feeling of control, a routine. Strongholds are familiar, comfortable and reliable. But they may not be a strong or as safe as we think. And sometimes, the Lord is leading us out of a stronghold to follow Him.

When Abiathar ran, he didn’t run to the caves of Adullam up in the mountains. He ran to David.

David was Abiathar’s strong tower. David was his safe place. And David affirms this, saying “Stay with me; don’t be afraid…. You will be safe with me.” (I Samuel 22:23)

In this story — David is a picture, pointing us to Jesus.

Rather than running to, or staying in our strongholds — the safest place for us to go, is to go where Jesus is going. Proverbs 18:10 says: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe”.

Jesus — is our strong tower. He is our shelter, our refuge, our hope.

Psalm 61:3-4 says these words:

“For YOU have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in your tabernacle forever. I will trust in the shelter of YOUR wings”

We can be fearful of leaving our strongholds — but we don’t have to be.
Jesus is our strong tower, and its a tower that moves with us.

Like the tabernacle, the moveable, tent-like sanctuary where God’s presence dwelled — as we move with Jesus, where He goes — our tower of refuge and safety goes with us.

The safest place to be is where Jesus is. May we follow Jesus, our strong tower, wherever He goes and wherever He leads.