David had shot to fame, the moment he defeated Goliath and rescued the Israelites from the Philistines. Everyone was in celebratory mood, except King Saul. He resented the fuss his subjects made over David’s victory and ended up planning to remove the young upstart. 

By the time he reached Ein Gedi, David had been running from Saul for quite some time. You can see why he chose the spot: an oasis in the desert with springs and lush vegetation, and at the same time a rocky area with caves providing shelter. 

Ein Gedi means ‘goat spring’ and even today wild goats can be spotted climbing around the rocks. Ein Gedi is also mentioned in the Song of Solomon (1.14): ‘My lover is like the wild flowers that bloom in the vineyards at Engedi.’ About half a century ago, farmers from Kibbutz Ein Gedi stumbled across the remains of an ancient synagogue.

Have you ever been inspired by a biography or podcast of one of your heroes to apply their habits and practices to your own life? Should we look to Bible characters in the same way? Can they show us how to live? The Bible story is far grittier and messier than that and its characters are often deeply flawed. Instead of trying to be like them, we should learn from their mistakes.

In 1 Samuel 24 the king and his successor are pitted against each other. Saul’s insecurity drives him to irrational fear as he tries to hunt down the anointed David. David deliberately misses opportunities to kill Saul, who after all is still ‘the LORD’s anointed’. 

Do you ever see something of Saul in yourself? Can fear cause you to run wild? Come back to God and let him assure you of your worth. Or are you tempted like David to trust in yourself rather than God? Instead of taking matters into your own hands, give them to God and trust his good plan and purpose for you.

Read on, to find out more about David and Saul:

• Ultimate loyalty 1 Samuel 24