David is on the run from his son Absolam who has organized a revolt against him. King David fled east out of Jerusalem through the Judean Desert. It was most likely at the end of the summer when the land was extremely dry. In fact, the Judean Desert can be deadly. Archeology researcher and Bible teacher Gordon Franz describes what it was like for him to trek through this difficult region.
“I have the utmost respect for the sun and dry heat in the Judean Desert in the summer. The air is so dry that your perspiration evaporates almost instantaneously, which means that one may be unaware that he is dehydrating. Therefore, it is very dangerous to be in the Wilderness of Judah without adequate water.
The first summer I was in Israel, I experienced what David describes. Several fellow students and I walked the approximate 14 kilometers (8 ½ miles) down the Wadi Qelt from Ma’aleh Adumim to Jericho on Shabbat (the Sabbath). Each of us had brought one canteen of water. In the blazing summer heat, it was not enough. By the time we got to the oasis of Jericho, each of us had a headache and was very thirsty. I’ll tell you, freshly squeezed orange juice never tasted so good!”
Gordon Franz
So, just consider the practicals of what David was facing. Not only was his life threatened by his own son, but he was now traveling through a land where only the strong would survive. The parallels are obvious. Physically, the dry conditions mirrored the spiritual condition of his heart. He longed for God just like he longed for a drop of water. He wished to return to Jerusalem and worship God in the sanctuary, but instead, he finds himself fleeing from those who want him dead.
It’s during this moment when he comes back to the steadfast covenant of the Lord. He emphatically states that his relationship with God is better than life itself. The threat on his life from men could not compare to the joy and comfort of his relationship with God. The threat on his life from the scorching heat of the desert paled in comparison to the faithfulness of his Father.
David trusted the Lord in the most grueling circumstances. For those of us who now face similar struggles, it is an encouragement to know that God protected David and answered his prayers. He never left him or abandoned him. The same is true for us.