The Water from the Well in Bethlehem (2 Sam. 23:13-17)

This sermon was preached on 18/11/2012

It is interesting at times to read lists of names. The Bible provides several lists for us. Perhaps Hebrews 11 comes to mind, with its list of the men and women of faith. Maybe we have thought of Romans 16 where Paul provides a list of individuals to whom he wanted to send greetings (at the very least, the list tells us of people whom Paul valued very highly). And here in 2 Samuel 23, as the author draws near the close of this book, he suddenly mentions a list of individuals whose deeds he wants remembered (of course, the author I have in mind is God and he is telling us about these people).

As we can see, in this section of 2 Samuel the author is highlighting some of the notable deeds performed by David’s mighty men or his leading warriors. What a story each of them could tell as they did exploits for their king! Some of them, as we read, fought alone against overwhelming odds. At least one remained loyal to David despite David practising deceit against him and eventually arranging his death. But the author includes the name of Uriah the Hittite because he was a mighty man of faith.

One of the deeds refers to an incident that probably occurred when David was on the run from Saul and hiding in the cave of Adullum (it is possible that the incident occurred later during the early days of David’s own reign when he engaged in campaigns against the Philistines). Whenever it was, David’s words reveal that he was looking back to something he had enjoyed in the past, drinking the water from the well in Bethlehem, perhaps with his family and acquaintances, and three of his mighty men risked their lives in order to meet his wish.

This incident, of course, raises interesting questions for us. One is, ‘Why did David have this longing?’ It could have been because he and his men were in the vicinity of Bethlehem and the well was near at hand. Or it could have been that they had no water, but David knew the well was close by. Yet I suspect there was more to his very strong desire that geographical closeness. Another question that comes from this incident is connected to the nature of true friendship and what its demands will lead people to do for their friends. And a third question is concerned with the refusal of David to drink the water once he had received it. Was he ungrateful, even callously indifferent to his loyal men?

David’s desire

One reason for such a deep longing in the heart of David was connected to the changes that had taken place in the country in a nationwide sense. We are told in verse 14 that ‘the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem’. David could recall when things were different there, when the town was not the place where God’s enemies were entrenched. But there they were, having made it a place from where they spread out to retain control of the area. It is not surprising that David was appalled by this change of affairs. Bethlehem, after all, was the House of Bread, the home of Boaz and Ruth, the place where God had done many mighty deeds in the past, but it was now a stronghold of the enemy.

David’s experience is surely one with which we can resonate. We are familiar with many places where at one time the power of God’s saving grace was known. They may be church buildings that are now discos, or they may be what are far worse, that is churches where liberalism spreads a false message. Now they are in the hands of those who are opposed to God, indeed they have become strongholds for his enemies. We can see institutions and organisations that had Christian origins, but now are run on ideas contrary to the Christian faith. As we look at these evidences of drastic changes in our society, can we be indifferent? Is it not appropriate to wish that we could relive the days when it was all so different, when God’s blessing was made known in public ways? Surely we understand why the current state of his country made David long for better, far-off days.

A second reason for David’s longing was connected to where he was in his own life. A few short years before, David had walked past the well of Bethlehem after having known a great victory over the champion of the Philistines, Goliath. Before then he had drunk from the well after he had defended his sheep from the paws of a lion and the paws of a bear, and all because God had helped him against those powerful animals. Following his victory over Goliath, everything had seemed so bright for him. The Philistines had been on the run and David was climbing the ladder of influence in the royal house of Saul. But now, it was all so different in his life. Where was all the anticipated success? He is now in hiding, a fugitive chased by the man he served (Saul). The people he had helped defeat (the Philistines) had not only recovered but had seemed to advance into his own personal territory and build a stronghold in the very location where he had been crowned king by Samuel. David wished he could turn the clock back and relive his life, perhaps erasing from it all that had gone wrong.

Can we not say that something similar has happened to us? Perhaps years ago we imagined we were standing on the threshold of a life that was full of potential. That may have been the case personally as far as life itself is concerned. But our hopes seem to have thwarted, even dashed. Or maybe we can recall spiritual victories that seemed to promise so much. But now the enemies (sins) that we thought we had defeated at that time now seem to be ruling with even more power than they had back then. Yet we would give anything to have in our hearts the sense of joy that was connected to our equivalent of drinking the water from the well in Bethlehem.

There is a third aspect that may have made David long for the water from the well in Bethlehem. There in Bethlehem was his home where he had lived with his parents, relatives and friends. Twice in the Psalms he says that he was the son of God’s handmaiden. I wonder what memories he had of his mother. But now those ties that had been so dear to him were gone. Often they had shared the water from the well in Bethlehem. They would never do it again. But he could recall something of that long-ago pleasure if he would but drink from the well.

What is life but a continuing line of breaking of family ties and friendships that we valued very highly when we had them? The longer we live, the more people we know who are no longer here. Some are located in our distant memories, yet little things can remind us of them. The well is still there, but the people that used it are gone. Yet there is within us a longing for the recovery of those relationships. Of course, the way to respond in this regard is not to look back. Instead we should look forward to the reunion that will take place in heaven, an attitude and expectation that the Bible repeatedly holds out for us.

Yet it is obvious from the way that David spoke that it was a longing that he had imagined could not be fulfilled. Everything that he could sense told him that it was impossible. David’s own abilities, and he had many, could not fulfil his desire. In God’s providence it seems that all David could do was yearn and long. And we can find ourselves in similar situations, whether it is thinking about the past that has gone or the present with its barriers.

Nevertheless we are not to give way to resignation. This incident tells us something very important about David’s desire, which is that it was a longing that only brotherly love could fulfil. David discovered something very precious that day – he discovered that he had three close friends who loved him and would do anything for him. So having thought about David’s desire, I want us now to think about David’s discovery.

David’s discovery

After expressing his desire, David’s discovered that three of his mighty men were willing to do something for him that was totally unexpected. They were more than willing to go the second mile to meet his needs; they were willing to put themselves into a place of great personal danger. Why did they do so? First, we should mention some reasons which did not make them do it.

They did not do it because their leader commanded them to do it. David did have the authority as their leader to give instructions. But it would have been an unfair command for him to give. If he had commanded them, then they may have done it reluctantly. But it would not have been spontaneous.

They did not do it in order to contrast themselves with others among David’s men, as if there was a spirit of competition. Sometimes people do things hoping that they will be noticed, especially if it is something that will be spoken about by others. But these mighty men did not do it in order to make a name for themselves. There is no evidence that anyone else knew what they had done for David.

They did not do it because the task was straightforward and easy. In reality, the opposite was the case. Every inch of their activity was marked with danger. At any moment they could have been captured and killed by the Philistines. They ran the risk of being regarded as completely stupid. Yet they persevered with their plan and brought water from the well back to David.

So why did they do it? The answer is that they did it because they loved him. While we cannot be specific about the reasons that these three men had for joining David in the cave we are told in 1 Samuel 22:1-2 why people identified with him: ‘David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.’ That description reveals that David welcomed those whose lives were in a mess. And because he welcomed them, they loved him and were devoted to him.

Thinking about David in this way inevitably leads us to think of his much more famous Descendant. Jesus also welcomed the unwanted into his company, he welcomed those who were in debt to God because of their sins, he welcomed those who had no hope. What happens to them? They love him and because the love him they will do unexpected, risky things for him.

Since David had three mighty men who risked themselves because they loved him, I want us to think about three individuals in the New Testament who took risks because of Jesus. The first name is of a man whose service for Jesus risked his health. His name is Epaphroditus and we can read about him in Philippians 2:25-30: ‘I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.  I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honour such men,  for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.’

The second name is Mary of Bethany and she risked part of her financial security when she chose to anoint the head and feet of Jesus with very costly ointment. The ointment was worth about a year’s salary and yet she was willing to take the risk of being regarded as wasting her assets (which even the disciples of Jesus thought initially before he corrected them).

The third name is Onesiphorus and we read about him in 1 Timothy 2:16-18: ‘May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me – may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day! – and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.’ He was a risk-taker for the Lord.

No doubt, we can all think of individuals who have done surprising and beautiful things for Jesus. What all such people have in common is love for Jesus who gives them purpose in life. But one way in which they can show devotion is by meeting the longings and aspirations of other believers. For example, we can pray about the longings of one another, and keep doing so until God gives satisfaction to their desires.

David’s devotion

When the three men arrived back in the cave, they brought the water to David. Instead of drinking it he offered it to the Lord. David realised that he could not take the men’s devotion for granted. Instead his actions showed that he was thankful to the Lord that he had such men on his side. In other words, he worshipped the Lord for giving such depth of dedication to his people.

But David also acted in such a way that ensured that his men kept their focus on God rather than on him. He was aware of the danger that followers give too much place to their leaders. A true follower will be grateful when he sees his leader insisting, by word and action, that God alone should have all the glory. Paul responded in this way to the gift that the Philippians sent to him through Epaphroditus. When David gave their gift to the Lord, they and he had reached the climax of devotion