A Bible caveman could do it

October 16, 2007

By William E. Richardson

Maybe you’ve seen those ads featuring the phrase, “So easy, even a caveman could do it.” Let’s turn the pages of our Scripture knowledge to encounter a couple of Bible cavemen.

David on the run from King Saul lived in a cave at En Gedi with a few hundred other guys. They were mostly people disgruntled with the king. When an unsuspecting Saul entered the cave, thinking he was alone, David’s men urged him to kill the king. David refused to kill his pursuer (1 Samuel 24:1-7).

Elijah retreated to a cave in Horeb in fear of Queen Jezebel. The usually loud and confident Old Testament prophet fell into a quiet depression (1 Kings 19:9,10,15-18). He wanted to die. God gave Elijah reason to live and to keep serving Him.

David and Elijah fled to holes in the sides of mountains to escape. Fear drove them to seek a sanctuary in the darkness. So what sets them out in the open as admirable examples?

The apostle Paul referred to David as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). From shepherd boy to aged king, David trusted God. He wasn’t perfect, yet he faithfully repented when he sinned. He constantly pursued God’s will.

James described Elijah with these words: “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.” (James 5:17, NIV).

These men aren’t stained-glass superheroes. They wore skin like the rest of us and at times responded to crises with fear. They even chose to flee to caves. These Bible cavemen had their reclusive moments, but they didn’t remain hidden.

Trusting God in their darkest days wasn’t easy. Still, David and Elijah emerged from the darkness. They went on to serve God more fully and to see better days.

James makes this point about Elijah: If God listened to the prayers of that faith-inspiring-prophet-turned-depressed-runaway, He’ll hear our prayers too.

We sometimes grope in darkness. We stub our toes and stumble spiritually and emotionally. Still, we can emerge from our worst situations with fresh faith in God.

If a Bible caveman could do it, so can we.

William E. Richardson is senior pastor of Afton (Iowa) Assembly of God.