Bill Watterson draws a comic strip about a 6 year old boy, named Calvin, and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes. Only Hobbes is very much alive to Calvin—they do everything together! One day, the two are trying to decide what to do, when Calvin suggests spelunking—exploring caves. When Hobbes admits he didn't know of any local caves, the last scene finds them at a local pond having fun by throwing in huge rocks and watching them make a splash—spelunk!
I suppose that is one way to go spelunking when there is no cave available, but there are plenty of caves to be found in the Scriptures. Speleology is the scientific study of caves in their physical, geological, and biological aspects, but right now, let's go ahead and apply that study towards the caves that we can find in the Word of God, discovering some fascinating lessons from each. In these coming weeks, we can go “spelunking” all of the way to Christmas.
We begin in Genesis 19, with the very first mention of a cave—"And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters." (vs. 30) What's happening here? Well, it's really quite simple—God had just destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for it's sin of homosexuality. Lot, Abraham's nephew, had chosen to live there, and in God's mercy, He led them out. But still the rebellion continued—Lot's wife turned around, as if to actually go back, and she became a pillar of salt. The rebellion was in Lot, too. God wanted him to get out of the area altogether, but Lot insisted on just going a little ways—to a “little city” called Zoar. “Oh sure, the big cities are destroyed, but I'll be OK in a little city—I can do what I want!” In the end, out of fear, they wind up on a mountain in a cave—by definition, a place of darkness; and in the Hebrew, it comes from a word that refers to bareness and nakedness. Oh, that it was! Lot's daughters, possibly fearful that the world had ended, and that they would never replace their husbands who stayed behind in Sodom, got their father drunk and had sex with him. Moab and Ben-Ammi, their illegitimate and incestuous children, would produce two nations that would be enemies of Israel for a long time to come. Rebellion and sin must be judged!
Yes, I know that doesn't sound very “Christmasy,” but isn't Christmas all about a Savior coming to set people free from sin? Oh, a cave can be a very dark place. You see, the second place we find the word “cave” concerns Lot's uncle, Abraham. In Genesis 23, we find that his beloved life-long wife, Sarah, had just passed away. In the midst of his dark grief, he still had to make the arrangements. God had promised him all of the land around him, but as yet, he did not actually possess any of it. So, he entered into a deal with the inhabitants—"...give me the cave of Machpelah...for a possession of a burying place amongst you." (vs. 9) In fact, it would be the only piece of real estate that Abraham would ever own in his lifetime—Praise God, it would be a life-time lived by faith, and not by sight or selfish feelings!
The next cave to explore is found in Joshua 10. The days of the Patriarchs are over, and Joshua—succeeding for Moses—is responsible for conquering the Promised Land. As they tackle the southern end of Canaan first, five local kings make a run for it—"...these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah." (vs. 16) When Joshua was aware of this, he ordered huge stones to be rolled in front of the only opening. In the mean time, he and his armies routed all their towns for their rebellion against God. Upon his return, Joshua order the five kings to be brought out, and that the captains would stand over them and symbolize the victory by placing their feet on the necks of the captive kings. It was then Joshua said to his men—“Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies...” (vs. 25) At which point the five captives we hanged, their bodies thrown into the very same cave, and the great stones were put back. Did you see what happened here? Those kings had chosen that cave in the first place, and that is where they ended up. If we constantly choose to be distant from God and His mercy, that is where we will end up. (Rev. 19: 17-21) On the other hand, if we receive His call and act on it, we will be with Him forever. The choice is ours—He alone is the victor, and He alone will have the victory!
In the days of the kings, we see another cave. Saul, Israel's first king, had demanded that he knew better than God and was now consumed in trying to kill David, the newly anointed king. 1 Samuel 24:3 tells us, “And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.” David's men told him its a good time to kill the old king—it would be self-defense. David almost took the opportunity, but instead just cut off a little piece of Saul's robe to prove he could have killed him. Praise God—even then, David was convicted for even contemplating to hurt the Lord's anointed. He had good reason; he could easily rationalize it, but it wasn't right—he would not be trusting in God, relying on God's own timing. The “Sauls” in our lives need to be trusted to God, too—God does know best!
Another cave I wanted to touch on is found in 1 Kings 19. Elijah was tired. He had just stood for God and against sin on Mt. Carmel, and killed 400 false prophets. Jezebel, the wicked queen, was furious. Frustrated and scared, Elijah ran away—first, under a juniper tree, where God sent an angel to feed and sustain him; and secondly—“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?” (vs.9) With that, Elijah went into a pity party—“I've done this and that for you, God, so where are the crowds and the honor? I don't deserve to be treated this way!” God's response? “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah.” (vss. 11-13)
You see, Elijah's ministry was in transition—not all shaking and fire, but now a still, small voice. Centuries later, that still, small voice could be heard in a little town called Bethlehem. In the days of Caesar Augustus, Joseph and his expectant wife, Mary, made their way to the town of their ancestry in response to a recent edict. Luke 2 tells the story—"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." (vss. 6-7) Since there were so many hillside caves in the area, many commentators suggest that it is likely that that stable was in a cave. Whether that is literally true or not, all of the previously mentioned caves are pointing to this very special and crucial event. Even from the beginning, mankind has insisted on being rebellious, like Lot and his family, by not going God's way, God's way. It only brings death, grief, heartache, and loss—and in the end, we find ourselves in the very place we had chosen in the beginning—just like the five rebellious kings. Frantically trying to defend ourselves, as David did with knife and cloth in hand, the conviction gets even stronger. Through surrender and repentance, we must vow to never sin against the Lord's anointed again.
Praise God—but even then, like Elijah, knowing full well the powerful hand of Almighty God in our lives, we can come into times where we get down and feel all alone—and even forsaken. In those times, get quiet before the Lord, and listen very carefully for His still, small voice. Such was the purpose of Christmas—to interject into this hectic and self-consumed world, a still, small voice of God's love and forgiveness. But it didn't end on a Bethlehem hillside—only a few miles away, just outside the walls of Jerusalem, stands a Cross—an empty Cross. And only a short distance from there, a tomb—an empty tomb. Yes, a cave, of sorts! Praise God—the stone is rolled away; let us not waste our time “spelunking” stones at the entrance of the cave, endeavoring to keep a dead king inside. Imagine—a bunch of holes in the ground being used by God to speak forth the gospel truth! “Spelunk” the real way—exploring the journey from your own personal rebellion, all of the way to your own personal resurrection life!
