Abigail By Brother Ed
Introduction
Some men don’t deserve their wives. Abigail was probably the best woman Nabal could afford, and he got even more than he bargained for when he arranged to marry her. She was beautiful and more suited than he was to manage his wealth. But Nabal took this wife for granted.
Facts:
• Where: Carmel
• Occupation: Homemaker
Outline
Wealth and Power Breed Contempt (1 Samuel 25:2-11)
Fighting fire with fire (1 Samuel 25:12-13,21-22)
Wisdom Interrupts Anger (1 Samuel 25:12-35)
Humility of a true King (1 Samuel 25:32-35)
The Solidifying of Support (1 Samuel 25:36-44)
Final thoughts
Wealth and Power Breed Contempt (1 Samuel 25:2-10, 1 Samuel 25:14-17)
1Sa 25:2-10 There was a certain man in Maon who carried on his business in the region of Carmel. He was very prosperous—three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and it was sheep-shearing time in Carmel. (3) The man’s name was Nabal (Fool), a Calebite, and his wife’s name was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and good-looking, the man brutish and mean. (4) David, out in the backcountry, heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep (5) and sent ten of his young men off with these instructions: “Go to Carmel and approach Nabal. Greet him in my name, ‘Peace! (6) Life and peace to you. Peace to your household, peace to everyone here! (7) I heard that it’s sheep-shearing time. Here’s the point: When your shepherds were camped near us we didn’t take advantage of them. They didn’t lose a thing all the time they were with us in Carmel. (8) Ask your young men—they’ll tell you. What I’m asking is that you be generous with my men—share the feast! Give whatever your heart tells you to your servants and to me, David your son.'” (9) David’s young men went and delivered his message word for word to Nabal. Nabal tore into them, (10) “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? The country is full of runaway servants these days.
1Sa 25:14-17 Meanwhile, one of the young shepherds told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, what had happened: “David sent messengers from the backcountry to salute our master, but he tore into them with insults. (15) Yet these men treated us very well. They took nothing from us and didn’t take advantage of us all the time we were in the fields. (16) They formed a wall around us, protecting us day and night all the time we were out tending the sheep. (17) Do something quickly because big trouble is ahead for our master and all of us. Nobody can talk to him. He’s impossible—a real brute!”
Quiz
1. How has David done good to Nabal’s man? (See 1Sa_25:4-8, 14-17)
2. How did Nabal repay David?
3. What can you tell from the passage about Nabal as a person?
Applications
1. Share with the group about a foolish and selfish man (a boss, colleague, a friend) that you have met in your life. How do you feel about him/her?
2. Is it ok to judge a person? What is the difference between discernment and judgement?
We can return evil for good. Nabal did that when he refused to share his food with David’s men. His name means “fool, ” and that is exactly what he was.
Fighting fire with fire (1 Samuel 25:12-13,21-22)
1Sa 25:12-13 David’s men got out of there and went back and told David what he had said. (13) David said, “Strap on your swords!” They all strapped on their swords, David and his men, and set out, four hundred of them. Two hundred stayed behind to guard the camp.
1Sa 25:21-22 David had just said, “That sure was a waste, guarding everything this man had out in the wild so that nothing he had was lost—and now he rewards me with insults. A real slap in the face! (22) May God do his worst to me if Nabal and every cur in his misbegotten brood isn’t dead meat by morning!”
Quiz
1. How did David react to Nabal’s response given to David’s men?
Applications
1. Share with group a time when you were enraged by others.
2. Why retaliation is wrong from biblical viewpoint? root cause? Quote verses
3. When do you feel retaliatory actions are justifiable?
We can return evil for evil. David planned to do that before he was stopped. It is the natural thing to do because most of the world lives that way, and our hurt feelings cry out for revenge. How easy it is to lose perspective in the heat of anger
Wisdom Interrupts Anger (1 Samuel 25:18-20, 23-31)
1 Samuel 25:18-20, 23-25 Abigail flew into action. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep dressed out and ready for cooking, a bushel of roasted grain, a hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred fig cakes, and she had it all loaded on some donkeys. (19) Then she said to her young servants, “Go ahead and pave the way for me. I’m right behind you.” But she said nothing to her husband Nabal. (20) As she was riding her donkey, descending into a ravine, David and his men were descending from the other end, so they met there on the road (23) As soon as Abigail saw David, she got off her donkey and fell on her knees at his feet, her face to the ground in homage, (24) saying, “My master, let me take the blame! Let me speak to you. Listen to what I have to say. (25) Don’t dwell on what that brute Nabal did. He acts out the meaning of his name: Nabal, Fool. Foolishness oozes from him. “I wasn’t there when the young men my master sent arrived. I didn’t see them.
1 Samuel 25:26-31 And now, my master, as GOD lives and as you live, GOD has kept you from this avenging murder—and may your enemies, all who seek my master’s harm, end up like Nabal! (27) Now take this gift that I, your servant girl, have brought to my master, and give it to the young men who follow in the steps of my master. (28) “Forgive my presumption! But GOD is at work in my master, developing a rule solid and dependable. My master fights GOD’s battles! As long as you live no evil will stick to you. (29) If anyone stands in your way, if anyone tries to get you out of the way, Know this: Your God-honored life is tightly bound in the bundle of God-protected life; But the lives of your enemies will be hurled aside as a stone is thrown from a sling.
1 Samuel 30-31 “When GOD completes all the goodness he has promised my master and sets you up as prince over Israel, (31) my master will not have this dead weight in his heart, the guilt of an avenging murder. And when GOD has worked things for good for my master, remember me.”
Quiz
1. Please list down Abigail’s strategies in handling the situation and/or her wise counsel.
(18-19), (23-25):
(26-29):
(30-31):
Applications
1. In what ways have you learnt from Abigail as to how to handle a situation of conflict?
2. Do you know an Abigail in your life? Share with the group.
We can overcome evil with good. God used Abigail to prevent David from becoming a murderer. Abigail was an effective counselor to both of the men in her life, working hard to prevent them from making rash moves. By her swift action and skillful negotiation, she kept David from taking vengeance upon Nabal. She saw the big picture and left plenty of room for God to get involved.
Humility of a true King (1 Samuel 25:32-35)
1 Samuel 25:32-35 And David said, “Blessed be GOD, the God of Israel. He sent you to meet me! (33) And blessed be your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and taking charge of looking out for me. (34) A close call! As GOD lives, the God of Israel who kept me from hurting you, if you had not come as quickly as you did, stopping me in my tracks, by morning there would have been nothing left of Nabal but dead meat.” (35) Then David accepted the gift she brought him and said, “Return home in peace. I’ve heard what you’ve said and I’ll do what you’ve asked.”
Quiz
1. How did David respond to Abigail’s advice?
Applications
1. Do you always admit that you are wrong? What prevents you from doing so?
2. What kind of mindset that David must possess before he could listen to good advice?
David sees God’s guiding hand in all these events. We all need to ask God to give us the ability to recognize wisdom that is of Him, whatever the human source.
The Solidifying of Support (1 Samuel 25:36-44)
1Sa 25:36-44 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. (37) Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. (38) About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died. (39) When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. (40) His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.” (41) She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” (42) Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. (43) David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. (44) But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
Quiz
1. What happened to Nabal? (1 Samuel 25:36-38)
2. What are the possible motivations for David to take Abigail as his wife?
3. How many wives did David have? (1 Samuel 25:43-44, 1 Chronicles 3:1-4)
Applications
1. Share with the group an instance where you would forge a strategic alliance.
Ultimately, the most important part of a person’s story is how God is able to work through many events and experiences to accomplish His purpose for our lives.
Final thoughts
Do you, like Abigail, look beyond the present crisis to the big picture?
Do you use your skills to promote peace?
Are you loyal without being blind?
What challenge or responsibility do you face today that needs a person under God’s control?
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