God Protects David Through A Woman Of Faith

 1 Samuel 25:1 –44                                                                                   Lesson 15

Kevin E. Jesmer  3-23-15

Key verse 25:33, “May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from

                                    bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.” (NIV)

In this passage David and his band lived in the desert like outlaws, but they did not prey on the people; rather, they protected them from the Philistines. God helped David, through Abigail, the faithful and intelligent wife of Nabal, to see his life from God’s point of view and stop him from doing something foolish. God is our good shepherd. He sends people to help us at just the right time. Through this passage, may God give us faith to see beyond our human conditions to recognize God’s protecting and guiding hand. May we always be an encouragement to others in our life journey and have faith to act, like Abigail.  And may we learn what it means to step through the open doors that God opens. Let’s see….

Part l: David Was Blinded By His Lack Of Prayer (1-13)

Israel was moving into a difficult time of leadership transition. Look at verse 1, “Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.  Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon” “Saul was king, but Samuel had been the nation’s spiritual leader. As a young boy and as even more so as an older man. Samuel was always careful to listen to (3:10; 9:14-17) and obey (3:21; 109:1-2) the Lord. He grew as a spiritual leader of great influence among the people. But now Samuel had died. With Samuel gone, Israel would be without national spiritual leadership until later when David would became king. But before David became king, a lot of trouble would surface in David’s life, among his followers and in the nation. It was definitely time to pray and seek the Lord. But David did not and we will see what happened.

After Samuel died, David and his band moved into the Desert of Maon. While living in the desert, David came across some shepherds attending the flocks that belonged to Nabal, a rich rancher. Look at verses 2–3, “A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. ³ His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.” (NIV)

      David and his loyal band lived in the desert like outlaws. They could have pillaged the countryside taking what they wanted. But they did not prey on others in their weakness. They tried to protect them from the Philistines. Look at one worker’s description of what David and his men did in verse 14-16, “One of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. ¹⁵ Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. ¹⁶ Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them.”  David was a good shepherd to his people, even when he was pursued by his enemies.

David felt that he and his men should be rewarded since he was protecting Nabal’s assets. He wanted to make contact with Nabal. Look at verses 4–6, “ ⁴ While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. ⁵ So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. ⁶ Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!”  David made a plea to Nabal, thinking that Nabal was a reasonable person and should give them some provisions. He even humbled himself before him, calling himself Nabal’s son. Look at verse 7-8, “Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. ⁸ Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’ ”

We wonder may wonder why Nabal should pay anything to David. I know I did. After all he did not ask for David’s protective services. It was all David’s idea. But David was not totally out of line for making such a request. He was not asking for a handout.  These flocks could have been stolen and all of the workers killed by the Philistines. But they were not, because David and his men protected them. David and his men could have plundered Nabal’s flocks at will. But he did not. Instead they restrained themselves and protected them. Nabal could have had dozens of sheep stolen and many men killed by marauding raiders, but he did not. He was totally blessed by God because of David and his people. David and his men were still entitled to something. David expected to be thanked and rewarded for his act of kindness. And so he reached out to Nabal.

     When all the shepherds gathered at festival time, David expected this goodwill gift from Nabal, to be delivered. But Nabal did not respond as David had expected. Rather he was incised at the request. Look at verses 9–11, “When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited. ¹⁰ Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. ¹¹ Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”  Nabal rudely refused David’s request. He even insulted David calling him an escaped slave and outlaw (10). He sent David’s men away empty-handed. This was a huge mistake on Nabal’s part.

There is a practical lesson for us. Give thanks where thanks is due. Acknowledge God’s hand in our prosperity and be generous with those whom God has sent to protect us and help us prosper, even if we have not hired them personally. We have this practice in our culture. Here is one example. Businesses do this with the police. Restaurants or stores want the police to frequent their establishments and so they give them free meals and free coffee. They are thankful for the protection that they provide simply by their presence. In the Middle East, it is simple hospitality to serve travelers- any number of them. Nabal was very rich. He was even richer because of David and his men and so he could have easily met David’s request. But he was very selfish, disrespectful, unthankful and near sighted.

But here is where David lost control. His anger erupted at the news. David was not in the mood to listen, nor pray when he set out for Nabal’s party (25:13,22). Verses 20-21 read, “David had just said, ‘It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. ²² May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”  They decided to do something very rash and without prayer. Look at verses 12-13, “David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. ¹³ David said to his men, “Put on your swords!” So they put on their swords, and David put on his.” About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies. Though David was strong humanly, he was spiritually vulnerable at this point in his life. He was right where Satan wanted him. But God was about to intervene through one woman of faith.

Part 2: God Sends A Godly Woman, Abigail, To Help David. (14-44)

God, David’s true shepherd, intervened through Abigail, the spiritual and intelligent wife of Nabal. Abigail could recognize what was happening, seeing things from God’s point of view. She examined the facts and lost no time in doing what was right. (18a) Look at verses 14-20, “One of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. ¹⁵ Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. ¹⁶ Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. ¹⁷ Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”  ¹⁸ Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. ¹⁹ Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.  ²⁰ As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them.”  She set out to meet David’s troop with the abundant provisions that should have been given earlier. These provisions were a mere fraction of what God has saved them. By the grace of God, David stopped to hear what Abigail had to say. No matter how right we think we are, we must always stop and listen to those whom God has sent. This can save us much “self induced” pain and heartache.

We can see more of her wise actions. She was the wife of a rich rancher, and yet she humbled herself and plead for mercy in verses 23–31, “ ²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet and said: “My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. ²⁵ May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent. ²⁶ “Now since the LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. ²⁷ And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD’s battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. ²⁹ Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. ³⁰ When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, ³¹ my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant.”

Abigail had spiritual eyes to see what was going on from God’s point of view. She was so humble. She was very brave to face an angry David and several hundred angry men all with swords. But she believed God’s promises and respected David as God’s servant. She recognized him as the man God who had chosen to be the king. She reminded him of his obligation…that a man of God must not seek personal revenge. She helped David to see his life from God’s point of view. Her actions were born out of her love and respect for God and a desire to do what is right before the eyes of the Lord. David was so blessed to stop and listen to her.

How did this woman get such spiritual wisdom and insight?  It all came from her fear of the Lord. Proverbs 9:10 reads, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”  Abigail feared the Lord and was granted overflowing wisdom that saved the day.

David was very thankful for God’s intervention and this woman’s faith. Look at verses 32–34, “David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. ³³ May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. ³⁴ Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”  David was thankful because he knew that it was a direct intervention from the living God who saved him from doing something he would later regret.  In verse 35 he said, “Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.” His heart was full of thanksgiving to God and respect for this woman.

It was not David’s place to do so for God alone is the judge. (Deuteronomy 32:35) God dealt with Nabal in his own way. Nabal died of an apparent heart attack. One evening when Nabal was drunk, Abigail wisely waited until morning to tell him what she had transpired. And when she did, he died. Look at Nabal’s demise in verses 36–38, “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 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.”

David recognized God’s hand in Nabal’s death. He knew that he had been vindicated by the Lord. In verses 39–44 we read, “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.”  David was thankful the God of all justice intervened on his behalf. We need to wait on God to act. He will bring about justice in your life in his way and his time.

God was concerned about Abigail’s future and so he moved David’s heart to act. Look at verse 39b-40, “…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.” David knew that he could not leave without ensuring Abigail’s welfare. She would be a widow and left helpless in the “wild west” desert country. What would happen to her? Her faithful acts and wisdom proved that she was a spiritual woman whom could contribute to the establishing of David as king. How could he leave her behind? The death of her husband allowed her to marry David. And that is what David did. He sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.

Abigail could see God’s hand at work once again and accepted David’s invite to marry. Look at verses 41-42, “She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master’s servants.” ⁴² Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David’s messengers and became his wife.” Some may think that Abigail was making a very quick decision. Should she not mourn at least one year after her husband’s death? But, once again she could see the hand of God at work. It was God’s will to marry David. If she waited, she could have been killed by the Philistine raiding parties or some of her own people who were looking to rob Nabal’s wealth. In those days life was short. There is no time to waste. If it is the will of God, then do it, even if others think otherwise. It is so important to step through the open doors that God opens before us, lest they close and we loose the opportunity. We just need to trust the Lord, pray about it and act. Make that leap of faith. God will launch you out into a grand adventure that you would never have imagined.

In this passage we learn the importance of prayer. How blinded we are when we don’t pray? We may even be on the precipice of doing something really dumb and not even know it. But Jesus is looking out for us. He is ready to intervene for those whom are his. He will even send people into their lives at the right time. We need to trust God, be vigilant in prayer and keep our eyes open to respond rightly to God’s intervention. We also need to learn how to act quickly, like Abigail. There are times when we need to make a decision of faith, and act even in the face of danger and sacrifice. God may have raised you up, for that very moment. Trust the Lord, pray and act. Yes, it may cost you something and take you well out of your comfort zone. But it may just the will of God. You will be blessed if you do.

Part l: David Was Blinded By His Lack Of Prayer (1-13)

1. After Samuel’s death, where did David go? (1) Think about his situation. How did

David and his band conduct themselves?

2. How are Nabal and Abigail described? (2–3) How could they become so wealthy?

3. What did David ask of Nabal? (4–8) How did he respond? (9–11) How did David

react to this news? (12–13)

Part 2: God Sends A Godly Woman, Abigail, To Help David. (14-44)

4. At this critical moment, what did Abigail do? (14–22) How did she help David turn to

the Lord and not shed blood? (23–31) How could she have such wisdom? (Prov 9:10;

31:30)

5. What did David realize through her advice? (32–34) How did he bless her? (35)

6. How did God deal with Nabal? (36–38) What did David do? (39–44) How did God

work in this situation to bless David and move towards establishing him as king?