ABIGAIL: Wisdom Displayed
I Samuel 25:1-35
Christian counselor Gary Collins wrote, “Anger is an emotional state, experienced at times by everyone, but impossible to define precisely. It occurs in varying degrees of intensity – from mild annoyance to violent rage. It can be hidden and held inwardly
or expressed openly.”
Our English word anger comes from the Latin word to trouble.
We become angry when we are troubled about something.
1. It could be the death of a loved one.
2. It could be a great disappointment we experienced.
3. It could be that our character or reputation was hurt.
Aristotle the Greek philosopher (300 BC) wrote, “Anyone can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way – that is not easy.”
Often we become angry over the wrong thing at the wrong time.
The result is that we sin against God and hurt the other person.
The story about Nabal and David shows how easy it is to become angry because we feel we have not been respected for who we are.
HARSH REBUKE :1-13
Nabal & Abigail :1-3
The wilderness of Paran was south of the Dead Sea at the border of the Sinai Desert. David went there to be as far away from Saulas he could because Saul was hunting for him.
This man was very wealthy with three thousand sheep and a thousand goats as the average shepherd may have had only one hundred sheep and thirty goats.
Shearing sheep was a time of celebration which took place after they had spent the summer grazing. The wool would have been plucked by hand or with bronze combs. This was the time when the profits from the sheep were distributed to the workers.
Nabal – Heb. foolmeans senseless or stupid.
It is the word used throughout the Proverbs to refer to people
who are belligerent, dishonest, obstinate, rude and stupid.
Chuck Swindoll wrote, “It’s unlikely that this was the name given to him by his mother. The biblical writer may have used this as a nickname for the man, but it could have been the name people used behind his back.”
Nabal was just the opposite of his beautiful and lovely wife.
Harsh(KJB churlish) – Heb. hard meaning hard to deal with.
Exodus 6:9 used of the cruel bondage of Israelites in Egypt.
The idea is that no grace or mercy is shown towards others.
Badly behaved (KJB evil, NIV mean)– Heb. evil
It was the common word for anythingwhich opposed what is right.
Request :7-8
Alexander Whyte wrote, “David and his six hundred men lying in exile . . . persecuted and cast out they never forgot that they were men in Israel and up among the mountains and out on the borders, they were kind of a volunteer protectors and patrolling police over the flocks and herds of men like Nabal.”
Times of celebration were for sharing the blessings God had given you with others. Ruth 2:14-15 Boaz was generous in giving Ruth both food to eat and grain to take home.
The essence of David’s request was: “Give us whatever you think
is fair.” He did not demand a certain amount or specific things
he left it open for Nabal to give him whatever he wanted to give.
Rebuke :9-11
Nabal did not ask the question because he had never heard of him.
David was well known by the people because he became a hero after he killed Goliath (18:7). The question was used as an insult.
He implied that David was nobody because he did not come from an important family like his own.
:11 He uses the word “my” of his food, water, meat and workersbecause he believed everything belonged to him. He didn’t see that everything he had was the result of God’s blessings in his life.
It is as if he said, “I would rather give the food to those who have earned by working rather than to a bunch of hooligans who are trying to extort food from a hard working man.”
Response :12-13
David’s immediate reaction was to retaliate against the ingratitude he has be shown and the fact that his pride has been hurt. He felt he was justified to take what he believed was rightfully his.
F.B. Meyer wrote, “One of the most characteristic features in David’s temper and behavior through all these weary years was
his self-control. He waited patiently for the Lord.”
His reaction showed how angry he was because when Saul had tried to kill him he had just run for his life. When Saul had hunted him down and he had the opportunity to kill him he had spared Saul’s life (24:4-6). Now in his anger he is going to take action against a man he doesn’t even know. David is now acting like a fool himself because he has let his anger control his actions.
Application
Swindoll wrote, “This was not David’s best moment. He reaction was a rash act of the flesh, not a prompting by the Spirit of God.”
Most of the time we are become angry because our feelings
or pride has been hurt and we want to get back at the person.
When we are personally offended our reaction can be rash.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man keeps himself under control.
1. We may say sinful things – curse, mock or slander.
2. We may do sinful acts – attack someone, break something,
throw an emotional fit or just pout about it.
Ephesians 4:26NIV – In your anger do not sin.
When we become angry our emotions can take control and
wecan end up doing something sinful unless we control them.
British pastor Willian Secker (1800’s) said, “He that would be
angry and not sin, must be angry at nothing but sin.”
WISE RESPONSE :14-19
Request :14-17
A servant comes and talks with Abigail because he knew that she would listen because she had common sense and was just the opposite of her foolish husband Nabal.
The servant’s statement that Nabal will not listen to anyone reveals his character as someone who is so full of himself he will not listen to what anyone else has to say to him. Pride believes I know best.
Response :18-20
Abigail understood the seriousness of the situation they faced because she was discerning (:3). Swindoll wrote, “No one prompted her; no one suggested she intercede for her husband. This intelligent, beautiful, unselfish woman moved to save her husband’s neck because that’s what a good mate does.”
She put together a meal large enough to feed an army from the provisions they had to feed the men who were shearing the sheep.
It shows that Nabal could have easily provided food for David.
Cakes of figs were prized for their sweetness and nutrition.
PERSONAL REVENGE :21-31
Revenge :21-22
David felt had not been treated fairly for the good he had done.
We like to believe that if we do something good we will be rewarded for it, but that is not always the case because we live
in a sinful world where people are selfish.
Swindoll wrote, “The two men were about as opposite as men can be, yet they have behaved in similar ways. Both were obstinate, proud men. Each believed the other to be a fool. Both allowed anger to rule their judgment. Both acted rashly, led by impulse rather than good sense.”
Response :23-25
Abigail showed humility in taking responsibility for his anger.
She would accept the guilt of not providing food for him.
Humility always puts the concerns of the other person first.
Gentleness helps us make a point without making an enemy.
She says that Nabal is a fool and as a result he does foolish things.
Isaiah 32:6 The fool speaks folly his mind is busy with evil: the hungry he leaves empty and from the thirsty he withholds water.
Alexander Whyte wrote, “Abigail behaved herself before the insulted and revengeful soldiers with tact and understanding.”
Request :26-31
She acknowledged that her husband Nabal had acted wrongly,
but she was now making it right by bringing him food.
:28 She asks David not do evil like her husband Nabal did (:3).
She then reminds David that he has been anointed as the next king by God and he needs to act according to the position he has been given. She reminds him of his future and he should not ruin it just because he is angry over being insulted.
SINCERE REPENTANCE :32-35
Revenge averted :32-34
Even though both Nabal and David demonstrated their sinful nature by selfishness and anger there is a small difference but significance between them. Nabal wouldn’t listen to what others had to say and David did listen which cause him to calm down
and stopped from committing another sinby killing Nabal.
Proverbs 12:15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
David expresses gratitude to Abigail as she not only saved her husband’s neck, but also saved him from sinning. F.B. Myer
calls this story in David’s life, “A Cool Hand on a Hot Head.”
Request granted :35
Abigail reminded David of his relationship with the Lord and
his anger melted away. He shows her kindness because of the kindness which she had shown to him.
APPLICATION
1. Anger is usually the result of our pride being hurt.
We become angry because we have not felt respected.
We take our anger out on them or even someone else.
Often we hurt someone or our relationship with them.
Our anger is expressed in our actions and by our words.
We do something to hurt the another person or we say
something to hurt their feelings.
2. Demonstrating kindness can help overcome anger.
When someone is angry instead of responding back in anger
chose to respond with an act of kindness toward them.
Kindness is demonstrated by doing something helpful or
by saying something encouraging so the person is uplifted.
CONCLUSION
A young factory worker noticed one day that a valuable tool was missing from his toolbox. Later he recognized it in the toolbox
of a fellow employee. The young man was the only Christian
in the shop and he wanted to have a good testimony for Christ.
So he went to the man and said, “I see you have one of my tools, but you may keep it if you need it.” Then he went on with his work and put the incident out of his mind.
During the next two weeks, the person who had taken the tool
tried to soothe his conscience. First he offered the young man something of equal value, then he offered to help him on some home projects and finally he slipped some money into his coat pocket. Eventually, the co-workers became good friends and the one-time tool thief admitted he couldn’t resist the man’s kindness.
Ephesians 4:32Be ye kind and tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.