NABAL

I Samuel 25:36  When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was in the house, eating like a king. He was very drunk and in a good mood. So she told him nothing until the next morning. 37 In the morning when he was not drunk, his wife told him everything. His heart stopped, and he became like stone. 38 About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal and he died.

To Begin with brothers and sisters Christian Friends Well Wishers and Saints of God,there comes a time in life when we’ve got to reconcile, reconstitute, and rethink our reasoning. Because bad thinking can lead to a disastrous future. I hope and pray that nobody in here will let foolish pride or churlish demeanor’s cause their flesh to fatally sin against God and humanity.

The worst thing in the world to happen is that our faith fizzles before the finish and we end up with a fatal final separation from God.

I had a chance to explore, examine, and expound on what this text actually and factually mean.

The text says that I Samuel 25:1 that the Great Prophet Samuel died. That says to me, that no matter how long you live you gon die. Man that’s born of a woman is of a few days… All of us have to leave this earth and meet our Maker. Yeah Preachers die too. They had a big funeral and the whole country mourned Samuel’s death and they buried Samuel in Ramah at his home.

Then verse 2 says David moved to Paran in the Desert of Maon. The mood changes and David is serving as Protector, Shepherd, Secret Service, and Private Military Contractors for Nabal but they ain’t getting paid.

And nobody in their right mind want to work and not be appreciated for their efforts. And the bible says that it was sheep shearing time. The bible says in verse 3 that Nabal had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats.

And the sheep and goats that David was protecting were yielding great profits. And the bible says in verse 3 that Nabal was having a celebration of prosperity because business was very good.

David kept Nabal ’s Sheep. David protected Nabal ’s shepherds. David didn’t let any hurt harm or danger come to Nabal ’s sheep or shepherds. And verse 4 tells us that David heard the celebration

And verse 5 says David sent 10 men up to the big house. And David’s men were treated rather harshly by Nabal. Wait nah David’s men are warriors who could have come in and killed at least a hundred of Nabal ’s men in an instance.But they were being obedient to David orders.

The bible says that they were wining and dining and having a real good time. They were good and drunk. And everybody knows that when you full of that wine you start talking foolish stuff. And that’s precisely what happened.

The bible says in Verse 12 David’s men went back and told David the going ons, and David said Whatttt so that’s how it is hah? That’s how Nabal is going to handle me and treat us. What he said? He said I don’t know no David. I don’t know no son of Jesse and he ain’t nothing to me and I ain’t giving him nothing because he ain’t nothing but a slave running away from his Master..

Sometimes we can write a check that our behinds can’t cash. and David said what he said!!! 2x

Saddle up boys in 2024 it would strap up warriors. When I was teaching school before every battle of the bands we chant You don’t want to go to war with a soldier Plaquemine High I thought I told. If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.

In verse 22 David said I bet you not even one of Nabal ’s men will be standing by morning’s light. I ain’t playing with that man there, no. The bible says in Samuel Chronicles and Kings that David was a bloody warrior. The bible says in Samuel, Chronicles, Kings and the Psalms that David was a fierce competitor.

The bible says in Samuel that David had already killed a lion, a bear, and the big old Giant Goliath. David wasn’t nothing nice. But in David’s defense, Let me say some things about David. David was good looking. David loved women. David loved family, David loved his children. David loved his parents. David had integrity and most of all David Loved the Lord with all of his heart. We know this because the Psalms say that David was a man after God’s own heart. and David was the apple of God’s eye. And the church said Amen.

Brothers and sisters the bible says in verse 13 that David takes 400 men with him and he leaves 200 behind to watch their supplies. The history of that region was that “they had roving bandits and marauders that would come in and steal all your stuff”.

Somebody had to be the look out man. In 2024 they call them “dem porch thieves”. They spy out your house and when the UPS,or DHS or Fed Ex Person comes and put your package down they hurry and do a snatch and grab thing.

So 200 warrior of the great 600 warriors of David stay behind. David is on his way up to the big house. And the righteous shepherds said Madam’ Abigail 2x .

We about too have big trouble. Abigail said What’s the problem? The loyal men said Listen, David and his 600 warriors watched over our folks and flocks. David and his 600 warrior kept us safe. David fought off roving bandits and marauders from hurting and harming us. They were some kind hearted people Ms Abigail.

As long as David was around it was like having the good Lord watching our backs. David kept us from hurt harm and danger. In Verse 17 the servant said Madam Abigail But your husband, man he Acting like the son of Belial you can’t tell him nothing.

Mr. Nabal has insulted David’s men to the emp teenth degree. I was there Madam Abigail. Your husband talked to David’s men like a dog man Madam Abigail. And Now David is on his way to wipe us all out!! Can I tell the story?

Verse 18 says that Abigail said get every sober person together and let’s quickly prepare supplies for David. We’ll provide meals for Every Warrior under David’s command. Abigail said I know who I’m dealing with.

David don’t play and he’s not a push over. Abigail gets an abundance of food and vitals prepared for David.

The bible says in verses 18 & 19 says that Abigail took two hundred loaves of bread, two leather bags full of wine, five cooked lamb and sheep, a bushel of cooked grain, a hundred cakes of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs and put all these on donkeys.

Abigail did everything to make David happy. Abigail was a smart woman. Verse 19 says Abigail loaded up everything on donkeys and started out immediately towards David’s camp.

Before she gets there, she runs into David. verse 23 says Abigail gets down off her donkey, and bow her face to the ground!!! yes indeed. This is strange behavior because Abigail is a rich woman Abigail is a gorgeous woman. Abigail is fine as wine and Abigail is smart as a whip too. And ain’t no man in his right mind can see that gorgeous woman bowing in submission to him and still be mean to her. Come on say Amen.

In 2024 Women if you dressed up nice and looking all pretty from head to toe and you sweet and nice and he still treating you bad, something wrong with that picture.

But I told at the beginning of this story that David loved women. And here in the text Abigail is beautiful then she’s smart, prosperous, got her own money, got her own mind and she’s being submissive to David. So Abigail softens David’s heart. Yeah 3x Abigail softened him up. And fellows when you want to act a fool you need somebody soft who will soften you up and keeps you from doing something stupid. Come on say Amen

Abigail said My lord David I didn’t know what harsh behavior you and your men endured from my churlish mean hateful and foolish husband Mr. Nabal. In verse 25 She calling her own husband foolish and full of folly. The bible says that Abigail said his name means hateful and foolish and he’s been mean since I married him. But if you look back at verse 6 the bible tells us that Nabal was a descendant of Caleb.

Wow 3x for those of us that don’t know who Caleb was. Caleb and Joshua were the only two spies that Moses sent out that came back with a positive report on the land of Caanan. Moses sent out 12 spies the survey the Promise Land and only Caleb and Joshua came back saying the right thing. Yes sir, Saying the right thing. Caleb was known for righteousness. At 80 years old Caleb said give me this mountain for my portion and Joshua Moses’ successor gave it to Caleb!!!. Oh but how far the fruit have fallen from the tree! Somebody say Say ain’t so Rev.

And something else we can infer from Caleb, Caleb’s descendant Nabal acquired generational wealth. Caleb prospered and passed the wealth on to his offsprings. And when Caleb said The statement give me this mountain! “it carried a longggg ways.

And you never know what your children and grandchildren or great grandchildren will do after you’re dead and gone. Sometimes you don’t know what they’ll do while you’re living.

And so David's response to Abigail the Carmelite was that of kindness and tenderness and godly favor. And so let me teach you a two things the bible says 1. A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger. And the bible say 2. Don’t argue with a fool because he’ll make you foolish too.

And David leaves Abigail alone. Abigail goes back to the house. And her Husband nem, They done got really really really drunk by now. They that barely can stand up kind of drunk by now. And Abigail puts Nabal to bed and doesn’t tell him anything about what she has done for David.

Brothers and sisters, I wish that was the end of the Story because this would be a wonderful Disney channel ending to a terrible story but that’s not how the story ends. Because in the morning when Nabal woke up, boy! it was a different ball game. Nabal has sobered up. Nabal has come back to his right mind.

In 2024 Nabal would have had some pancakes and scrabble eggs two slices of bacon and his morning cup of coffee. And reading the newspaper checking the Dow industrial average to see how much money his stocks have made.

And Abigail begins talking to her husband and telling him all that she has done for David and his 600 men. Abigail probably told Nabal, Honey I did it was to prevent a bloody massacre. David was going to kill us all.

Now right there 3x he should have said thank you wife because last night I was so drunk I didn’t have the sense I was born with, Thank you for saving us. But! No he said something else.

The bible say in verses 37 In the morning when he was not drunk, his wife told him everything. His heart stopped, and he became like stone. 38 About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal and he died.

Nabal caught a stroke.... and died!! Nabal was so stingy and so mad and so determined not to give David a dime until God fatally punished Nabal for his stingy churlish heart.

David kept Nabal sheep safe. David Kept Nabal ’s Shepherds safe. David made sure that Nabal ’s cash crop was protected and safe and Nabal was prosperous without any loss or lack because of David kept everything safe.

But brothers and sisters some people just got some dirty hearts, and dirty ways and God got to change them. David said in verses 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the LORD! Nabal insulted me, but the LORD has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong. The LORD has punished Nabal for his wrong.”Then David sent a message to Abigail, asking her to be his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David sent us to take you so you can become his wife.” Do you accept David’s offer. Abigail said Yes indeed because David was good looking too.

I know that my lord David will become the king one day. I know that my lord David is the anointed chosen one by God. The hint that Abigail would have said yes is found In this text in verses 27-31 The scriptures says that Abigail said “I have brought a gift to you for the men who follow you.28 Please forgive my wrong. The LORD will certainly let your family have many kings, because you fight his battles. As long as you live, may you do nothing bad. 29 Someone might chase you to kill you, but the LORD your God will keep you alive. He will throw away your enemies’ lives as he would throw a stone from a sling. 30 The LORD will keep all his promises of good things for you. He will make you leader over Israel. 31 Then you won’t feel guilty or troubled because you killed innocent people and punished them. Please remember me when the LORD brings you success.”

Abigail speaks of David as Israel’s future king almost a type of Christ almost a type of deity. And Abigail was not going to let this great opportunity pass her by. It wasn’t working out with her Nabal no how because he was a mean man and she was sweet and kind.

So why not say yes to David because my husband Nabal is dead. It’s time to move on. And the bible says that in verses 41 Abigail bowed facedown on the ground and said, “I am your servant. I’m ready to serve you and to wash the feet of my master’s servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers, with her five maids following her. And she became David’s wife.

In the end Abigail is the true hero in the story. She shows the spirit of Humility and Benevolent Giving. She ain’t just no dumb blond. She ain’t no hood rat, saying myrrrrinn, sickening and she ain’t no woman of the night, She’s decent and knows how to do things decent and in order. And the church said Amen.