When Plans Fall Apart: Trusting God’s Providence

We have been learning about David being pursued by Saul - tonight we will see David as the aggressive pursuer -

Samuel the Prophet and judge who has been a faithful minister and voice for God to the people of Israel dies - this was such a significant event that it is mentioned twice -

1 Samuel 25:1

and 1 Samuel 28:3

Both of these references mention that all Israel mourns his death. I’m sure not every single person was there - but the leaders of the tribes and other dignitaries were there to pay their last respects to a great man.

It is not likely that King Saul was there as they had been estranged for several years - it would have been dangerous for David to have attended no doubt Saul would have had spies there to look for him.

When Samuel dies - David who is in Masada or “the stronghold” 1 Sam 24:22 -leaves there for the wilderness of Paran more than 100 miles south and our reading picks up there

1 Samuel 25:2–12 KJV 1900

2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? 12 So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

Needless to say - David was not happy -

Part of this we need to understand through cultural eyes

Nabal’s answer to David’s agents (1Sa 25:10–11) was a flagrant insult; David had been serving him with honor, but Nabal responded by speaking of David in scurrilous terms as an outlaw.

In the ancient world men (and particularly warriors) placed an enormous premium on their personal reputations and thus took insults and perceived slights to their honor very seriously.

When the Philistine Goliath defied the ranks of Israel (ch. 17), the young David regarded this as reason enough to go out to fight the giant.

David was later willing to start a war with the Ammonites to avenge their humiliating treatment of his ambassadors (2Sa 10).

Insults and slights required an appropriate response on behalf of the individual so affronted. Exodus 21:17 prescribes the death penalty for those who cursed (reviled or insulted) their parents,

and remember the 42 young men making fun of Elisha were mauled by two bears (2Ki 2:23–25).

The New Testament calls upon Christians to be forbearing toward those who insult them (1Pe 3:9), but in order to understand David and his responses to taunts we need to comprehend the warrior-culture in which he lived.

NIV, Archaeological Study Bible, eBook (pp. 1351-1352). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

David’s response can be seen in 1 Sam 25:13

1 Samuel 25:13 KJV 1900

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

In the meantime one of Nabal’s young men who had seen the interaction between Nabal and David’s men ran and did a rather wise thing...

1 Samuel 25:14–19 KJV 1900

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. 15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. 18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

So as she is rushing down the hill - David is rushing up the hill with plans of avenging himself and his honor

And I can almost hear him ranting:

Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow (he doesn’t even use his name he is so upset) hath in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave any of the men by morning -

He was angry and was on a mission of murder

But I am so glad God stepped in.

1 Samuel 25:23–35 KJV 1900

23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. 28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

David is moved by this and recognizes his folly against folly - did you notice the explanation of his name 1 Sam 25:25 - The name Nabal according to Strongs Dictionary, is a “particularly boorish type of fool” I wonder if Solomon had heard his dad tell this story and came up with the Proverb “answer not a fool according to his folly”

1 Samuel 25:23–35 KJV 1900

32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

David recognizes that God had delivered him again - not from King Saul - but from himself - and his own irrational reaction to being offended - sometimes we react that way too -

God intervenes in this situation and it has an interesting twist at the end...

1 Samuel 25:36–44 KJV 1900

36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. 39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. 41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. 44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

Introduction

Context: David is still on the run from Saul, weary and vulnerable. Samuel dies (v. 1), leaving a spiritual void in Israel.

Scene: David requests provisions from Nabal, who responds with arrogance and insult.

Tension: David reacts in anger, ready to spill blood.

Theme: This story reminds us that when plans collapse, God’s providence intervenes through surprising people and situations.

1. David’s Desire for Revenge (1 Samuel 25:1–13)

David’s frustration shows how human impulses can cloud our trust in God’s providence.

A. Grief and pressure

Samuel’s death marks the end of an era (v. 1).

David’s spirit is unsettled.

B. Nabal’s arrogance

He mocks David, refusing his request (vv. 9–11).

Nabal’s name = “fool” (v. 25), reflecting his character.

C. David’s human reaction

Anger overtakes David (vv. 12–13).

Lesson: Like David, we are tempted to respond in revenge when plans fall apart.

James 1:19–20 – “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

2. Abigail’s Act of Wisdom (1 Samuel 25:14–31)

God’s providence works through the courage and wisdom of Abigail.

A. The voice of intercession

Abigail acts quickly and humbly (vv. 18–20).

Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath.”

B. The wisdom of perspective

She reminds David of his calling and future (vv. 28–30).

Psalm 37:8–9 – “Refrain from anger… those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the land.”

C. The foreshadowing of Christ

Abigail intercedes, bearing gifts and pleading for peace (vv. 23–24).

Christ intercedes for us (Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5), turning away wrath and bringing reconciliation.

3. David’s Moment of Recognition (1 Samuel 25:32–44)

David humbly acknowledges God’s providence through Abigail’s intervention.

A. Recognizing God’s hand

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!” (v. 32).

B. Releasing his own plans

David blesses Abigail for her discernment (v. 33).

He abandons his path of revenge, trusting God’s timing.

C. God’s providential justice

Nabal dies by God’s hand, not David’s (vv. 36–38).

Romans 12:19 – “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

D. Christ connection

Just as Abigail turned David from wrath, Christ turns us from destruction.

Ephesians 2:4–5 – “But God, who is rich in mercy… made us alive with Christ.”

Conclusion

Summary: David’s anger almost led to disaster, but God’s providence intervened through Abigail’s wisdom, preserving David’s calling.

Christ Connection: Abigail foreshadows Christ, our mediator, who intercedes and rescues us from wrath.

Application:

When anger tempts you, pause and seek God’s perspective.

Recognize and receive God’s providence through wise counsel.

Trust God’s justice instead of forcing your own solutions.

Rest in Christ, our greater Abigail, who turns chaos into peace and guides us to God’s perfect plan.

We see in 1 Samuel 26

The Hidden Hand: A Divine Plot in the Shadows

Text: 1 Samuel 26 Big Idea: Trusting God's providence means recognizing His control and presence in our lives, especially when our plans falter or are threatened.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 26:7–12

1 Samuel 26:7–12 KJV 1900

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

Introduction

Background: This is David’s second chance to kill Saul (compare 1 Sam 24).

David once again refuses to seize power by force, showing faith in God’s providence.

Theme: God’s hand often works in unseen ways, calling us to patience, trust, and humility.

1. Providence in Patience (1 Samuel 26:1–12)

David spares Saul’s life again, refusing to act on impulse.

A. The opportunity for revenge

Saul camps in the wilderness of Ziph (vv. 1–5).

Abishai urges David to strike Saul (vv. 8).

B. The restraint of faith

David refuses: “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” (v. 9).

Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”

C. The hidden hand of providence

Saul and his men sleep because “a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them” (v. 12).

God orchestrates circumstances to test David’s patience.

2. Prayerful Confrontation (1 Samuel 26:13–20)

David confronts Saul not with violence, but with prayerful humility and truth.

A. A call for accountability

David calls out Abner and Saul from a distance (vv. 13–16).

B. Respectful confrontation

David bows before Saul and pleads his case (vv. 17–19).

Matthew 18:15 – confront a brother with gentleness and truth.

C. A Christ-like model

David entrusts justice to God, not himself (vv. 19–20).

1 Peter 2:23 – Jesus, when reviled, entrusted Himself to the Father’s justice.

3. Providence in Reversal (1 Samuel 26:21–25)

God turns Saul’s pursuit into a moment of recognition and reversal.

A. Saul’s remorse

Saul admits, “I have sinned… I will no more do you harm” (v. 21).

B. David’s vindication

David’s righteousness is acknowledged by Saul himself (vv. 22–24).

Psalm 37:6 – God will bring forth your vindication like the dawn.

C. God’s providence at work

Saul blesses David, confessing his future kingship (v. 25).

Lesson: God can reverse situations and turn enemies into witnesses of His plan.

Christ Connection

David’s restraint points forward to Christ, who did not grasp power but humbled Himself to the Father’s will (Philippians 2:5–8).

Just as David spared his enemy, Jesus extended mercy at the cross, trusting the Father’s plan even in suffering.

God’s hidden hand in David’s story foreshadows the greater providence at Calvary—what looked like defeat became salvation.

Conclusion

Summary: David teaches us patience, prayerful confrontation, and trust in God’s providence.

Application:

When tempted to seize control, wait on God’s timing.

When wronged, confront with humility, entrusting justice to the Lord.

When plans unravel, remember God’s hidden hand is guiding all things for His glory and your good.

Closing Thought: The hidden hand that guided David in the wilderness is the same hand that guides us today—seen most clearly in Christ, our Savior and King.