“What About Providence” - 1 Samuel 25

Herman Melville's Moby Dick tells a story of revenge and obsession. Captain Ahab, a whaler, loses a leg to a white whale. A smoldering anger begins to grow in the one-legged captain.

I know that he was never very jolly; and I know that on the passage home, he was a little out of his mind for a spell … I know, too, that ever since he lost his leg last voyage by that accursed whale, he's been a kind of moody—desperate moody, and savage sometimes.

Captain Ahab's anger grows into a fixation on revenge against the sea monster. As his lust and hatred grow, so does his lack of wisdom. On his next whale-hunting trip, the driving force in his soul begins to override good judgment, putting the man, the crew, and his ship into insanely hazardous situations. Common sense is overruled by his wild passion for killing the white whale. All else is secondary. As the captain hurls man and ship into the perilous seas of hate, his opportunity to take vengeance finally arrives. The white whale is within Ahab's grasp. A chase ensues for three days. The crewmembers realize that Ahab's folly may mean doom—not for the whale, but for themselves.

A man named Starbuck, Ahab's first mate and the only one who dares to question the captain, cries out, "Oh! Ahab, not too late is it, even now, the third day, to desist. See! Moby Dick seeks you not. It is you, you, that madly seek him!" But it is too late. Ahab's desire for revenge grows deeper, ignoring every danger. In the end, the ship is lost; the crew, save one, is lost; and Ahab loses both his quest and his life. The white whale—representing the great unknowable—has won.

Revenge/Vengeance - : To avenge (oneself or another) usually by retaliating in kind or degree. To inflict injury in return for revenge an insult. As we continue to see the division between the world and the church blur, one of the things that stand out is retaliation. It seems that retaliation and revenge is as prevalant in the church as it is is the world. Someone hurts us, we feel the need to hurt them back. If someone hits us, we hit them back. The problem goes deeper… we feel as if we have the right too. Even as Christians, an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth is naturally ingrained in us while… if someone strikes you on the cheek give them the other one as well is so quickly forgotten when we are wronged. Have we ever been there before? Are we there right now… planning, scheming, desiring retaliation against someone who hurt you or caused you pain? Is there an answer for us today? Yes. We will look at thins deeper in our passage.

Last week we witnessed an incredible exchange between David and his enemy Saul. And we learned a real truth about the anointed of God and how they are to be treated, no matter what.

There was some bad news. Samuel died and all of Israel gathered for his funeral. David then moved to the wilderness of Paran. There was a rich man named Nabal in the area and he was harsh and not well behaved, yet he had a wise and beautiful wife Abigail. David and his men needed provisions and decided to ask Nabal for help. David told his men to go to Nabal and ask for help and bless him in his name. However, Nabal decided to offend David by humiliating him and his men. David’s men reported back to David what had happened, and David ordered his men to strap on their swords. We all know what that means. Nabal was in trouble. Abigail, his wife got a report from the servants as to what Nabal did and told her that trouble is coming. Immediately, she got provisions and loaded up some donkeys and went to David. They were just in time. David had just made a vow that every man in his house would be dead by morning. Abigail fell at the feet of David and took responsibility for everything that had happened. I have brought you gifts and she pleaded. Abigail began to shower David with many blessings and acknowledging his goodness and greatness, even bringing up his victory over Goliath. Please do not blemish your unblemished record with needless bloodshed and vengeance. David blesses Abigail for her good sense. He thanks the Lord that He did not allow David’s will to be free sending Abigail at that time to stop him from murder. He told her to return home and he will not kill her husband. When she got home she found her husband celebrating like a king (after offending the king). He was very drunk and so she did not tell him what happened until the morning. She told him in the morning and he had a stroke. He was paralyzed, then the Lord took his life 10 days later. David sent men to Abigail to ask her hand in marriage. She accepted, got ready, mounted her donkey and went out to meet her groom. They were married.

1 Samuel 25:32–33 NLT

David replied to Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands.

The grass withers the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever

The first thing we will look at is the spirit of vengeance that consumed the heart of David that in many ways affects us all today. The second thing we will see is the heart of a Father who, in a sense, will violate the will of those whom He loves. Finally, we will observe the picture of the doctrine of propitiation performed by Abigal and ultimately our Lord Jesus.

My Family... Though sin and the pattern of this world may lead us to sinful and hasty behavior of vengeance, the Lord in His loving grace restrain us even against our will like a loving father does for His children; like He did for us with the propitiating sacrifice of his Son. This is the Gospel of Jesus

I. The Heart of Vengeance.

Is the sword the only way we know how to respond?

A. What was Nabal thinking? He complains about David, saying, “who does he think he is?” But in actuality who does he think he is, in offending a soldier, victor, and anointed of the Lord. Even so, look at all David did for you in protecting your sheep from theft and not stealing anything themselves. He is asking for some provisions out of Nabal’s abundance. He could easily afford it. But instead of providing, he offends, he humiliates, he ridicules.

B. Only one way to respond to this. The sword? We all know what that means. David is off for some revenge with his troops singing as they march with the eye of the tiger it’s the thrill of the fight rising up to the challenge of our rival. It was on! Vengeance.

C. Now what happened to David, just after his encounter with Saul and the divine display of mercy and love for the law of God by not killing him? He humbly bowed before Saul and pleaded his case of innocence before God. David was vindicated and blessed by Saul, receiving, from him, the acknowledgement of his kingship.

D. And now, he is offended and packs up his troops with the intension of murder? For an offense? Really? By someone who everyone knows is an awful person and a fool. For his name actually means fool. We know that this was his horrible intent. He made a vow v.22 - May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!”

E. David was upset over Saul’s overreaction when he had Doeg killed all of the priests and all of their family members including children. Chapter 22. Saul in murderous rage did the unthinkable and David recognized it. And now he was on his way to do the same exact thing. He was going to kill everyone in Nabal’s household. Vengeance.

F. Now a Croatian theologian once wrote, “To triumph fully, evil needs two victories, not one. The first victory happens when an evil deed is perpetrated; the second victory, when evil is returned. After the first victory, evil would die if the second victory did not infuse it with new life.”

G. Now how many times in our lives have we allowed evil to have its glorious victory? Like David, someone had done something to offend you and you made an oath in your heart that you would get him or her back? It seems as if it was just name-calling and disrespect thrown at David. What do we do on the road when someone just cuts you off and waves at you, thinking that they are apologizing, but you realize that there is something really wrong with their hand because they only had one finger up?

H. What do we do when we receive small offenses, large offenses, disrespect, betrayal or anything that would awaken the spirit of revenge in your heart? Are we quick to retaliate? Have we walked out of the door this morning set already in our hearts that we are not going to take anyone’s disrespectful nonsense, offences, or attacks. Not going to happen. I will not tolerate it. When you immediately snap or get angry, you did this.

I. But we did not see this in Christ. If there was anyone who definitely had the right to retaliate offenses, it was Him. But He didn’t…

1 Peter 2:23 NLT

He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

J. Can we not leave it in the hands of God today? It seemed as if David was not able to do it...

K. A 2008 survey by The Barna Group asked adults which, if any, of eight behaviors with moral overtones they had engaged in during the past week. The behaviors included looking at pornography, using profanity, gambling, gossiping, engaging in sexual intercourse with someone to whom they were not married, retaliating against someone, getting drunk, and lying. Of those surveyed:

Twenty-eight percent had used profanity. Twenty percent had gambled. Nineteen percent had viewed pornography. Twelve percent had gossiped. Twelve percent had gotten drunk. Eleven percent had lied. Nine percent had engaged in sexual intercourse with someone to whom they were not married. Eight percent had retaliated against someone. The results of the survey also indicated that younger generations are twice as likely to engage in immoral behavior than Baby Boomers. Younger participants were nine times more likely to engage in sex outside of marriage, six times more likely to have lied, three times more likely to have gotten drunk, three times more likely to have gossiped, twice as likely to have viewed pornography, and twice as likely to have engaged in some form of retaliation against someone.

L. Do we not realize that those who come against the people of God will get what is coming to them? This is why the Lord says vengeance is mine. Nabal got what was coming to Him. The Lord judged him severely. We should know that when people come against us … His people. We really got to pray for them instead of retaliate… they do not know who they are messing with. Suffer my wrath… no. Suffer the wrath of God instead. They need our prayers not our retaliation.

M. But we thank God for His grace that He kept David from sinning…just like we trust in the grace of God that He will also protect us from sinning.

Twenty percent had gambled.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Nineteen percent had viewed pornography.

1 Corinthians

Twelve percent had gossiped.

II. God Provides Restraint

Twelve percent had gotten drunk.

- He stopped him before he would do something that he would regret for the rest of his life.

Eleven percent had lied.

A. God sent to David Abigail. David was on his way with a vile vow in his heart to commit murder and God did interfere with David’s will to stop him. He sent Abigail to stop him. And David, in the end, thanked the Lord for interfering. Just like in the end, when we stand before God on judgment day, I am sure we will be thankful that God did interfere with our wills to save us. There is a point I want you to see.

Nine percent had engaged in sexual intercourse with someone to whom they were not married.

B. Now I don’t want to get into the whole free will debate here. I don’t want to focus on all the logical and Scriptural implications of this endless endless discourse. (Go to Sunday School or come on Wednesday Night) But what I want us to see is the heart of a Father. The Lord not interfering with the free will of His children when we’re doing wrong is not grace. I always interfere with the free will of my children. ALWAYS!

C. And you would too, for many… you have too… especially if your child is or was being a fool. What would they do all day if you just left them to do their thing? We see that David was being a fool and the Lord stopped him before he sinned the way Saul did and he thanked the Lord for it. He stopped him before he would do something that he would regret for the rest of his life.

Eight percent had retaliated against someone.

The results of the survey also indicated that younger generations are twice as likely to engage in immoral behavior than Baby Boomers. Younger participants were nine times more likely to engage in sex outside of marriage, six times more likely to have lied, three times more likely to have gotten drunk, three times more likely to have gossiped, twice as likely to have viewed pornography, and twice as likely to have engaged in some form of retaliation against someone.

D. I thank God that he did not let me go off doing what I wanted to do. He saved me. While the house was on fire and he kept calling out to me to get out before the house came crashing down on me to kill me. I just sat there. Then I just told Him no I’m not coming out. I don’t care what’s going to happen to me. And the fire kept burning. If your kid, niece, nephew, grandchild, whatever was in this situation and said that to you…would you let them die? It’s their fault. No you would go in there to get them. This is the heart of the Father.

E. This is the beauty of what we find in this passage. Our Father intervened. Our Father got involved. He stopped evil from having its victory! There’s no celebration for evil. He halted David from his destruction.

F. For many of us… we think of God more like an employer than we do a Father. More like a supervisor than a Father. More like a partner in a limited liability partnership than a Father. He is our Father. He not only retaliates for us against fools… he protects us from acting the fool.

III. The Wrath of God

- We needed to be saved from the wrath of God.

A. How did Abigal appease the wrath of David? You are going to see something super awesome here. Look at how God stopped David’s path to destruction.

B. She humbled herself. – She bowed low before David falling at the feet of the King. The wrath was coming and she needed to give up.

C. She took on the sin of her husband. She took responsibility for his foolish and nasty sin. She accepted all blame in the matter.

D. She gave what was asked for. She brought restitution to the matter. She brought to David what he asked for and what he believed he deserved.

E. She pleaded with David for the ignorance of the husband. David repented.

F. What Abigail did here was appease the wrath of David. That’s how she stopped him. I’m now going to flip this so that we will see something memorable every time you read this. The wrath of David was coming just like the wrath of God was coming to destroy us for our foolish, nasty, ignorant, self-centered, and offensive sin. He stopped. Why?

G. Christ like Abigail humbled Himself – took the form of a servant and became like men. Christ took upon Himself the responsibility of all our sins – the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Christ gave to the Father what was asked for – He presented to the Father everything He demanded of us, everything we did not give nor would not give. Christ pleaded with the Father for us – we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father.

H. This is our salvation. Christ satisfied the Father. This here is a wonderful picture of the work of Christ in this moment with Abigail. Abigail’s work saved her household. Christ’s work saved us. Abigail appeased David. Christ appeased the Father. And better believe that the wrath of God is real and still coming for those acting to fool. But we were saved, those who believe and profess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God.

I. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and He was buried...

J. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. The saying is trust worthy… If you confess with you mouth… All who call upon the name...

K. This is the Gospel of Jesus. The saving and shaping power of the Lord. That which moves us and leads us to repentance. It awakens our Spirits and restores our souls. And this Gospel is what you hear today… and if faith is rising up in you for the first time… God promises that if you confess with your mouth.

L. This is why today we can rejoice. We have life and life more abundant.

M. Now the judgment of the Father did come upon Nabal and the Lord took his life. But in his death Abigail was freed. And free to remarry. Like we are freed from the law when we died in Christ (). We are free to remarry. David called to Abigail for them to be married. She prepared herself and went to David and she was married to the king. In the same way… Christian. The Lord has called and will call to us at His coming where the dead in Christ and all who remain will meet our bridegroom in the air to be finally united with Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb. And now we wait in eager expectation for the return of our Lord. Come Lord Jesus.