The Life of David: 1 Samuel 25

Song of Solomon 2:15 NKJV

15 Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.

If a biography was written of our lives, we would be able to look back and see where pivotal decisions were made that influenced us. These decisions can be big or small. In the moment the choices we make might seem insignificant, but when we look back we see how important they were.

Can you think of a decision that changed everything?

Can you think of a decision that changed everything?

Can you think of a decision that changed everything?

While there are decision we make that change everything, not all decision are made on our own. At various points in life people come and go that make a lasting impact. These individuals impact us in practical and spiritual ways.

Who has made a lasting impact on your life?

God wants to bring people in our lives who will help us, mentor us, and lead us in the way He wants us to go. One of the ways they help us is through intercession. A spiritual leader in our lives will intercede for us and pray for God to help us.

How do you define intercession?

In our story we will see how God used an unlikely source to help change the trajectory of David’s life. The three main characters of the narrative are David, Nabal, and Abigail.

Background

After the death of the prophet Samuel, David went to the wilderness of Paran. Paran was at the southern tip of Israel. It was similar to the west in the 1800s. Little attention was given to it by the government. Those who lived there fended for themselves.

Nabal’s flock of thousands of animals grazed in the wilderness of Paran. Had it not been for David, thieves would have stolen the animals. In ancient times there was an unwritten rule. The owner of the flock would compensate the people who cared for the flock.

Nabal had yet to pay David and his men. David decided to send his men to speak to Nabal. They were diplomatic and very gracious. They requested Nabal to give David’s men whatever he thought was fair for their services.

One author described David’s speech as though the electric company sent a bill:

“Dear Mr. Nabal,

Peace be upon your home and to your family. You have enjoyed electricity in your home, lo, these many weeks. Since we have expenses to pay, do you think you might be able to help us with those? Please return the enclosed envelope with anything you care to send.

May God Bless You,

Your humble servants at the power company”

How should Nabal respond to David’s polite request?

Story

There are three main characters we will study.

Nabal

Hebrew names are important. Because these people lived thousands of years ago, we can learn a lot about them from their name. Nabal literally means fool. He was rude, ignorant, dishonest, belligerent, and obstinate.

After hearing the polite request of David’s servants, his lack of tact is evident. He asked, who is David? Obviously he knew David because he identified he was the son of Jesse. His question was a subtle putdown to David.

He was rude, ignoratn, dishonest,

Earlier we read Nabal was a Calebite. Caleb was one of the two originals who left Egypt to actually make it to the Promised Land. Being a Calebite would be like being a descendant of one of the Founding Fathers.

After putting down David, comparing him to a simple country bumpkin, he refuses to give him anything. It as though he asked, “Why should I give my hard-earned money to a lazy group of people.”

What do you think David did?

David

David was livid. He called 400 of his troops to grab their swords to go and meet Nabal. In other words, David snapped. In the previous chapter he showed great restraint in his dealings with Saul. Even though he had ample motive and opportunity, he spared Saul.

David refused to “touch God’s anointed” but now he is ready to kill an arrogant fool named Nabal.

Why do you think David lost control with Nabal?

How could this irrational decision affected David negatively for years to come?

Abigail

In the story we have two individuals who are not thinking clearly. Now we hear from the voice of reason, Abigail. Her name means, “my father is joy.” We will see she was an intelligent, beautiful, and wise woman. Why then was she married to a man like Nabal?

In ancient times marriages were more of a business transaction than a love story. Abigail’s father would have searched for the right mate. Perhaps Nabal seemed to fit the qualifications. He was wealthy and he probably pretended to be the perfect candidate.

The question has to be

It is an understatement to say Nabal and Abigail did not have a happy marriage. One of the servants saw what took place between David and Nabal and informed her.

What options did Abigail have in regards to the information she received?

She decided to intercede to David on behalf of Nabal. She put together a big meal, enough to feed an army, and brought it to David. She caught David before he arrived to Nabal. She acknowledged the folly of Nabal, then she turned her attention to David.

1 Samuel 25:28–31 NKJV

28 Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord, and evil is not found in you throughout your days. 29 Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”

Abigal reminded David what his life was all about. He was about to throw it all away because a foolish man got under his skin. She wanted David to remember God would use him in the future. If he let his anger get the better of him, he would have a stain on his reputation.

What would David have lost had he not listened to Abigail?

Abigail returned to home to inform Nabal about what she did.

Abigail returned home to a familiar sight, Nabal was home, drunk, and unable to think straight. The next morning she informed him what she did. Nabal became silent and ten days later died of a heart attack or stroke. His death was a direct result of God’s judgment upon his life.

When David heard of Nabal’s death, he sent for Abigail and married her. He did this for a number of reasons. First, widows were not treated kindly in ancient times, regardless of their wealth. Second, Abigail was a wise and discerning wife who would be a help to David.

Application

God has great plans for our lives. It would be great if He would show us the entire plan, but that is not how He works. Instead, He wants us to walk in faith, making the right decisions. Every choice we make leads us to the next choice. Life is not a series of unrelated events.

Abigail spared David from making a life-altering mistake. She reminded him of God’s plan, thereby calming him down enough to think sensibly.

In our lives we need people like Abigail and we need to be a person like Abigail. When those in our sphere of influence are about to make a foolish decision, we need to boldness to speak the truth in love to them.

Likewise, we need to listen to Godly people in our lives who will help us when we are about to derail from God’s plan.

How can help those around us from making foolish mistakes?

Why do we need people in our lives like Abigail?

What happens when we live for the moment instead of preparing for the future?

Romans 8:26–28 NKJV

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:26–27 NKJV

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:34 NKJV

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Romans 8:34 NKJV

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Jesus is like Abigail, He intercedes for us. But He wants us to intercede for those who are also in need of help. He will enable us to pray with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Challenge

Who can we intercede for and help like Abigail helped David?

Who do we have in our lives that can speak the truth in love to us when we are about to make a big mistake?

Pray for God to place us in people’s lives at the right time.

Pray for God to place someone in our lives who can help keep us accountable.

Read 1 Samuel 26