Abigail

Let's start with the word of Prayer. Grace's Father in heaven, we thank you again for your presence. We thank you for your spirit. It is here in each hard who is called upon you to be their lord their Savior and we thank you for the working in each of our hearts that we are drawn closer to you as we listen and hear what you have to say. And so father as I stand before the congregation today pray that your spirit would be active and Powerful in my heart in my life. It is I open my mouth. It would be your spirit. It would guide each and every word for you are the light that makes change in our lives. Ross near to you. Oh Lord in Jesus name. Amen. well Do you feel significant today? You should feel significant because you are a child of the Living God and sometimes we feel like we're insignificant. We don't really make a difference in life than that. Make change that really raises people up or guides them and gives them wisdom and understanding and we're going to take a look today at 8 a woman named Abigail and she plays a significant role even though it doesn't really appear to start off that way. She Is a wonderful lady and we're going to take a look at the two different people actually three different people first of all Abigail and then we'll look at her husband Mabel and how they interact with David. So those three characters are going to be involved in her story that we have today found in 1st Samuel 25, if you wanted to go to the text it is it is there and I'm not going to read through the whole text today. I'll probably describe most of it for the sake of time because today is a communion day at a fellowship day. So we want to be able to get to all of those different things but our lives are significant and we can make a difference in life, even though it may not appear that we ourselves are necessarily doing that. We'll see that in the life of Abigail of nabal and Dave. So let's take a look at the first verse that we have here. It begins with David being down in going south from a Jerusalem. He's running away from saw he establishes himself in the community of moron are the area of Moana and his armies set up down there. He has like six hundred soldiers that are wandering around with him. And what they do is they have gone out and they protect the people of the South airs Raiders that Rise Up from the south end there and invade the land and they attacked the people of Israel while his armies are out there protecting them day and nights. And so that gives you kind of where David is in this scenario. Now that's read about the two that we're going to look at the two others that we're going to look at today verse number three of the chapter. And it says his name was nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. So the two characters she was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband I calebite was Sterling in his dealings, you know, he's a descendant of Caleb remember Caleb he was one of the two people that went into the land and said, yeah, let's go up in concrete and everybody else said no. Well, he established himself in the South area around Hebron. And this is his descendants. He didn't descend very well evidently. We'll see about that in the story as we go along but we have Abigail who is a good woman.

She is a wife of noble character proverbs 31 10-11 says a wife of noble who can find she is worth more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. Unfortunately. She was a wife of noble character, but Mabel didn't trust her and follow her leading in and doing the things that she should have been doing. But another of the descriptions that it has four is she was beautiful. We sometimes see those definitions in the end scripture and it describes the outward appearance, but it seems that the Edwards appearance of this woman was there as well in Genesis 29:17. We have a description of beautiful. It says Leah had weak eyes. Remember they were to Leah and Rachel were you Two wives of Jacob Leah had weak eyes, but it then it says but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful. It's also a description of Aster and a few others in the Bible, but she is known as a beautiful woman and that's not only inside but outside is well. It also says she was intelligent intelligent woman Proverbs 1:5 says that the wise listen and add to their learning and let the Discerning get guidance she was a very wise person she must have been one who truly followed God. I don't know how she got mixed up with Naval circumstances can happen that way but she she is mixed up with Abel but she's wise and she's understanding and and knows things in fact wise is one of the things that we'll see about her live as we take a look at the story Proverbs 13:15 says good understanding winds favor, but the way of the Unfaithful is hard and other words, she understand situations and you'll see that in the text of this passage that she is one who understands what's going on. She's wise person. She's a Telogen she's beautiful. She's got lots going for and her husband Mabel doesn't take advantage of that at all continuing on in verse 3. That's take a look at Mabel. Now the other side of the issue the good and the evil side Proverbs. 17:12 says better to meet a bear robbed of her Cubs then a fool in his folly. You know, that doesn't seem right doesn't bear and her Cubs not a funded that match up with but as you see the story you may say, oh, yeah that does apply to Naval better to not have known able in the circumstances they were going on but will read through that he was mean and Surly. Wow. Those are awful descriptions of a person Isaiah 59 8 says the way of peace they do not know there is no justice in their path as they have turned from them in Crooked Road. No one who walks in them will know peace and certainly anybody who follows Naval doesn't know peace because his is this wrapped up source, and he brings trouble with it because he's such an arrogant man. Speaking of arrogance. It says to fear Proverbs 8:13 to fear. The lord is to hate evil. I hate pride and arrogance evil behavior and perverse speech and that is what flows from Naples mouth as we will look at and finally, he's a drunkard. Naples a drunkard and we'll see that the Proverbs 23:21 says for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags. Okay, we have this picture now of the beautiful in Abigail and the very evil and her husband nabal and now we have David that enters the picture. So you've got the kind of the idea of the three people that are entering into this as I said before David had been sending his soldiers out to watch over probably not just the tables sheep and that but the other all the people of the Southern portion of Israel, he was watching over them making sure that they were safe at night and daytime and so that deserves him to earn something. And so when he sees that Mabel is taking in his a sheep and sharing them and making money from this he sends 10 of his man. To visit Naval and ask for just kind of an allowance for wall that he is done until his men go to him and then knebel gets offended he describes David and some very evil ways and send them packing. I'm not giving you anything go on your way. So the man go back to David and they tell him what Naval had said and how arrogant he was and all of this and so David says strap on your swords. We're going to take care of business here. And so 400 is men put on their swords and they go down and he's ready to destroy not only Naval but everybody in his family and all those relations with him. So anybody that knows Naval is in trouble Dave is going to take them all out and he's not caring about their character or anything like that. He just is upset with Mabel and he's going to take care of business. So he's on his way and he's charging. Down the valley ready to take out navel and everybody anybody that exist there with a 400 armed men. Well, one of the servants who heard what Naval had to say went to Abigail and said, you know David the protected us his men protected us all winter long. He watched over as made sure no enemies came here. He did no damage to us whatsoever. He was kind and gentle to us and served as well and he kind of deserves something and this is what Mabel had to say to his men and I'm afraid that were in a lot of trouble. Well, Abigail hears was going on and she understands, you know, she's intelligent wise woman that she understands what's going on and she says I got to take care of business or we're all in trouble. Not just Nable, but we're all in trouble. And so what she does is she gathers up donkeys and she puts a lot of different gifts for David and his men on those on those donkeys and she heads out towards him and along the way she runs into David. And they stop each other and she goes down and she bowels before David and explains the circumstances of what was going on and asked for forgiveness and for David to not take advantage of the circumstances that we're going on not shed innocent blood on his behalf and other where she was trying to not only protect herself, but she was trying to David from doing something that really would have had a difference on his entire reign as king as the coming king of Israel.

You know, she was making a difference even though she appeared to be an insignificant person in this whole scenario. She becomes significant not only the saving of all the people of Naples plan, but in helping David understand that he need not shed blood innocent blood and so David receives this and he professes his Thanksgiving to this woman for all that. She has done. And for her willingness to step up and keep him from shedding innocent blood. He recognizes. Yeah, you were right. I was wrong and wanting to do this and I thank you for taking those steps and he sends her off with peace and he heads Back Home In Peace. So, let's pick up the story from there and read what happened verses 36 through 39.

When Abigail went to Naval, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk and so she told him nothing until Daybreak and then in the morning when they able was sober his wife told him all these things in his heart failed him and he became like a stone about 10 days later the Lord struck the table and he died. When David heard the neighbor was daddy said praise be to the Lord who is upheld my cause against Nable for treating me with contempt. He is kept his servant from doing wrong and is brought Naples wrongdoing down on his own head and then David sent word to Abigail asking her to become his wife.

Wow, quite a conclusion to the story. Okay, before we get into the story remember this the significance of this is not in God's answers, which is wonderful God's answers is wonderful for this but the significance is that she behaved as God would have her to behave and that's the significance for each and every one of us were called to behave as God would have each of us behave the circumstances don't matter. Is that you do what God has called you to do the outcome? The outcome of it Proverbs 21:23 in for heel guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from Calamity the proud and arrogant man marker is his name he behaves with overweening pride. when the time when Abigail was talking to David about nabal she said his name his name is full and that's exactly what neighbor was he chose to act as the world often wants to act in regards to other people and his name was. imagine that He was arrogant. But he was honoring and doing those things that needed to be honored and so she was guarding not only Nables mouth, but she was guarding David's as well because David had sworn Justice on these men. He was going to take justice.

And she was one that stood up there and protected that.

judgement As far as judgment goes David left it alone. He went back home and allowed it to go, Abigail. She resolved the situation allowed God's hand to work and God took care of it Deuteronomy. 32:35 says it is mine to avenge. I will repay in due time their foot will slip their day of disaster is near and their Doom Russ's upon them and that's what happened and he denied God and all these circumstances. He denied the care of those who had provided for him.

You know, he was holding back the wages that we earned. And he was a fool and God said enough and brought condemnation against him. Now. Sometimes we think well, that's the way it ought to be. You know, if I'm doing the right thing and somebody else is doing the wrong thing and I'm behaving as I should then got out of work that out for my good we sometimes think that right. Well. Doesn't always do that. God has choices in this case. Wow, it turned out wonderfully, you know, the bad guy died the good guy got a new wife, you know, all these great things happen, but it doesn't always work that way. Once again, I go to the key to this is our Behavior. That's what God is looking for. you know, those are that's more important than the results that come out because ultimately you have to understand God's justice will come about but his Justice comes about in his time and not are so as you read through this door, you can say Yahweh to go to good guy want and all of this. But remember the good guy always win because their behavior not because of the circumstances that happened to play out. Okay, get that in your head because it's really important because there are times in life when circumstances just don't seem to go. Well and you say God why aren't you protecting me will God is but we don't understand all the circumstances. the blessing Proverbs 22:4 humility and fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life and we see in Abigail's life that God blessed her she became the wife of David who would be king of Israel. And if you look at the history of the children of David and all the circumstances that are involved there you will see that Abigail's son was not involved in all the chaos that was created by some of the sons of David. You'll also see that her son was not honored to become the next king either, you know, we kind of live that quiet life and I've have a feeling that that was part of the teaching of Abigail to her son. He behaved himself as a person not to or take away a person who is the son of a king of Israel God's blessing. Okay couple of things that we want to get in this first of all the most important thing in your life and my life after we know Jesus Christ as Lord and savior is our character. We're going to kind of look at that when we take communion today our character how people perceive Us and how more importantly God receives us is really important. And Abigail whether it benefit her or not demonstrated good character in her life. She did those things that she should have been doing that needed to be done in order to protect others. In other words her life became significant because she lived as God called her to live and our lives become significant because we live the way God calls us to live that is a really important Behavior. But also the next thing I want us to remember is that our Behavior influences others lives, imagine all those Servants of navel. They knew Dave David was on his way. They knew he was coming with 400 angry men that had served and serve them and they were ready to destroy them. think of those people You know good character. Save those lies. But think of the other way good character also relieved David and his men of the responsibility of shedding innocent blood just because of anger and other words. She brought peace to the situation. Much of the situation. The only person that died in the situation was the guy that caused all the Calamity in the first place.

So God calls us to be people of character and that's part of the life of a Christian when you become a follower of Jesus Christ. Those are the things he calls you to as Christ lived. Be imitators of Jesus Christ will look at it again in just a moment as we look at Communion, but let's pray. Thank God for his word. Grace's father. We thank you for your powerful word. That gives us circumstances to view about life in the past, and we can apply them to our lives today. And this message really calls each and every one of us to look to you to gather in your character to examine it and apply it to our lives so that we become more and more like you and then we can have significance for not only our own life, but for the lives of so many that surround us father bless us in this and help us to desire this for our lives. We thank you Lord in Jesus name. amen