Where do you turn when the bottom falls out?
1 Samuel 25:1-25
Illustration JUST CAN’T QUIT
Wilma didn’t get much of a head start in life. A bout with polio left her left leg crooked and her foot twisted inward so she had to wear leg braces. After seven years of painful therapy, she could walk without her braces. At age 12 Wilma tried out for a girls basketball team, but didn’t make it. Determined, she practiced with a girlfriend and two boys every day. The next year she made the team. When a college track coach saw her during a game, he talked her into letting him train her as a runner. By age 14 she had outrun the fastest sprinters in the U.S. In 1956 Wilma made the U.S. Olympic team, but showed poorly. That bitter disappointment motivated her to work harder for the 1960 Olympics in Rome--and there Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals, the most a woman had ever won. Today in the Word, Moody Bible Institute, Jan, 1992, p.10.
How many times have you felt like quitting? Quitting your family, your job, your church, how about the Lord? I know, we don’t like to admit it do we? But when we look at Jeremiah we find a man that wanted to quit and couldn’t. Let’s learn from him today.
I. Let’s take a look at some background information
to properly set the stage for Abigail’s story.
A. The prophet Samuel has anointed David King of Israel,
but the crown is still sitting on the head of his jealousy
adversary Saul.
1. David’s face is appearing in all the post offices in the nation as he tops Saul’s most wanted list.
2. David and his army of misfits numbering around 600 are on the run moving from hideout to hideout.
3. David and his mighty men move to the wilderness of Paran.
B. David and his men begin policing the area
protecting the farmers and their flock in hopes
of being able to scratch out a living.
1. No contracts are signed but they work hard to protect the
farms in the area.
2. At shearing time the farmers would gather the sheep to
shave off their profits.
3. The farmers would also share food and profits with
volunteer police to pay them for their services.
4. The villain in our story is a tight fisted miser by the name
of Nabal who refused to pay.
David
+Was hurting enough that he couldn’t hide his needs
+Was honest enough to cry out for help
+Was humble enough to learn from God
+Was pointing others to God
Ps. 34:19; 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous;
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Be Psalm 57:1-3 1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to
me, for in thee my takes in the
shadow of thy wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfils his
purpose for me.
3. He will send from heaven and save me, he will put to shame those who trample upon me.
Psalm s 14211-7 I cry with my voice to the LORD,
with my voice I make supplication to the LORD,
2 I pour out my complaint before him, I tell my trouble before him. 3 When my spirit is faint, thou knowest my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 I look to the right and watch, but there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me, no man cares for me. 5 I cry to thee, O LORD; I say, Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.
6 Give heed to my cry; for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to thy name! The righteous will surround me; for thou wilt deal bountifully with me.
C. Then we have David, a person who really
needs little introduction.
1. David and his men are forced to live in the wilderness in
tents.
2. Definitely not the kingly life he imagined when Samuel
anointed him king over Israel.
3. David is hungry, dirty and tired; he literally feels like a
hunted animal.
4. Now consider Nabal’s blatant selfishness hitting David’s
short fuse of frustration head on.
Nabal
+A man “heavy” with money (25:2) 2And there was a man in Maon, whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel
A. Nabal’s reputation like his vast herd,
spread throughout the countryside.
1. His own servants considered him to be worthless.
2. Even his name speaks volumes about him since it
means fool.
3. Nabal was self willed, greedy and angry; you would
expect him to be married to someone much like
himself.
4. However, his wife Abigail is very much the opposite.
+Lived his life as if there was no God (25:25; nabal) 25Let not my lord regard this ill-natured fellow, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal£ is his name, and folly is with him; but I your handmaid did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
+Harsh and dishonest (25:3) 3Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was of good understanding and beautiful, but the man was churlish and ill-behaved; he was a Calebite
+Lived for one thing...pleasing himself
Abigail
+Intelligent and gorgeous (25:3)
and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was of good understanding and beautiful,
+Wise (25:18ff)
18Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
+Tactful (25:24-25)
24She fell at his feet and said, “Upon me alone, my lord, be the guilt; pray let your handmaid speak in your ears, and hear the words of your handmaid. 25Let not my lord regard this ill-natured fellow, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal£ is his name, and folly is with him; but I your handmaid did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
A.Abigail is a woman who is as wise as her husband is a fool.
1. Abigail as we will see displays the rare quality of
discernment.
2. Discernment is the ability to read people and situations
and act according to what’s best.
3. A discerning person must be approachable, realistic, well
organized and trustworthy.
4. All of these traits shine beautifully in Abigail’s character.
B.The development of conflict between David and Nabal.
1.It’s shearing time and David sends ten of his men to collect their well-deserved payment from Nabal for services rendered.
2. Having sent the message to Nabal the ten men
wait patiently for his response.
3. Nabal thinks nothing snubbing David and insulting
his men.
4. David’s short fuse is lit and his anger burns against
Nabal.
5. Meanwhile back at the ranch a loyal servant let’s
Abigail know of Nabal’s foolish actions.
When Nabal didn’t act fairly (a big mistake),
And David got mad (shouldn’t have),
Abigail took responsibility (15:26-28)
26Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, seeing the LORD has restrained you from bloodguilt, and from taking vengeance with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27And now let this present which your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28Pray forgive the trespass of your handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.
Touching David’s heart (25:32)
32And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!
The lesson?
Psalm 40:1
To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David
I waited patiently for the LORD;
and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Shall we pray!
