ABIGAIL: DETERMINED FAITH
On a bulletin board in an electrical contractor’s shop a block away from our church, a poster read: “Before opening mouth, be sure brain is in gear”!
Another bit of wise counsel: “Think twice before speaking once”. Surely none of you has a problem with keeping a tight rein on your tongue!
Several decades ago a sermon entitled “From Sterno to Inferno” sought to convey the harsh reality of the fiery effect a loose tongue can have on folks who get caught in the middle of a fury caused by someone’s carelessness.
(The sermon, preached by me, was a takeoff on a fiery disaster that had occurred earlier that week at the Atlanta Braves Stadium when a sterno used for keeping food warm in the Club Section ignited a blazing inferno that required emptying the entire stadium.)
Pastor James of the First Church in Jerusalem preached about the negative effects words unwisely spoken can have on others; so, he cautioned Christians to tame their tongue --- to use that little body part as an instrument for praising the Lord, not as a weapon for cursing adversaries.
Perhaps James drew from one of those wise sayings penned by Solomon: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Prov. 25:11). “A soft answer turns away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:l).
Leave it to a godly woman of faith, in an explosive situation, to get it right! How often does a wife gently place her hand of restraint on her husband’s arm -- to keep him at bay, to delay his impulsive response, to give him time to count to ten!
What should be your attitude and mine when a crisis thrusts itself upon us? Would you agree that, in crisis situations, a mature Christian’s goal must be: Remain “calm, cool and collected” - allowing the Holy Spirit to come to our aid in times of distress?
There was a godly woman of faith who lived during the time of Israel’s first two kings – a woman whose wise choice of words and actions saved her kinfolk from a blood bath that would have occurred had she not intervened in a bad situation made worse by uncontrolled anger - I Samuel 25 . . .
Abigail is presented as a beautiful, intelligent woman whose lot in life was that of being married to a fool named Nabal whose bad reputation preceded him.
Having heard about Nabal’s arrogant, evil ways . . . David - the brash, bold, champion giant slayer sent him a request, thinking that even a fool would comply with a plea for material aid, especially since the request came from a future king!
Moreover, David’s brigade of fugitives - while on the run from Saul and camping out in an area not far from Nabal’s stomping grounds - had protected Nabal’s shepherds and sheep when they came under siege by bandits.
However, when informed of David’s request, Nabal - whose name means “foolish” - acted the part by refusing to grant David’s request, adding insult to injury by sneeringly asking, “David who”?
Did Nabal not know that enemies of his own (“friends” who did not like him) were among his ranks - just waiting for him to commit a gaffe . . . to misspeak . . . to say anything negative that they could use against him?
Sure enough, Nabal’s insult was reported back to the one man powerful enough to “do him in”! What a slap in the face to the well-known and popular champion of Israel!
Insulted by that scoundrel Nabal - despised husband of a woman of good reputation who was known for her good deeds on behalf of fellow worshippers of the LORD God!
Infuriated, David vowed to wipe Nabal and his constituents off the face of the earth – hell-bent on destroying the fool that dared test his mettle and smear his good name. The stage was set for a blood bath! But! (drum roll please)
A young man (no doubt one of those among Nabal’s ranks who would lose their lives if someone did not intervene to stop David) went to Abigail and told her what was about to happen! Good move on his part! Exit stupidity, enter sanity!
Time for a godly person of determination - wisely tempered by faith in God - to step forward and take positive action to ward off a disaster in the making!
Who better than a wise, level-headed, sane woman whose temperament had been refined by her steadfast trust in the God of her forefathers!
No one knew Nabal like Abigail in her head knew him . . . No one knew David like Abigail in her heart knew him . . . No one in her family could be better prepared mentally, emotionally, spiritually than this godly woman who had lived up to her name --- “whose father is joy”. Her father’s pride and joy!
Obvious to this “one who brought joy” to the lives of others was David’s act of goodwill as well as his dire need for mercy that had been snobbishly rejected by her self-centered, egotistical husband - one who made it a priority in his life to be seen as the tough guy, doing everything bad he could think of - to avoid being seen as a nice guy.
Since this he-man in their relationship (if you can call it that) never swallowed his pride to bend to anyone’s wishes, regardless of their rank or station in life, the she-man had to take up his slack and desperately seek to remedy the situation.
Long before the Apostle James penned it, Abigail did it: “Humble yourselves before the LORD God Almighty, and He will exalt you in due time.”
Abigail’s sensibility, humility and wise counsel not only prevented a crisis of catastrophic proportions, but preserved David’s ascendancy to the throne - which would be so vital for the future of God’s people and, indeed, all of mankind . . . Short-term risks for the sake of a notable cause pay off with long-term benefits!
Furthermore, it must have occurred to you by now that, by her intervention in a “bad blood” situation, the manner in which this godly woman interceded gained the favor of a future king who one day would take her as his bride. In what manner did she do what she did? Glad you asked!
Aside from the fact that hers was the longest speech of any woman’s in the Old Testament, Abigail effectively “hit a home run” by touching four bases:
She interceded on behalf of her husband never a bad thing to do in a relationship . . . asked for forgiveness - slow to anger but quick to ask for, receive, offer forgiveness . . . revealed David’s destiny, which she herself would be a part of . . . gave God the glory!
See how God the Father worked in Abigail’s situation to bring about the best solution! Abigail’s courage arose with danger . . . was rewarded by David’s acceptance of her peace offerings.
To God David gave the glory for sending the wife of an adversary to reason with him – melting his heart with kind words and humble spirit, massaging his ego by calling him master, predicting his future ascendancy to the throne (“music to his ears”), turning David away from wrath. God is in the business of turning negatives into positives! Let us be about our Father’s business!
Due to one godly woman’s determined faith, God’s chosen lineage through which the Messiah would one day come, to intervene in the wicked affairs of lost mankind, was preserved!
Nothing is ever gained by allowing anger to spin out of control to the point of aggressively seeking revenge! What is gained, by yielding ourselves to the Spirit’s control of our thoughts and actions, is worth it all: “Our Lord will keep in perfect peace those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord”! (Isaiah 26:3)
David pronounced upon Abigail his blessing of peace: “Go home in peace”.
God through David turned Abigail’s situational distress into an absence of conflict plus a sense of spiritual well-being! Don’t you love God’s plusses!
The Messiah whose mission on earth was typified by David’s blessing, said these parting words to His disciples: “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart . . . so, don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
As you depart this place: May the God of peace be with you all! Amen!
