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Wheelersburg Baptist Church ,  Wednesday PM  7/11/07

1 Samuel 25  “David, Nabal, and Abigail”[1]

Series: “Learning to Wait on God: The Life of David Before He Became King”

               1 Samuel 16-31

Think about it:  Great men of God are not men who never blow it, but are men who are willing to admit their fault when they do.

Lessons from last week:  What must we do in light of 1 Samuel 24?

      In chapter 24, David spared Saul's life.

1.  We must ask ourselves, "Is God real in my life, or am I going through the motions?"

2.  We must look at trials from God's perspective, and submit to Him in them.

3.  When we are wronged by another person, we must commit the matter to God, and resolve to do what's right.

1 Samuel 25:  The Waiting Continues for David

Two key events occur in chapter 25 that affected David's life.

I.  Samuel died (1).

      Q:  Why is that significant?  Samuel was a great man of God.  He had led Israel as the last of the judges.  He had had a preserving influence on Saul.  But now he was gone. 

      Q:  How did the Israelites respond to his death?  V 1

      Q: What did David do?  V 1 Went to wilderness of Paran (see map).  Why?  Samuel was the one who had anointed David.  He was one of his few allies in public places.

II.  Nabal almost tripped up David (2-38).

Here’s how it happened…

      A.  Nabal offended David's men (4-11).

               1.  Who was Nabal? (2-3)

      Q:  What do we learn about Nabal in vv 2-3?  Wealthy, influential; great wife; had an interesting name that meant "fool" (Note:  In the Bible, the term fool has more to do with morals than intellect.  A fool is a person who lives as though God does not exist.  See Ps 14.

      Q:  Who was his ancestor?  Caleb (spirituality is not hereditary!)

               2.  How did Nabal offend David's men? (10-11)

      Q:  What did David tell his ten men to do, in v 5?  Go to Nabal

      Q:  What were they to rehearse for Nabal, acc to v 7?  We helped your men.

      Q:  What were they to request of Nabal, acc. to v 8?  Food?

      Q:  How did Nabal respond to David's men?  Vv 10-11  No way!

      Q:  What words would you use to describe Nabal and his attitude?

      Q:  How did David respond when he heard this report?  Vv 12-13  Get your swords!

      B.  David resolved to take vengeance (12-13).

      Two important questions to keep in mind...

               1.  Did he get all the facts?

               2.  Did he view the situation from God's perspective?

               Note:  Contrast David's response to Nabal with his response to Saul.  Saul wronged David, but how did David respond?  Let the Lord take care of him.  Just the opposite with Nabal.  Why the difference?

      C.  Abigail got involved (14-31).

               1.  Abigail discovers more details about ...(14-16)

                           The crime

                           David's men

Q:  What did Abigail find out about David's men had done for her husband's men? V 15

                           Her husband's reputation

Q:  How did the servant describe Nabal? V 17  A wicked man no one can talk to (i.e. a proud, unapproachable man)

               2.  Abigail took action to appease David (18-31).

      Q:  What was David's resolution in v 22?

      Q:  How did she diffuse David's anger?  She diffused David's anger by:

     Taking the blame herself (24)

            Q:  What does this reveal about the kind of person she was?

      Using appropriate words (24-25)--What words?

     Using appropriate deeds (27)--What deeds?

     Requesting forgiveness (28)--Whose trespass?  Hers

     Reminding David of God's promise (29)--What promise? V 30

     Giving David godly counsel (31, "You don't want this blemish on your record, do you?")

                                    Discuss:  Should a Christian ever say, "I'm sorry..."?

      D.  David responded to Abigail (32-35).

      Q:  How did he respond?

               1.  He blessed God (32).

               2.  He blessed Abigail (33).

      Q:  How would David feel admitting her advice was right (in front of 600 men)?  He could have responded with stubborn pride, but he didn't.  He was open to counsel, no matter from whom, as long as it was godly.

               3.  He admitted his wrong, and changed his plan (33-34).

               4.  He received the gift (35).

      E.  God dealt with Nabal (36-38).

      Q:  How would you describe Abigail and Nabal's marriage?  Does it really take two to make a marriage go?  Key:  Abigail resolved to do right, no matter what her husband did.  She left the results up to God.

      Q:  How did God deal with Nabal?  Vv 37-38

      F.  David responded to God's intervention (39).

               1.  He praised God for dealing with Nabal.

               2.  He praised God for keeping him from committing sin.

      G.  David asked Abigail to marry him (39-40).

               1.  He asked through his servants.

               2.  She accepted (41-42).

               3.  David had other wives (43-44).

      Q:  Did God approve of this?  No.  Resulted in heartache later for David.

Lessons:

1.  God enables His people to overcome the "warts" in their lives.

      (e.g.--David's wanting to retaliate; David's multiple wives)

2.  Great men of God are not men who never blow it, but are men who are willing to admit their fault when they do.

3.  Just because we won yesterday's battles is no guarantee we will win today's.  If we are to win, we must choose to rely on God today just like we did yesterday.