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1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives,
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https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10214862922742088
24 October 2020
#submissive_woman
#Abigail_vs_nabalism
A love story so overwhelming and convicting that the man loved suffered a massive heart attack!
This question was asked,
"Why did God bless the
woman's disrespect and rebellion in 1 Sam 25:10-19?"
It stirred and provoked me not a little. Here is a question on the epic story of Abigail's love and devotion to Nabal, her foolish and brutish husband.
Here is the passage:
1Samuel 25
10 ¶And Nabal answered David's
servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many
servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
11 Shall I then take my bread,
and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto
men, whom I know not whence they be?
12 ¶So David's young men turned
their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
13 And David said unto his men,
Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and
David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four
hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
14 ¶But one of the young men
told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the
wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.
15 But the men were very good
unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were
conversant with them, when we were in the fields:
16 They were a wall unto us
both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17 Now therefore know and
consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and
against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot
speak to him.
18 ¶Then Abigail made haste,
and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready
dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins,
and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
19 And she said unto her
servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her
husband Nabal.
Keep on reading to the end of
the chapter, click on this link:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1sa/25/1/s_261001
Let’s recapitulate the main facts:
1. The Main Characters
a. Nabal, he was introduced as
“the man was very great…” He was very great in wealth only, poor in character.
- “… him that live in
prosperity (v6), He held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king.” (v36)
- “… the man was churlish and
evil in his doings” (v3). Churlish means rude in a mean-spirited and surly way.
- " for he is such a son
of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him." (v17)
- It's never easy living with a
husband like that; not a few wives would secretly wish him dead and gone and
inherit the wealth!
b. Abigail, Nabal’s wife: “she
was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance.” Wisdom and
beauty and discretion are a *RARE* combination in a woman. Blessed is the man
with such a wife.
- Likely, much of Nabal’s
wealth was built up through the good sense of his wife.
c. David and his men: they were
instrumental in protecting the flocks and men of Nabal.
- 15 But the men were very good
unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were
conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 16They were a wall unto us
both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep"
- Thus, in no small ways, they
contributed to the prosperity of Nabal.
*2. The Occasion*
a. Sheep shearing season: “…
and he (Nabal) was shearing sheep in Carmel.”
- The sheep shearing season was
a time of rejoicing, a time when goodwill; kindness, and generosity tend to
abound, like during the harvest season.
- “… we come in a *good* day.”
(v.8)
b. David sent some men to Nabal
with clear and specific instructions:
- Benediction of peace: “Peace
be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou
hast.”
- A humble reminder of the
crucial service rendered by David and his men to Nabal's men and flock (v15,16)
- Presenting the *humble
request* for whatever provision Nabal is willing to give his men; “give, I pray
thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.”
*3. The Subsequent events*
a. Nabal’s railing at David’s
men, and mocking and humiliating David. (v10-11)
- This incident was witnessed by some of
Nabal’s good men.
- One of them informed Nabal’s
wife, Abigail, about the matter, and warned her of the evil consequences.
(v14-17)
b. David’s humiliated men related the incident to David, who, in a fit of rage and righteous indignation, determined to destroy Nabal and all his. He summoned his soldiers for action.
c. Abigail's decisive actions:
- Abigail DID NOT do the many
things that some women, who see themselves as better and smarter, are tempted
to do in such circumstances, just the perfect occasion to vent their discontent
and grudges against the man; they would probably latch on to such an
opportunity to rail at and run down their husband for his "nabalism."
- " Oh, you bloody fool...
Always the same... Never learn... tight-fisted, loveless tyrant... blah...
blah... blah... you bloody swine deserved to be slaughtered and roasted for
your heartlessness..." - hurling all sorts of abusive names at him,
thinking to show him all the disrespect he justly deserved.
- The Scripture informs us what
she did, "18 ¶Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and
two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched
corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and
laid them on asses. 19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold,
I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal”
- But she told not her husband
Nabal. Not yet, but later she would. She has prudence and discretion.
- She quietly made haste to
cover the great evils of her husband and to urgently pacify the righteous wrath
of a warrior humiliated and taunted without just cause.
- See how earnestly she pleaded
for the life of her husband, ready to take the blame for the folly and wicked
deeds of her husband. "... Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity
be," (v24). Please forgive my husband for his grievous offences.
- The only appearance of
disrespect is her truthful confession of the characters of her own husband,
v25. This is far from being disrespectful of her husband; this was a truthful
admission of wrong in order to plead mercy for her own husband's life. Yes, he
was a pig that deserved to be slaughtered but that pig was her very own husband
whom she loved dearly, and she bravely begged and pleaded for that pig that was
her own husband.
- See how wisely she reasoned
with David not to shed blood, not to stain his good name!
- Mission accomplished. Her own
foolish husband is saved from slaughter. She went home quietly but rejoicing in
her heart and soul, ready to whisper to her husband the great tidings of
deliverance accomplished for him.
4. Abigail narrated the life-saving story to her
husband
a. But there was great feasting
at home. "And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his
house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he
was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the
morning light. (v36).
- It would not surprise me if
she, being a good woman and wife, did give herself completely to relish her
husband, the one she had saved from the brink of destruction, on that night of
feasting and merriment.
b. Next morning... "But it
came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife
had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a
stone.”
- Being a faithful, devoted, and
respectful wife, she felt the just duty to inform the husband what she had done
and accomplished, the resources expanded in order to appease the wrath of the
justly offended benefactor in order to save her very own dearly beloved
husband.
- The sweet story of her heroic
act to save her husband was so powerfully moving, so overwhelming, and
convicting to him - in contrast to his own folly and stupidity - that his heart
died within him, and he became as a stone.
And here is the question: "Why did God bless the woman's disrespect and rebellion in 1 Sam 25:10-19?"
5. The question presupposes two
things:
i. That there are disrespect and rebellion on
the part of Abigail against her own husband Nabal - who was indeed a churlish,
ungrateful, and tight-fisted man;
ii. That the Lord God of heaven
blessed Abigail's disrespect and rebellion against her own husband.
Maybe these are not intended but the words in the question necessarily imply what I have just stated.
(i) How can anyone reads the brave acts of Abigail as disrespect and rebellion against her husband Nabal, I know not. Someone may want to ask Abigail when he gets to meet her in glory; no, I'm just kidding.
Search and dig all one can, he won't find one iota of disrespect and rebellion on the part of Abigail towards her own husband, or to other men. To say otherwise is groundless, and bearing false witness
Her acts were the expression of great love for and devotion to her very own husband, EVEN a foolish husband, to save him from being justly slaughtered for his impudence and ungratefulness. See how she earnestly pleaded for the life of her own husband, though a foolish one. Does that indicate somewhat her love and devotion to her husband?
It is somewhat unkind to see her love and devotion to her own husband as disrespect and rebellion. What has bewitched such seers!
(ii) Also, to say that God blessed her disrespect and rebellion is actually bearing false witness against the Lord, that He would bless those evils - disrespect and rebellion - which He has plainly condemned.
6. The Lord did judge the foolish and ungrateful and tight-fisted man, "...that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.”
Conclusion
Let a woman wait for the LORD
to smite her foolish, brutish, unbearable husband dead; until then, honour him
and desire his good, despite all his shortcomings. Amen.
Follow the true Abigail, not the Abigail of one's own imaginations. And let every God-fearing wife say a hearty, "Amen."
He who has ears to hear, let
him hear. Amen
