”Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!” So David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person.”“ I Samuel 25:32-35 NKJV
a. Blessed is the LORD God of Israel: David was on a sinful course and Abigail, through her bold, quick, and wise appeal, stopped him from sin. He knew God spoke to him through Abigail (who sent you this day).
i. David is being taught a good lesson – our hurt feelings never justify disobedience. When others sin against us, we may feel justified in sinning against them, but we are never justified by our hurt feelings.
b. You have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand: David can also thank God because Abigail successfully reminded him of his destiny – to reign over Israel in righteousness and integrity. If David had slaughtered Nabal and his household it would forever be a black mark against David among Israelites. They would forever wonder if they could really trust him. It might also seal his doom before Saul because for the first time David would have given Saul a legitimate reason to hunt him down as a criminal.
c. Blessed is your advice and blessed are you: David was man enough and wise enough to take counsel from a woman. He knew that the issue wasn’t Abigail’s gender, but that God used her at that time and place. David did well both to receive her advice and to praise her for her boldness in bringing it.
d. So David received from her hand: It is important to remember that Abigail did not come to David empty-handed. One reason her appeal was effective was that she paid David what was owed to him. When David received it from Abigail he acknowledged that Nabal had paid the bill and there was nothing outstanding.
i. Here David knew the blessing of being kept from sin. It surely is a blessing to be forgiven our sins, but it is an even greater blessing to be kept from sin. (Guzik)
Sinning Against Them!
“When others sin against us, we may feel justified in sinning against them, but we are never justified by our hurt feelings.”
When our feelings are hurt it’s easy to lash out in anger 😡 and from the tongue comes fiery darts! I’m reminded of a verse!
”And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.“ James 3:6 NKJV
In short, the tongue is a fire set on fire by hell!
Next time your feelings are hurt, STOP, pray and ask yourself how would Jesus respond?
Blessings
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