WHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?
Today’s reading in 1 Samuel 24 and 25 gives us two stories of David’s life while he waited for God to fulfill His promise to make him king over Israel. In chapter 24 we read how the Lord placed king Saul into David’s hand in a cave near En Gedi. David’s men encourage him to take vengeance on Saul while they have him in the cave, but David choses to only cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Even that act was enough to stir David’s conscious and keep him from harming the king and preventing his men from doing the same. After Saul left the cave, David bravely went out to prove to Saul that he had no intent to harm Saul but chose to let the Lord judge between him and Saul.
But in chapter 25, we see a different side of David. When his men are mistreated by the wealthy but foolish Nabal, David rashly makes a vow to kill every male in the house of Nabal. When the man’s wife Abigail hears what her husband has done and what David is planning to do, she intercedes on behalf of her husband, saving him and his household and also keeping David, God’s anointed, from shedding innocent blood.
In the first story David acts wisely, not giving in to the impulsive wishes of his men. He spares the life of his king, leaving his own future in God’s hands. But in the second story, David acts impulsively, making a rash vow that could have led to murder. He needed the wisdom of Abigail, his enemy’s wife, to prevent him from making a terrible mistake.
King Saul responded to David’s kindness by recognizing that the Lord would make David king after him. (1 Sam. 24:20) Abigail too, recognized that the Lord would make David king after Saul, and also wisely saw that the course of action David had sworn to was not fitting for the future king of Israel. (1 Sam 25:30, 31)
I am grateful that David didn’t listen to his friends when they encouraged him to act against king Saul, but even more grateful that he chose to listen to the wise words of his enemy’s wife, Abigail. Abigail preserved the house of her husband, but more importantly, she preserved the character of David, the man after God’s own heart!
But in chapter 25, we see a different side of David. When his men are mistreated by the wealthy but foolish Nabal, David rashly makes a vow to kill every male in the house of Nabal. When the man’s wife Abigail hears what her husband has done and what David is planning to do, she intercedes on behalf of her husband, saving him and his household and also keeping David, God’s anointed, from shedding innocent blood.
In the first story David acts wisely, not giving in to the impulsive wishes of his men. He spares the life of his king, leaving his own future in God’s hands. But in the second story, David acts impulsively, making a rash vow that could have led to murder. He needed the wisdom of Abigail, his enemy’s wife, to prevent him from making a terrible mistake.
King Saul responded to David’s kindness by recognizing that the Lord would make David king after him. (1 Sam. 24:20) Abigail too, recognized that the Lord would make David king after Saul, and also wisely saw that the course of action David had sworn to was not fitting for the future king of Israel. (1 Sam 25:30, 31)
I am grateful that David didn’t listen to his friends when they encouraged him to act against king Saul, but even more grateful that he chose to listen to the wise words of his enemy’s wife, Abigail. Abigail preserved the house of her husband, but more importantly, she preserved the character of David, the man after God’s own heart!
by Paul Schmidt, Elder
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Recent
Archive
2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
April
OUR GOD IS HOLY AND JUSTA CAUSE FOR OBEDIENCETELL THE COMING GENERATIONTHE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOLSHINE YOUR FACE UPON USLISTEN UP!CHECK WITH GOD FIRST - HE KNOWS MORE THAN WE DOPSALM 86THAT IS ENOUGH SAIDDO YOU REMEMBER?TRANSITIONSSERVE ONE ANOTHERPROVERBS“Insignificant Does Not Equal Insignificant” (Judges 6)
May
JESUS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!FINISHING WELLARE YOU THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?FORGETTING GOD IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTHREPENTANCE BRINGS MERCYGOD'S SOVEREIGN TIMING IS ALWAYS RIGHTWHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?A GODLY FATHERJESUS CARES FOR US - HE'S OUR SHEPHERDWHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?CARELESS SPEECHCONTINUE TO SERVE GODUNDIGNIFIED, HUMILIATED, AND GLORIFYING GOD!CLEAR PROMISESMEPHIBOSHETH AND THE KINGTRUST IN GOD'S LEADINGJESUS DOES THE FATHER'S WILL DEMONSTRATING LOVE FOR HIS MOTHER AND WAS GIVEN A KING'S BURIAL
June
A CLEAR PURPOSEWHAT IS TRUE WISDOMTHIS IS THE GOD WE SERVEHANDLING RELIGIOUS OPPRESSIONDO EVERYTHING FOR THE LORDMAY OUR FACES SHOW LIKE AN ANGELARE YOU FEEDING YOUR FAMILY - OR BUILDING A CATHEDRAL?FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY AND FREEDOM FROM SINUNITY TAKES ACTIONTRY IT, IT WORKSGOD'S WORDA PSALM OF KING DAVIDJEWS AND GENTILES AND SALVATIONARE YOU COMFORTABLE ENOUGH?THE GREED OF GEHAZIWORSHIPPING A KNOWN GODGOD KEEPS HIS PROMISESREASONS WHY WE SHOULD PRAISE THE LORDGOD'S AMAZING CREATION
No Comments