Abigail and David - The Book of 1 Samuel

Published May 5, 2024, 7:00 AM

In this Bible Story, Samuel passes away and David marries Abigail. David’s community of outcasts and vagabonds continued to grow and thrive under his leadership.This story is inspired by 1 Samuel 25. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is 1 Samuel 25:39 from the King James Version.

Episode 91: While David was in the wilderness near Carmel he met a group of sheep shearers belonging to a rich man named Nabal. David took care of the men and when it came time for them to return, he sent messengers to ask Nabal if he would give them food in return for taking care of his men. Nabal, however, was arrogant and cantankerous, refusing the men David sent, answering them harshly. Luckily, Nabal's wife Abigail intercepted and interceded on behalf of her husband, restraining David from killing Nabal in his wrath.

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Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard

Producer: Ben Gammon

Hosted by: Pastor Jack Graham

Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith

Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn

Let us pray. And when David heard that Nabel was dead, he said, blessed be the Lord that Hath pleaded the curse of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and Hath kept his servant from evil. For the Lord Hath returned the wickedness of Nable upon his own head, and David sent and communed with Abigail to take her to him to wife first Samuel twenty five thirty nine to day, Heavenly Father, through the power of this passage, I pray you open the eyes of my heart so that I may know and recognize when you are asking me to show kindness to strangers. I choose to live with an attitude of gratitude because you gifted me with so much. Through Abigail's wisdom, I now know that my first response is to always show kindness to those in need. I decree and declare that I am beyond blessed, and I will use my abundance to show your loving kindness to all that I come in contact with. I denounce any mindset that carries a lacking mentality. I denounce any selfishness that could arise within me like Mabel. Thank you Lord that my salvation, an active abundance comes from your loving heart. And it is in this same vein that I will do unto others as you have done unto me. I am blessed to be a blessing in Jesus name. Amen. Listening to these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the Lord by listening to to day's Bible in a Year, brought to you by Bible in a Year dot Com.

Abigail and David. In our last story, we witnessed the redemption of Saul. David had the perfect opportunity to take Saul's life and end his suffering as an exile, but chose to show Saul mercy. The two embraced as father and son, and David was restored to good standing among Israel. In this story, we learned that Samuel passes away and we meet a man named Nabel who insults David, but the Lord struck Noble dead and David marries his wife, Abigail has inspired by the Book of First Samuel.

Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast. In our last episode, we saw how David, despite being given an easy opportunity to kill Saul and free himself from the king's persecution, took mercy on Saul and spared his life. When Saul discovered what David had done, it broke him and he repented for all the harm he had tried to do to David. The fellowship between the two was restored, and David was once again in good standing with Israel's king. Today we'll hear of the passing of the great Prophet Samuel, the man who anointed both Saul and David and had been the voice of God to his people for many years. We'll also learn about a man by the name of Nabal, whose disrespect and lack of generous hospitality towards God's chosen man would cost him his life. Nabal's widow, Abigail, however, will capture David's heart and the two will be wed. So let's listen now to today's scripture.

Israel's great Prophet Samuel departed to be with his Lord. All of Israel assembled at Rama to mourn and bury him. Samuel marked the true end of the era of judges. Samuel's diligence and faithfulness to God was unmatched, and Israel would greatly miss his wisdom. The era of David was approaching, and God was preparing him for great things. David rose up and went down into the wilderness of Parn. There David met some sheep shearers who belonged to the house of a man named Nabel. David hosted the men and showed them great kindness and hospitality. David was elated to meet sheep shearers, for he was once a shepherd and loved speaking to familiar people. David was in need of a home to host a feast for him and his men, so he sent some of his servants to go and greet Nable in his name. The servants left and entered into Nable's house. Nabyl was a hairy and grumpy man and unpleasant to be around. However, his wife, Abigail, was incredibly beautiful and kind. The men asked Nabel if he wouldn't mind hosting them for a feast. Nable laughed and spat on the floor, saying, who is David? He another dog running away from his master? Why should I give my resources to a man I haven't met? So Nable shewed the servants away. When David was told this, his anger was kindled. Every man strap his sword, David commanded, and he took some of his men to go and speak with Nable himself. One of the young shearers that met David came to Abigail and said, David sent messengers to ask if they could feast with us, but your husband railed at them ferociously. David was kind to us. They protected us when we were out in the wilderness. Would you consider hosting David since your husband is such a worthless man. Abigail wasted no time at all and began to prepare food for all of David's men. She gathered meat, figs, bread, and wine. She ordered the young man to go out and tell David there would be a feast waiting for him, and she would ride out after him. Abigail rode after her servant to find David, who had already been on his way to them. When Abigail saw him, she hurried down from the donkey and fell at David's feet. Please, Lord, do not regard my worthless husband. He is bitter and foolish. Do not muddy your conscious with taking his life. He is not worth killing. And I have prepared a feast for you and your men. David looked at Abigail. She was breathtaking to him, not only her beauty but the strength of her character to ride up to meet up. David was enraptured by her and barely able to speak. David smiled and put his hands behind his head. With a laugh, he said, Blessed be God for you you have kept me from mindlessly seeking revenge. My heart would have been corrupted for killing your husband. God has restrained me with you, and I am grateful. David took her hand and helped her on to her feet go out in peace. Abigail returned to see her husband throwing his own feast with the food she had prepared. Him and his rotten friends were gorging themselves on food and wine. Nable was belligerently drunk. His burping and vomiting filled the air, and Abigail was sick at the sight of him. She told him nothing of her meeting with David, for he was too intoxicated to stand up straight. In the morning, Abigail told her husband that she had stopped David from killing him out of sheer surprise. In a weakened heart from years of gluttony, Nable died from a heart attack. God had allowed Noble's own sin to creep up within him and take his life, so Abigail was left to widow. When David caught wind of Nable's death, he praised God, saying, God has avenged Nable's insult for me. So he rode to go and comfort Abigail. The two spoke into the night. They shared stories, emotions, and laughter. The two were married and loved one another deeply. Abigail followed David and his men wherever they went.

We begin today's story with the passing of a great and godly man, the prophet Samuel. His death is only given a single verse in for Samuel, but his legacy lives on. The entire nation mourns this man's death, as indeed he had served them for generations from the day his mother Hannah dedicated him to the Lord and kept her promise to God that he would serve the Lord all the days of his life. Samuel's life was marked by a commitment to seek God and make the word of God known. This was the turning of a page in Israel's history, and the next chapter is about to begin. As David began his rise to sit on the throne as God's chosen king to lead Israel. After Samuel's death, David went to Paran, where he and his men met sheep shearers who worked for a very wealthy man by the name of Nabal. David was now a warrior, a powerful warrior of renowned but he knows his roots were that of a shepherd, and he treated these shepherds kindly. They were in the region during a time of feasting, and David wished to throw a feast for his men, so he sent messengers requesting a space and provisions for his men to eat. But Naball was a terrible man. We are told that he was a wicked man, a harsh and cruel man. So it really is not a surprise that David's request was not met with hospitality or generosity, but rather with disrespect and refusal. Not only did Nabel say no to the request, but he insulted David. He spoke to David as though he were just a hired hand, asking to enjoy some of what he had not earned. But David was not anyone's servant. He was a conquering hero, the anointed king. His name David was a household name in Israel, Naball was a selfish and sinful man, filled with greed. When David heard his answer, his first reaction was one of anger. So David told his men to strap on their swords and get ready to make Nabal pay for the insult. This was not a good or godly response, and it's a good reminder that for all of his positive qualities, all of his godly heart, David was still a human man and dealt with temptations all of his life. Fortunately for David, Nabal's wife, Abigail, was the opposite of her husband. When she was told what Nabal did, she prepared a feast for David and his men. Then she went out to meet David and fell at his feet to ask for mercy. Her kindness spoke to David, and his anger subsided. Listen to what David says in First Samuel twenty five thirty two to thirty three. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me. Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you who have kept me this day from blood guilt and from working salvation with my own hand. And think about two things. First, God, in his mercy, sent Abigail to keep David from a careless sin. Abigail, for her part, recognized God's work in the world and made herself and her resources available to advance the purposes of the Lord. We also see that David acted so differently than Saul, who more than once took matters into his own hand even when confronted. As a result, God blessed David and Abigail, but Nabel paid dearly for his harshness and cruelty. God struck him down, struck him dead. That day. David comforted Abigail for her loss, and the two grew closer. A love was formed, and soon the two were married. It was a union blessed by God and would provide comfort to both in the years ahead. So let's pray. God. We asked that you would protect us from wilful sins and deliver us from evil. That you will always as you provide a way out of temptation. Help us Lord to be generous and wise like Abigail, and always show hospitality to strangers, as the Bible commands. In Jesus' name. Amen, thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com app and make prayer and Bible study a priority in your life. If you enjoy this podcast, share it with someone you love or know. And by sharing this podcast, we can get the word of God to the world. And if you want more resources on how to tap into God's power for Christian living, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you.

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