ABIGAIL - MOTHER'S DAY 2020
MOTHER’S DAY 2020
Sunday, May 10, 2020, the Year of Our Lord
ABIGAIL
“She was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance” (1 Sam. 25:3).
I wish to honor our mothers, the mothers of this church and all mothers in whom the heart of a mother gives “all-they-got” for the love of their children. During the lock-down, mothers of this nation have taken on home-schooling with the added challenge of the emotional support needed to help children comprehend these difficult and unusual times. It is emotionally and spiritually challenging for adults! How much more challenging for children! Yet we know that if the parents are people of faith and can say, “all is well.” The children of our nation will walk in that trust and hope.
As with me, many have mothers in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and they are quarantined for an indefinite period of time.
As has been my custom for several years, I have been honoring one of the mothers of the Bible on Mother’s Day. I ask the LORD to tell me who He would like for me to honor. Last year, the answer came immediately. He said, “honor my mother.” I was taken back because other than honoring Mary, Mother of Jesus, at Christmas, I had never preached a sermon about her. I certainly didn’t feel worthy or adequate. But with timid obedience, I obeyed and was greatly blessed.
The LORD has again challenged me and my faithfulness as a teacher and preacher of His Word. When I asked, I heard instantly and clearly, “Abigail.”
I bless my daughters and the daughters of this church with God’s measure and blessing of Abigail: “She was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance” (1 Sam. 25:3)
Abigail is not recognized as the mother of a great son. However, she gave birth to the second son of David, Chileab, later called “Daniel” in 1 Ch. 3:1.
2 Samuel 2: 2-3: (Six) Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite;
Abigail was one of David’s eight wives. Edith Deen in her book, “All the Women of the Bible” states “Abigail was the greatest influence for good and helped David to remember that he was God’s anointed into who’s keeping the kingdom of Israel had been entrusted.”
From David’s first meeting with Abigail, his life takes on a higher meaning and a stronger purpose. He is no longer a fugitive and outlaw, but destined to become the great king of Judah and of all Israel, and the ancestor of King Jesus.
When David met Abigail, he was a fugitive hiding from Saul in the wilderness of Paran supporting his 600-man army as what today might be called a protection racket. Most landowners paid the tribute he demanded, but one, Nabal of Carmel.
1Sa 25:2 -3: There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.
Nabal was one of the richest men in the country. Their home was probably a pretentious place on a plateau near the larger town of Carmel (fruitful field). David’s Mighty Men protected both the shepherds and sheep of Nabal.
It was sheep-shearing season at the home of Abigail and Nabal. Many guests had gathered for the great feast. Abigail and her servants would have provided abundantly for her guests.
1Sa 25:5-9: David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. Say to him who lives in prosperity: ‘Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have! Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore, let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son, David.”
It was quite natural that David’s shepherds who had befriended Nabal’s man, would be welcome at feasting time. But Nabal, drinking too heavily, cried out contemptuously when he heard of David’s request. “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
Nabal is a type of person who has no regard for God or man. He is here scorning David the son of Jesse of the genealogy of the Messiah, Christ Jesus. This honor, David, the son of Jesse, is repeated 125 times in 15 verses of the K.J.V.
1Sa 25:12-17: David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told David all those sayings. David said unto his men, “Every man gird on 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. 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. But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Therefore, know and consider what you will 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.
The servant was very brave to tell the wife of this wealthy man that his master was the son of Belial, one who is unteachable. Evil is charged and evil is determined against Nabal. He has touched God’s anointed.
But Satan will try to use this offense to destroy David by stirring his anger to kill an innocent man. Abigail steps in and spares David. There would be no stumbling-block or obstacle or offence of heart when David came to rule. He wouldn’t shed innocent blood (at least not this time) (25:31).
Wise woman that Abigail was, she lost no time. She knew that when a man of David’s stature was angered, he was not one to let such an affront go unpunished. She hastily prepared special foods for David’s six hundred men.
Her offering was:
1. 200 loaves of bread (Jesus and His Body).
2. Two skins of wine (Holy Spirit).
3. Five sheep ready dressed (The Lamb of God).
4. Five measures of parched corn (Word)
5. 100 clusters of raisins (Word).
6. 200 cakes of figs (fruitfulness).
Only a capable and affluent woman could have made ready so much food in such haste. Only a woman of good understanding could have left so quietly, without drawing attention to her actions. She knew the safety of their entire household was at stake.
As Abigail came down under the cover of the mountain, David and his men rode toward her. She heard David telling them of her husband’s ingratitude and of how he had returned to him evil for good. She overheard David say that by morning all that Nabal possessed and all the males in his household would be destroyed.
With courage and fearlessness, Abigail went straight to David. In all humility, she interceded for her husband and apologized for his bad actions. She admitted to David that Nabal was a base fellow and a fool.
1Sa 25:25 - Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom you sent. .
Abigail then prophesied to David. The Holy Scriptures do not identify her as a prophetess. Yet, she was used by the LORD to prophesy to David that he would one day be King: 1Sa 25:26-31: Therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, seeing the LORD has withheld you from coming to shed blood, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. And now this blessing which your handmaid has brought unto my lord, let it be given unto the young men that follow my lord. I pray you forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil has not been found in you all your days. Yet a man is risen to pursue you, and to seek your soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. It shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you ruler over Israel; This shall be no grief unto you, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that you have shed blood causeless, or that my lord has avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid.
Only an unquestioning faith in God could have dictated such a humble petition and bold Word of Faith. Abigail typifies woman in her noblest, purest character. her actions reveal she was a diplomat of the highest order. When she finished her mission, she did not loiter. She quickly mounted her donkey and returned to her home.
When Abigail arrived home, she found her husband still feasting and drinking. But, wisely, she did not tell him of her journey until morning. When Nabal learned from Abigail how near he had come to being slain by David as well as all the men, he became violently ill. Ten days later he died
1Sa 25:38-39: It came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, blessed be the LORD, that has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife
He sent his Mighty Men telling her that he wanted her to be his wife. She accepted David’s invitation for marriage.
Sa 25:41 - She arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon a donkey, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife
Abigail brought to David a rich estate and a new social position. David has now increased his wealth as one of the wealthiest men in Carmel. It would appear his marriage to Abigail was a turning point for him.
She dwelt with David at Gather and also went with him to Hebron and there she gave birth to their son. Little is recorded about Abigail, the mother or the wife. She was continually exposed to danger.
When the Amalekites captured Ziklag, she was taken captive but was rescued by David after he had defeated the enemy. David was later anointed King of Judah at Hebron and then later he was anointed King of Israel.
Patience and dependence on God are necessary for the fulfillment of God’s promises. Abigail brought David grace, dignity, position, wealth, humility, and patience.
David blessed her the day she first rode up to him on the donkey bearing her peace offering of provision.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent you this day to meet me; and blessed by your advice. (1 Samuel 25: 32-33).
At least three of David’s sons caused him sorrow and grief. There is no indication that Abigail’s son caused any trouble to the family.
I present this teaching to the LORD who owns it; and gave me the grace and blessing to teach it. I present this to all the beautiful women in my life who are wise and of “good understanding and beautiful appearance.”
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. and N.K.J.V. I entered into the labors of