Abigail       

Dear Brethren,

What is the importance of the story about Abigail in 1 Samuel 25?  The Bible says that she was smart and beautiful, but she is not listed among the people of faith in Hebrews 11.  "She was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance." (1Samuel 25:3)  What did Abigail do to warrant almost an entire chapter be written about her?  Her name, Abigail, means, “my father rejoices," "my father's joy,"  or simply, "joy."

Abigail's husband was a drunken fool who died in his folly - struck down by God.  "It came to pass... that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died."  (1Samuel 25:38)  David, not yet a king, married Abigail soon thereafter.  But, that is not why she is famous, nor is that why so much of her story is recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

David made some serious mistakes, blunders and sins in his life.  Because of his sincere and deep repentance (Psalms 51), and because he was a man after God's own heart, David will have a most important position in the Kingdom of God.  However, when Abigail is introduced into David's life, he is about to make his biggest blunder of all.  Had David not been deterred from his wicked mission by the convincing argument and persuasive intervention of Abigail, David may have forfeited his prophesied destiny to be King of all Israel. 

Abigail knew of David's potential.  David had first been anointed by the prophet Samuel, only about 25 miles from her home in Carmel.  "The Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons... Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward."  (1Samuel 16:1,10-13)

Because of Abigail's intervention, David eventually became King of Israel, who would never lack a descendent to sit on that throne. (Read "The United States and Britain in Prophecy")  Abigail, at great personal peril, literally put it all on the line to save David and his reputation.  Willingly, she laid her life down for him.  Jesus is the Savior, and Abigail gives us a perfect example of our responsibility to be co-saviors with Jesus Christ.  In this instance, she saved David from more trouble than he could handle.  She brought David to his senses, and convinced him to let go of his vengeance and rely on God.

How can we apply Abigail's example in our lives today?  She did not sit back and say to herself, "I'm not going to get involved.  I won't stick my nose into somebody else's business. I'll just put it in God's hands." No!  Abigail realized that we are to do God's bidding and get involved.  We are to take a stand - as Jesus took a stand.  We are to lay our lives down for others as Jesus laid His life down for us.  Abigail took the bull by the horns, and in doing so she changed the course, not only of history, but of all eternity.  Some four hundred years after the time period of Abigail and David, Jeremiah would prophesy these words of the Lord, "They shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them."  (Jeremiah 30:9)

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Sermon:  "Abigail"

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