WISE ABIGAIL

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) The special description "wise" is used for 12 significant people in the Bible. They can be helpful models in our own pursuit of wisdom.

b) Here is one of them.

1. The person: Abigail 

a) Their role: Wise wife

b) Text reference: 1 Samuel 25:2-3

i) 2 Now 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. 3 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. (1 Samuel 25:2-3 NKJV)

c) How they practiced wisdom

@1. Managed her household well in spite of a surly and mean husband.

2. What is the text all about?

a) Nabal rudely refused David's request to feed his 600 men. If we sympathize with Nabal, it is because customs are so different today. First, simple hospitality demanded that travelers - any number of them - be fed. Nabal was very rich and could have easily afforded to meet David's request. Second, David wasn't asking for a handout. He and his men had been protecting Nabal's work force, and part of Nabal's prosperity was due to David's vigilance.

b) David was in no mood to listen when he set out for Nabal's property. Nevertheless, he stopped to hear what Abigail had to say. If he had ignored her, he would have been guilty of taking vengeance into his own hands. David heeded to Abigail's advice and thus prevented him from taking vengenace into his own hands.

c) Because Nabal was drunk, Abigail waited until morning to tell him what she had done. Abigail knew that Nabal, in his drunkenness, may not have understood her or may have reacted foolishly.



The End ...

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