Observations and Interpretations:
(1) Repay good with evil
David sent servants to Nabal with a reasonable request 25:7-8. Even the servants of Nabal thought that it was reasonable 25:14-16. The anger and vengeance of David was therefore reasonable because indeed Nabal had repaid good with evil.
(2) In the diplomatic plea of Abigail, she pointed out that even vengeance was reasonable, but not wise to do for David.
A. Vengeance belongs to the LORD
26b...it is the LORD who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands.
(NAC)"the LORD who has kept you from shedding blood"=applies...to Abigail’s intervention
Nabal had violated the Torah (cf. Lev 19:13; Deut 24:15) and wronged David. Nevertheless, the Torah reserved for the Lord alone the right to avenge wrong in this case (cf. Lev 19:18; Deut 24:15; 32:35).
B. Founding no evil in front of God was important as the servant of God
B. Founding no evil in front of God was important as the servant of God
28 Please forgive the sin of your servant, for the LORD will certainly establish a lasting dynasty for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD. May no evil be found in you all your days!
(NAC) To encourage David to choose the path of peace and forgiveness in this matter, Abigail brought before David a prophetic vision of his destiny. David should act magnanimously in the present situation because God has designed a majestic future for him—the Lord would “certainly make a lasting dynasty for” him. However, the Lord reserved this destiny only for one who “fights the LORD’S battles”; if David were to squander his resources by redressing petty wrongs, then “wrongdoing” (lit., “evil”; Hb. rāʿâ) would be accounted to him “as long as you live.”
Abigail encouraged David to put the recent events in perspective; David could tarnish or destroy God’s future plans for him if he acted foolishly in the present.
C. Your conscience would be overwhelmed by guilt
30 The LORD will do for my lord everything that he promised you, and he will make you a leader over Israel. 31 Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands.
Reflection: If you are David, are you willing to take the advice from Abigail? Do we have the wisdom to see things from God's perspective? Are we willing to submit to God and let Him take vengeance, not us.
Reflection: If you are David, are you willing to take the advice from Abigail? Do we have the wisdom to see things from God's perspective? Are we willing to submit to God and let Him take vengeance, not us.
Note, leaving vengeance to God does not require us to agree with our enemies. It does not mean we endorse all the foolishness or evil of our enemies, but we believe that God will take care of them. In other words, leaving vengeance to God requires our faith. Can we?
(3) God used the incident of Nabal to teach David how to react with Saul
(3) God used the incident of Nabal to teach David how to react with Saul
(EBC) vengeance belongs to him, as Abigail reminded David (25:26, 31) and as he himself acknowledged (25:32, 39). The last of David’s suggestions turned out to be a presentiment of Saul’s fate (cf. 31:1–6).
25:38 After about ten days the LORD struck Nabal down and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praised be the LORD who has vindicated me and avenged the insult that I suffered from Nabal! The LORD has kept his servant from doing evil, and he has repaid Nabal for his evil deeds.”26:10 David went on to say, “As the LORD lives, the LORD himself will strike him down. Either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away. 11 But may the LORD prevent me from extending my hand against the LORD’s chosen one!
God prevented David from killing innocent people and He Himself would avenge for David. Therefore, David believed that even though he did not kill Saul because it was a great sin to kill the LORD's chosen one (just like the sin of killing innocent people) Saul will die in the LORD's hands.
God prevented David from killing innocent people and He Himself would avenge for David. Therefore, David believed that even though he did not kill Saul because it was a great sin to kill the LORD's chosen one (just like the sin of killing innocent people) Saul will die in the LORD's hands.
Reflection: David learned to trust God to take vengeance. He then asked God to prevent him from killing Saul. Do we? Can we ask God to stop us when we try to vengeance in our own hands?
What past incident has taught you a lesson that you are confident that God will take care of your present situation? Can we trust God because of what He has done to us in the past?
Audrey
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