Abigail Sees with the Eyes of Faith

Abigail Sees with the Eyes of Faith

>>>>1Samuel 25:1-30<<<<

Please forgive your servant's offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD's battles. . . . Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies He will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling."  

1Sam. 25:28-29

 

The Bible calls David "a man after God's own heart" (1Sam. 13:14).  In his youth, he was a shepherd – chosen by God to become the king after His own heart.  When Samuel anointed David  the Spirit came upon him mightily (1Sam. 16:12-13); and when David stood against Goliath his heart for God was clearly seen in the words he spoke:

 

… who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God? …  David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted."  1Sam. 17:26, 45

 

As a young man, David understood God and God's heart for His people; in his older years, he sinned against God, repented, and then experienced God's grace mingled with the dire consequences of his sin. At the end of his life, David wrote the Psalm we know as the Shepherd's Psalm (Ps. 23).  David was the shepherd king – the king with a heart for God and for His flock.  He experienced the still waters and the restored soul; he knew guidance into the paths of righteousness as well as the dark valleys. When David spoke of the goodness and lovingkindness of the Lord, he spoke from firsthand experience. David's heart truly belonged to the Lord his whole life long.

 

As a shepherd, David had the heart of a protector; so when he was camped near the shepherds and flocks belonging to Nabal, he and his men kept them safe from predators and marauders. Remember, although David is the true king of Israel, in the section we are studying, he and the men who follow him are living as outcasts. In this story, David pictures Christ – the rightful king who is living a humble, lowly life in the world. He has some devoted allies, but his true position is not recognized. This is a picture of Christ as He was in the gospels: the rightful King (Messiah), humble in appearance, and rejected by His nation and the world.

 

Nabal embodies the world's attitude toward Christ – not only during the time He lived on earth, but even now as He sits at the right hand of His Father in heaven. Nabal's heart was focused on his position and possessions; he was blind to David's position and to his need.  He did not identify himself with David, who, according to Nabal, was merely a runaway upstart whose accomplishments had gone to his head. Nabal missed an opportunity to serve the future king and to share fellowship with him. Nabal is a picture of the world's blindness to the glory of Christ.

 

A descendant of Caleb, Nabal did not come from a pagan country, he was a son of the chosen nation.  He is like so many people we read about in the Gospel accounts; people who enjoyed what Jesus had to give but would not recognize Him as coming from God – nor would they yield to Him in any way.  Furthermore, Nabal pictures many today who claim to be Christians – individuals who are happy to believe they belong to God – yet live for themselves rather than for Christ. The god of this world will use social, intellectual, moral and religious props to make us comfortable in the world – comfortable enough to forget that we live in a world where Christ is rejected and dishonored. Christendom can be dressed up in a mega church, a high-ceilinged cathedral, a humble building or even in lofty ideals for a 'Christian country' – but if  Christ is not the center, and His glory not the goal, then you can call it whatever you want,  it has no connection to God.

 

Nabal was not interested in God's glory; he was satisfied with Saul, the king who did not fear God. In the eyes of Nabal, David was an escaped servant who didn't even deserve food and water.  On the other hand, Abigail saw David with the eyes of faith and would not even refer to Saul as the king. She says that David is being pursued by a 'someone' (not 'the king') and states that the Lord would appoint David ruler over Israel (vs 30).  Although Abigail enjoys the same prosperous surroundings as her husband, she doesn't let 'the world' blind her to the truth. She humbles herself in a way that honors David. Abigail is a wonderful type of the Church – the true Church that acknowledges Christ as the only true Sovereign.  When people meet God's Anointed face to face, their hearts are exposed – they will be exposed as a Nabal, who holds tight to the world, or an Abigail, who sees God's Anointed with the eyes of faith. In our next study, Abigail will show us what it cost to be associated with the Lord in such a way.

 

This Child [Christ] is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.    Luke 2:34-35