1BSamuel4

1. How MIGHT an army commander acted when he needed food?

2. How did David act in comparison?

3. What have we learnt about David and his men from this passage?

C. Comment:

Hospitality is a grace to be developed. Nabal certainly needed to develop it! David and his men were at a time when food was needed, especially to celebrate a festival and so they turn to the obvious man in the district who could help them, for two reasons. First, Nabal had plentiful supplies, he was rich. Second, they had been looking after Nabal's shepherds whenever they were near and so hopefully Nabal would be appreciative of that fact. So David sends some of his men with gracious words to speak to Nabal. There is a lesson here on gracious speaking.

It is then that we find a classic example of how not to win friends and influence people! Nabal, first of all, derides David as a runaway servant, and then dismisses David's request in a very high handed way. There is a lesson here on ungracious speaking!

David's response is somewhat understandable. We are not sure of his intentions but at the very least he is going to show Nabal that he is a man to be reckoned with. The response of Nabal's servants is also worth noting. They go to Abigail; she is obviously approachable and wise (see more tomorrow). Philip (John 12:21 ) was obviously such a person. Are we approachable and wise in this way?

D. Application:

1. Gracious speaking is an art to be learned.

2. Approachability comes with grace. Do we have it?

Chapter: 1 Sam 25

Passage: 1 Sam 25:18-35

A. Find Out:

1. What did Abigail take with her? v.18

2. What was David intending to do? v.22

3. What was Abigail's first means of approach? v.24

4. What did she ask? v.28a

5. What did she declare? v.28b-30

6. What else did she appeal against? v.28c,31

B. Think:

1. What was the strategy that Abigail used to stop David?

2. How may we translate that into today's terms?

C. Comment:

A careful consideration of Abigail's approach to David, who feels wronged, will bear much fruit!

First she comes to him and takes the blame for what has happened. Saying “It was my fault, I was wrong” frequently takes the sting out of an explosive situation.

Second, she declares her intention is in line with David's; she wants to see him blessed and triumphant over his enemies. When offended people see that we understand and want what they want, that again helps defuse the situation.

Third, she provides food, she provides a clear intent of her desire to bless David. Other people need to know that it is our desire to bless them.

Fourth, she asks his forgiveness. So far he has simply been on the receiving end of her good wishes, but now he is required to respond with grace. Requesting such an act of grace from others also helps cement peace.

Finally as a seal she gently points out that what he had intended to do by way of revenge for having being wronged, would have had no purpose but to put him in the wrong with God. To point out the wrong course to the other is perhaps the most difficult part. Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) especially when they might have been at least a part of the cause of upset. Being a peacemaker is a gift the church very much needs.

D. Application:

1. Am I able to say “It was my fault, I was wrong, please forgive me”?

2. Is my intention clearly for the good of the other person who I may have

inadvertently wronged? Can I convey that to them?

Chapter: 1 Sam 25

Passage: 1 Sam 25:36-44

A. Find Out:

1. Until when did Abigail wait to tell Nabal what had happened? v.37

2. Why did Nabal die? v.38

3. What does David say Nabal had done to him? v.39a

4. What does David say the Lord has stopped him doing? v.39b

5. What did David then do? v.39c

6. What was Abigail's response? v.41

B. Think:

1. David is the Lord's anointed. What is his understanding of how the Lord's

anointed should act towards others?

2. Jesus was the Christ (which means “anointed one”). How did he act in

the same way?

C. Comment:

Consider the three people in this passage. First, there is Abigail who wisely waits until Nabal is sober before telling him what she has done. Later she graciously consents to marry David. She is clearly a lady of wisdom and humility.

Second, there is Nabal who, as the Bible describes him, is a foolish man. Here we first see him full of pride at the banquet but then in the morning his pride comes crashing down and his feelings collapsed so that he became hard and cold towards Abigail. Some commentators believe he had a stroke and died ten days later. Whatever the truth, it was of the Lord's doing!

Finally, there is David who gratefully acknowledges that the Lord has upheld his name by dealing with Nabal, and in so doing has stopped David himself doing wrong. David sees that it would have been wrong for him to strike down Nabal in revenge for his harsh words, but it is something else for the Lord to do it in judgement. David's attitude towards those who wrong him is the same as he speaks about Saul (see 26:9-11) God will deal with him, not me!

D. Application:

1. Do we obey Jesus and follow his example in the same manner as David?

(See Matthew 5:44 & Luke 23:34 )

2. Are we able to take correction - unlike Nabal!

Chapter: 1 Sam 26

Passage: 1 Sam 26:1-12

A. Find Out:

1. How did David learn that Saul had definitely arrived? v.4

2. Instead of running what did David do? v.5

3. When they arrived what did he do? v.6,7

4. What did Abishai want to do? v.9

5. Why did David refuse? v.9,11

6. What did David say would happen? v.10

B. Think:

1. How is this occasion different from the previous one where David was

chased by Saul?

2. What was similar about this account to the previous one?

3. What is the lesson we should learn again from David's example?

C. Comment:

Yet again the Ziphites betray David to Saul but what happens after that has certain differences from the previous time when David was pursued. This time David is not cornered in a cave. This time when he hears that Saul is coming he actually goes to meet him. David's scouting and intelligence service was working well. He has become a good commando. They arrive in the night and David and one of his men creep down into the camp. Saul and his army seem so sure of themselves that they have left no guards on duty and so David gets right up to where Saul is sleeping. Abishai sees this as a golden opportunity to destroy Saul.

Again David declares Saul to be the Lord's anointed and refuses to touch him. This time however he explains why: he is quite happy to leave it to the Lord to remove Saul by whatever means He will. There is this powerful message coming from David: you must not raise your hand against the authority that God has raised up, even when it is now moving out of God's will. You MUST leave it to God to deal with it. How godless we sometimes are in the church when we don't like our leadership, church or national!

D. Application:

1. Unsure about your leadership? Pray, pray and pray!

2. 1 Timothy 2:1,2 & 1 Peter 2:13-15 are essential reading.

Chapter: 1 Sam 26

Passage: 1 Sam 26:13-25

A. Find Out:

1. Who does David rebuke? v.14

2. For what cause? v.15,16

3. What does David ask Saul? v.18

4. What two possibilities and solutions does David suggest? v.19

5. What does Saul acknowledge? v.21

6. What does Saul eventually declare? v.25

B. Think:

1. How was David acting and speaking righteously?

2. What effect did that have on Saul?

3. How particularly was the truth declared because of it?

C. Comment:

This is the last time David encounters Saul and in this encounter we see yet again David's righteous attitude towards him. David could have just walked away from this situation and escaped without Saul knowing that he was there, but instead he uses the opportunity to speak to Saul and confront the unrighteousness of his position, but in a very indirect way, as he chides Abner and reveals what he could have done because of Abner's carelessness. The result of him doing this is that Saul acknowledges the truth of the situation in a number of ways and departs.

There are several lessons here: first that peacemakers take the opportunity that is given to bring peace. Very often we shy away from difficult situations and simply hope they will clear up on their own. David took the opportunity to bring change. The second lesson is that when we do seek to speak righteously, it will not be attacking others, but seeking for their welfare. Third, righteousness on our behalf will be blessed by God and will result in the truth of the situation being revealed so that peace can come.

D. Application:

1. Do we fail to bring peace to situations by simply shying away from them

    instead of getting God's grace for them?

2. In facing situations are we righteous in thought, word and deed and look

     for the well-being of the other person?

RECAP - "On the Run (Pt.2)" - 1 Sam 25 - 26

SUMMARY :

In this fourth group of 5 studies we have seen :

- David's gracious request for help from Nabal

- Nabal's harsh refusal

- Abigail's wisdom in speaking to David

- Nabal's death and Abigail marrying David

- Saul pursuing David again

- David sparing Saul's life

- Saul leaving David alone

COMMENT :

Our contact with others can be critical. David graciously contacted Nabal. Nabal ungraciously responded. David got ready to retaliate but Abigail intervened and brought peace to David. Nabal nearly lost his life at David's hand and David nearly fell into wrong actions. It took a woman to save the two men!

Saul continued to be upset with David and sought his life. David in return spared Saul's life. Now that was better David! Power can be used to take life or spare life and the dividing line if sometimes very fine!

LESSONS?

1. It is best not to retaliate against foolish words!

2. Gracious words bring peace and harmony.

3. Leave God to deal with unrighteous unbelievers.

4. Badly behaved authority is still authority. Pray for it not criticise it.

5. Gracious words to enemies may turn away their wrath.

PRAY :

Thank the Lord for the example of Abigail and ask that you too may be a peacemaker with gracious words.

PART 5 : "Strange Circumstances"

In this next Part David's activity on the run gets even more bizarre. Watch for the reason that David left Israel and see the complicated consequences of that action and where they nearly led David. There are lessons to be learned here!