Book of 1 Samuel chapter 25.
I highly encourage you to read this chapter for yourself to see how it ends!
King David and his troops move to a desert near the property of a very wealthy man, Nabal. Scripture tells us Nabal is "surly and mean in his dealings". We learn that he is rude, ungodly, a drunk, and most definitely disrespectful. He also has a wife, Abigail, who is "intelligent and beautiful".
The King and his men ask Nabal if he can show them favor and hospitality since it was a time of festival.
To summarize; Nabal does not care to show any honor or hospitality to the king, and this stirs up enough anger in David who tells his men to get their swords and kill the entire household for showing such evil and disgrace.
One of Nabal's servants comes to Abigail and says " “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. 16 Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. 17 Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”
Here we see why Abigail is known for her brains as well as her beauty.
Scripture tells us she acted quickly: "She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal".
Abigail fell at the feet of David and asked him to pardon the sin of her husband. (Nabal actually means "fool"). Her wisdom defused the ugly situation and her household was blessed.
She was willing to sacrifice her life for her household, and she held nothing back.
Though this flower was married to a fool, she still flourished.
Wait, but aren't we going to talk about how awful and nasty Nabal was? How there is so much scripture that describes and warns us of such foolishness?
We could, but it's pretty clear why the Word calls Nabal a fool.
Lets instead focus on the flower!
She flourished in wisdom and godliness, and she flourished in a life-or-death situation.
The name Abigail means " The Father rejoiced, father's joy, gives joy".
I think it's safe to say that Abigail thrived in life due to the JOY of the Lord.
Her life's circumstances did not cripple her -she flourished and brought joy to others.
Abigail can be such an example to us in our own chaos!
1. FEAR OF THE LORD
Abigail understood Nabal's level of disrespect toward David who was in authority and anointed by God.
She feared no man - not the king and his army, and not her husband. She feared God and knew it was her time to be brave.
Fear of the Lord = Wisdom (Abigail demonstrated this so well in all her words and actions)
2. WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER (Proverbs 31)
Brought only good to her husband (even though he was foolish!)
Worked with eager hands.
Sacrificed for her household.
Her works brought her praise.
3. PEACEMAKER
Abigail did everything in her power to make things right.
She asked for for forgiveness on Nabal’s behalf.
Her humility reversed the anger in David.
An ugly situation turned into a peaceful resolution.