“Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the LORD your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! When the LORD has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the LORD has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!” [1 Samuel 25.29-31]
In this passage, Abigail prophesied to David both the death of her husband and her marriage to David. Here then is how it played out:
When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day. In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke, and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone. About ten days later, the LORD struck him, and he died. [1 Samuel 25.36-38]
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the LORD, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife. [1 Samuel 25.39]
How do we find Jesus in this story? (He IS there...)
In verse 39 above David gives us a clue: "Praise the LORD, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself."
"Doing it myself" is the pinnacle of idolatry. It is the epitome of "doing it my way" instead of God's way. Anywhere we find such idolatry is where we might find Jesus as God's antithesis, Who said:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
In this light, there is a third thing Abigail prophesied: "don’t let this be a blemish on your record." Had David taken matters into his own hands, it would have been an idolatrous act - an act of his own way, and not the indisputable, miraculous power of God.
Furthermore, the fact that Abigail mentioned stones shot from a sling served to remind David of the time he killed Goliath, not with his declared proven method of clubbing his enemy to death, but with a stone shot from a sling... i.e. God's way, not his own.
Father, I never imagined I would find Jesus in David's circumstance with Abigail. But there He is. May I be found intent to live life Your way - the Way of Jesus - and not my own (or anyone else's). May I be found giving up my own way (the way of mankind), taking up my cross (the Way of Jesus), and following Him. So be it.
No comments:
Post a Comment