Quality #2 Abigail Was Wise
In Hebrew culture, women were forbidden to give advice unless it was an emergency.
When Abigail realized that her entire household was going to be slaughtered, she wisely judged that this was definitely an emergency.
Immediately, she jumped into action.
She saw that her husbands unkind nature stood in the way of her survival.
Abigail was not about to die prematurely and unnecessarily.
Neither she nor her household deserved to suffer as a result of her husbands foolishness so she decided to solve the problem that threatened her life and livelihood.
We also see her wisdom in how she approached David.
She did not meet his fiery temper with more fire.
Instead, she disarmed him with soft, kind words. A soft answer really does turn away wrath.
How To Get Abigails Best Characteristics
So how do we get there? How do we grow in not only our self-control, but also our discernment? And how do we develop a faith thats courageous like Abigails?
These 3 qualities of Abigail are also ones that Jesus demonstrated in abundance when he lived on earth.
And we know that its Gods desire for his children to grow more and more like Jesus each day through the power of his Spirit in us.
In our own power, we may be able to muster up some of these essential qualities at least some of the time.
But its only as we lean into our relationship with Christ that we truly grow more like him .
This looks like spending as much time as we possibly can in his Word, determined to live it out in Gods power and strength .
It means spending time each day alone with God, worshipping and communing with him in prayer.
It looks like finding and staying committed to a church where we can worship and build other Christians up, even as they encourage us in the faith.
As we follow hard after Jesus, abiding and submitting to him, our discernment deepens. Our faith grows more and more courageous. And we develop self-control as strong as Abigails.
All of us will face hard times. And our friends and loved ones will face circumstances that make huge demands on us too.
The question is will you meet these circumstances in a way that makes them worse, or with words and actions that bring peace and a better outcome for yourself and your loved ones?
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Qualities Of Abigail In The Bible
Discover the Qualities of Abigail in the Bible as well as her interesting story. The Old Testament of the Bible tells us that Abigail was the wife of Nabal of Southern Judea, on whose death she became one of the first wives of David , and mother to his son Chileab. Also, the name Abigail was borne by Davids sister , who was the mother of Amasa, commander of the army of Absalom. We can read the story of Abigail, one of Davids wives in 1 Samuel 25. At the beginning of the story, we are made to understand that Abigail is the wife of a wealthy man named Nabal who was an inhabitant of a town referred to as Maon in the wilderness of Paran, an area close to the Sinai Peninsula. Abigail was an intelligent and beautiful woman .
Abigail saved her husband and his household, prevented David from doing something rash, and secured an unexpected future for herself. Today, the story of Abigail is one of the most interesting stories in the Bible for a good number of reasons. Nabal, her husband, is rather a bizarre character. For no good reason, Nabal refuses Davids request for food and shelter. Despite knowing of Davids benevolence to his shepherds, Nabal wickedly refuses to help David and his men as they tried hard to keep one step ahead of King Saul. Behold, Davids request was reasonable, but Nabal, who is portrayed as surly and mean , actually spits in the faces of Davids servants refusing to help them.
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Blessed Be Your Sensibleness
14. In what way did Abigail take the first step toward righting the wrong that Nabal had committed? What practical lesson might we learn from the contrast between Nabal and Abigail?
14 In a way, we have already seen Abigail take the first step toward righting this terrible wrong. Unlike her husband, Nabal, she proved willing to listen. As for bringing the matter to Nabal, the young servant said of him: He is too much of a good-for-nothing fellow to speak to him. * Tragically, Nabals view of his own importance rendered him unwilling to listen. Such arrogance is all too common even to this day. But the young man knew Abigail to be different, which is no doubt why he approached her with this problem.
Unlike Nabal, Abigail proved willing to listen
15, 16. How did Abigail show that she was like the capable wife described in the book of Proverbs? Why was Abigails course not a case of rebelling against her husbands rightful headship?
16 Does this mean that Abigail was rebelling against her husbands rightful headship? No keep in mind that Nabal had acted wickedly against an anointed servant of Jehovah, an action that could well result in death for many innocent members of Nabals household. If Abigail failed to act, might she become a sharer in her husbands guilt? In this case, she had to put submission to her God ahead of submission to her husband.
17, 18. How did Abigail approach David, what did she say, and what made her words effective?
Abigail Comes To The Rescue
Well, thank God for Abigail. Heres a situation where all of the men seem to have lost their heads.
Even David, who has guarded his integrity up to this point.
Then a servant tells Abigail the whole thing and warns her:
You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. Hes so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him! .
As an angry David and his 400 armed men approach her property, Abigail doesnt have time to spare.
Quickly, she gathers abundant provisions for David and his men and sends her servants ahead of her with her offering of peace.
Then, Abigail herself goes to meet him. Bowing low to the ground, she takes all the responsibility herself, offering a humble and gracious apology for her husbands foolish behavior.
She also respectfully communicates to the future King of Israel the wisdom in entrusting his cause to the Lord, instead of seeking revenge on her husband:
When the Lord has fulfilled for my Lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my Lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my Lord success, remember your servant .
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Lesson #3 It Is Possible To Thrive In Difficult Circumstances
Abigail maintained her winsome personality, sunny disposition, and caring heart although she was trapped in a terribly unhappy marriage.
Since she was such a beautiful woman physically, she clearly took the time to practice self-care.
That beauty was not maintained by accident for sure!
Im almost sure she nurtured her beautiful mind and heart by practicing her faith as well.
Her deep relationship with God was the only reason she knew exactly what to do in a time of fatal urgency.
Why Did David Marry Abigail
David married Abigail because she was beautiful and wise. He also appreciated her courage in standing up to her husband, Nabal.
Abigails willingness to help David and his men demonstrated her selflessness and compassion. These qualities made her an ideal wife for David, who would later become king of Israel. .
What Are The Characteristics Of Abigail In The Bible?
Here are 10 characteristics of Abigail in the Bible:
What Can We Learn From Abigail?
Abigail is an important figure in the Bible because she demonstrates many positive qualities, such as wisdom, beauty, and compassion.
Her story teaches us that it is always better to act with kindness and generosity, even in difficult situations.
We can also learn from her example of faith and obedience. Abigail shows us that it is possible to remain faithful to God, even when those around us are not.
Story Of Abigail In The Bible Summary
Abigail intervened, pleading with David to spare her husbands life. She then took food and water out to Davids men, showing them kindness.
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Abigail From The Bible
Abigail from the Bible, was the wife of, Nabal, a very wicked man, who thought only of himself. By her quick wisdom and generosity she not only saved her entire family from death, but was miraculously delivered from an evil husband, and given a Godly husband in his place.
Then David said to Abigail: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.
Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. Abigail from the Bible
1 Samuel 25:32-33 and 41-42
Abigail from the BibleBeautiful Wife
Abigail from the BibleNabal, Wicked Husband
The young men went to Nabal and spoke the words commanded by David, but Nabals response was quite rude. Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers? And give it to men when I do not know where they are from?
Abigail from the BibleDavid, a Man of War
Abigail from the BibleAbigail, a Wise Woman
Go on before me, she told her servants, I am coming right after you.
Quality #7 Abigail Was Patientand Loyal
Any wife living with a husband like Nabal would absolutely need some patience to survive such a miserable marriage.
Like Esther, who was married to one of the most impulsive men in the Bible, Abigail was long-suffering.
This is a fruit of the spirit. To be long-suffering means to patiently endure something for a long time.
After Abigail appeased David, she went back home only to see her husband merry and drunk.
She waited all night until day break to tell him what had transpired that day with David.
Its amazing how through all this, Abigail remained faithful to Nabal.
She did not try to divorce him or run away. Instead she accepted her current position but continued to believe God for deliverance.
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Quality #6 Abigail Was A Great Negotiator
As Abigail talked with David, she made both some logical points. She also appealed to his emotions.
She reminded him that he did not need to avenge Nabals insult and jeopardize his future as king.
Abigail is significant in the Bible because she is probably the only woman who talked a man out of red hot anger.
With her kind words, patient tone, sharp intelligence, and admirable common sense, Abigail melted Davids vengeful heart.
Abigail also used empathy.
She validated Davids feelings by expressing that she understood how he felt and that his anger was justified.
Abigail sided with David nicely and that helped to win him over quickly.
Abigail Is Married To A Wolf
The wolf is used biblically to represent evil. Nabal was most certainly a wolf and Abigail was married to this man. The text does not give us details about their married life, but we can pretty much surmise that her home life was not pleasant.
Women, in that culture, during that time, had few options. It is therefore likely that Abigail was given to this man in marriage for her own financial security and that of her familys. The marriage did not spring out of modern-day notions of romance and Abigail probably had little say in the decision.
And yet, that is the world that she lived in. She was legally attached to this man. The wolf wasnt an outside entity. The wolf lived at home. And now this wolf had placed her entire household in grave danger.
Modern Day Application: Who are the wolves in your life? Like Abigail, you may be living with one at home. But wolves can also be found in your place of work, in your kids school, and yes, even at church. If you live in an area where spreading the gospel is illegal, the government itself is the wolf. Know who and what they are so you can be wary of their devices.
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Abigails Knowledge Of David Made A Difference
The third life lesson to learn from Abigail is to be knowledgeable. There is no doubt that Abigail was knowledgeable. After all, The Bible explicitly described her as intelligent . Her knowledge stood out when she approached David.
Unlike her husband who arrogantly asked Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? , Abigail knew who David was. That knowledge enabled her to persuade David through statements like:
- The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lords battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live
- and When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself .
Because of her knowledge of who David was, she was able to say very specific things that mattered to him, ultimately causing him to cool down and change his mind.
Like Abigail, we too should become knowledgeable, as it can also help us solve our problems. The more we know, the more solutions we have to choose from when issues arise. The key is to learn as much as you can so you can be as prepared as you can for whatever comes.
Surely if Nabal knew what Abigail knew about David, he would have responded to the messengers who came in Davids name differently. Instead, that lack of knowledge got him into trouble.
What Has David Done To Deserve Payment
He and his men have refrained from attacking Nabals shepherds and flocks.
In other words, it is a protection racket, and Nabal is required to pay protection money. According to the Bible text the request is politely worded, but it is a threat nevertheless. Nabal refuses, pointing out that he has no obligation to feed bandits.
At this point David must stand his ground or lose face with his followers.
He orders four hundred of his men to gather up their arms and follow him down from the hills to attack Nabals house.
Cave in the Judean hills near Adullam, the area where David took refuge
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What The Scriptures Say
We are made to understand by the Scriptures that Abigails appeasement saves the day. Courageously, she embraces wisdom and intercedes for her husbands household. David later thanks Abigail for staying his hand and repents of his own foolish and rash decision to slaughter Nabals household . As a matter of fact, David sees Abigails coming to him as a blessing from God and he sends her home in peace . Meanwhile, Nabal, insensitive to his wrongdoing and the danger that he had dragged his household into, holds a kingly feast for himself and gets drunk . Abigail waits until the next morning for her husband to sober up, and then she tells him everything how David was on his way to destroy him and his household and how she herself interceded before David for mercy.
When Nabal heard all that his wife had done, he fell ill: His heart failed him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died . When David heard of this, he sent a message to Abigail asking her to become his wife, and Abigail responded affirmatively . The Scriptures invite us not to seek vengeance for ourselves. Rather, we should leave room for Gods wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge I will repay, says the Lord . Behold, this is exactly what happened in Abigails story. As David was prevented from taking revenge, the Lord God Almighty took care of the matter in due time.
Interesting Lesson from Nabal and David
Qualities Of Abigail Discernment
The Scriptures describe Abigail as discerning .
In the Bible, discernment means to know the difference between right and wrong. It means thinking biblically, like God desires.
Discernment also includes being able to see the true nature of something, or someone.
When someone is discerning like Abigail, they show wisdom and insight that go far beyond what can be seen and heard.
There are so many ways that Abigail demonstrated biblical discernment in this account.
For example, even though Nabal was her own husband, she didnt hesitate to admit that hed behaved badly towards David.
She knew better than to discuss anything with Nabal before she enacted her plan. She understood that she needed to take matters into her own hands. And quickly!
Abigail was also able to discern that Davids was a righteous man which made it sensible to appeal to his better side.
Discernment is a quality we desperately need when we face our own complicated and difficult life circumstances.
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