A Prayer Life Like David's?

Mercy and a wise Woman


 

Mercy and a wise Woman

1 Samuel 24

- Saul gets intel that David is hiding out in the Desert of En Gedi and once there Saul finds a cave and goes in to relieve himself. It just so happens that David and his men were hiding in that very cave (coincidentally) and David was given the opportunity to be rid of Saul. His men even went so far as to urge David to kill him because the LORD had delivered Saul into David’s hand.

- David decided to only cut a corner off of Saul’s robe, to show Saul he had the opportunity, but even in this plan David felt guilty afterwards because he had done such a thing to the LORD’s anointed. He forbid his men from attacking Saul and allowed him to leave unharmed.

- David goes on to tell Saul what has happened and how he spared his life and would not touch the LORD’s anointed. David tell Saul, may the LORD avenge the wrongs Saul has done to him, but he would not touch Saul.

- Next David quotes a proverb of the ancients, “Out of the wicked comes wickedness.” I Find it interesting that David is quoting from an ancient proverb for Saul’s benefit alone, although David has only Saul in mind here, but the LORD can and does speak through people. When David is done Saul has a change of heart, he wept, he admitted to all that were present that he knows David will be King and Israel will be established in his hands and makes David promise not to kill his descendants or leave him without a name in Israel. David agreed and they went their separate ways.

- A couple of things of note -  tears and clarity in the situation did not change Saul’s claim to the throne, he did not willingly step down for the good of everyone. I also believe there is more than one anointed being in view here to whom this proverb and example applies, but like Saul it was ignored, both the mercy and the words of correction.

1 Samuel 25

- Samuel dies and is buried and David moves to the Desert of Parna. 

- We are introduced to a relative of Caleb named Nabal, from Maoan whose business was in Carmel, but this man was nothing like Caleb, he was harsh and spoke evil to people.

- David asks some of his men to go to Nabal with a request and explain to him that his men have been watching over Nabal’s shepherds and sheep and providing protection and they themselves have take nothing of his and he can ask his servants and they would corroborate everything. Since it was a festive time he was asking for anything that Nabal could spare of water and provisions.

- Nabal sent them away empty handed after insulting them.

- David’s men returned and told him everything Nabal had said, then David said to his men get your swords and four hundred of them went with David back to Nabal’s place.

One of Nabal’s servants told Abigail everything that had happened between her husband and David’s men. The servant was afraid what would happen next and told her, “he is such a wicked man and no one can talk to him.”

- Abigail took some provisions for David and his men and intercepts him on the way.

- Abigail speaks well to David and from her conversation you can tell she has heard of David and knows who he is, unlike her husband. Note what she says in verse 29 but, the lives of your enemies he (the LORD) will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. She knows how David defeated Goliath.

- David praises GOD who sent Abigail to him, she is blessed with good judgment, he sends her home in peace.

- When Abigail returned home Nabal was having a feast and was drunk, so she waited until the next day when he was sober and then told him everything, his heart failed him, he became like a stone and then LORD struck him down about ten days later. (Romans 12:19)

- David can see GOD’s hands in all of the events that had transpired and after he had heard Nabal was dead he asked Abigail to marry him and she excepted. David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel and technically was still married to Michal Saul’s daughter, but Saul had already given her in marriage to someone else. Nothing is ever recorded of David ever asking GOD’s thoughts on marriage.  Deuteronomy 17:17 says of the Kings of Israel “He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.” No one, not even King Solomon thought to inquire of the LORD of how many is too many? Although I also realize too that through this period until the time of Jesus there is an elaborate shell game going on between the enemy and the coming seed of the woman that will crush the head of the serpent.

Last thoughts, David knew what a woman was and he thanked GOD for her. He recognized that GOD can use women in mighty ways. David respected her and called her blessed. So take a cue from David through this, (myself included) -

Men do better!   

Next – A Small Medium at Large 

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