#CHURCHTALK 24: Five more lessons from the David and Abigail lovestory

Lesson #6

Verse 37 has really got me thinking on multiple fronts:
a.   Nabal's remorse was perhaps not that of repentance, for he would have sought to either meet David or sent him a gift of appreciation or a peace offering. Perhaps his remorse was that of wanton self-pity, self-bemoaning, self-condemnation and hopelessness in the face of the stark reality of the consequences of his foolish and evil personality and action. God seems to have allowed him this affliction. Self-pity is an instrument of death. 

b.   Was there an unwillingness to repent? Or was it a case of a missed opportunity by Abigail to help him get through that point as she had helped David just a day before that? Was he destined not to get to that point? Or was his character the obstacle?

Well, in verse 17, his servant did tell Abigail that "a man cannot reason with him (Nabal)". So, maybe. But I'd like to think that Abigail may have missed a golden opportunity here, because he was in his grief for 10 long days. Did she try but failed? We are not told.

Ask yourself: What is the real cost of your character flaw to you as a person? How much is it costing you to keep being flawed? They say, "Pick your fights". I say, "Pick your flaws".

Lesson #7

I have a funny question: Did God kill Nabal to set Abigail free? What really happened? Or, was it simply that Nabal had become the greatest casualty of the evil seed that resided in himself?

As Jesus said, "the enemy cometh to steal, to kill, and to destroy". The enemy's aim with your flaws is not just to keep them in you, but rather to use them to finish you off eventually. The evil seed in Nabal had eventually destroyed him.

In Christ Jesus, we have received the new seeds of faith and righteousness. As the scripture says in Philippians 2:12, let us work out our salvation (bring it to full reality) with fear and trembling.

As Paul said to Philemon, "[And I pray] that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good [thing] that is ours in [our identification with] Christ Jesus [and unto His glory]".

Lesson #8

In verse 39, David found joy in God's vengeance, and immediately sought to take the 'spoils' also (Abigail). Lol...

What kind of man would not have fallen in love with Abigail immediately in such an encounter as David/Abigail had? I'm sure that I very likely would have. See her response to David's proposal in verse 42 and tell me you too wouldn't have.

The cause of David's offence with Nabal was a freewill donation or gift for likely unsolicited (but needed) services which David had rendered to him. And, the result of God's vengeance (i.e. David taking the spoil—Abigail) was not really wrong, for Abigail was now a free woman.

In dealing with people, logic is not always the best tool. Reason is. And this is what Nabal never learnt. And it cost him.

Have you learnt it?

Lesson #9

In verses 40-41, Abigail's disposition and humility when David's men came to propose marriage to her on his behalf is quite a huge challenge, and is certainly unprecedented and perhaps unparalleled in biblical history. Multiple thoughts come to my mind:
a.   She must have already felt in her heart a certain level of gratitude, honor and respect for David due to her previous encounter with him and for sparing her household.

b.   I think that she immediately doubts the full idea that she is being called to become a full-fledged wife to David, instead of a servant or perhaps a somewhat glorified mistress, hence her response in verse 41. Or, perhaps she already knew about Ahinoam.

Also, the fact that the son she bore for David was the second born may have of course been due to natural course of conception, but could also have something to do with the fact that in David's house, she may not have been the favorite of his two wives, and Ahinoam was, and thus had more access to David.

Or, also that Abigail continued in the second-class/servanthood/mistress hood disposition which she had come to be acquainted with while married to the then-late Nabal, and so tended more to taking care of David's house than of being with David.

What mode of life have you gotten used to which limits your performance in new horizons?

Lesson #10

Why David, after getting such a lovely woman as Abigail could have also IMMEDIATELY taken Ahinoam as wife too is beyond my comprehension right now. Perhaps he was not so much in love with Abigail as I may think? Or perhaps the polygamic tendencies in him were just too great? (And I think they were).

After this story, the only other mention of Abigail in scripture was that she bore David's second son, Chileab or Daniel.

Polygamic tendencies do not strengthen family ties. Let us be guided.


Chukwubuikem Paul Anunaso is a CNBC Africa opinion writer and civil/structural engineer in Lagos, Nigeria. He is also the editor of The Paul Anunaso Blog, and can be reached at anunaso.cp@gmail.com

The first part of this article can be read here. 
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