Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20020602.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part XXX: Using God's Provision Of Associates Who Influence Us For Righteousness
(1 Samuel 25:1-42)
  1. Introduction
    1. Fellowship with godly associates is commanded of us in 2 Timothy 2:22, and that especially in light of the need to withdraw close fellowship with the ungodly or apostate, cf. 2 Timothy 2:16-18, 20-21.
    2. When God gives this kind of command, He always equips us with godly associates so we can heed it, and so we are responsible to associate with these godly influencers. David learned this in 1 Samuel 25:1-42:
  2. Using God's Provision Of Associates Who Influence Us For Righteousness, 1 Samuel 25:1-42.
    1. When Samuel who had been an influence for good in Israel died, David moved far out of Saul's circle of supremacy, traveling south to the desert of Maon to avoid his now unrestrained, evil foe, Saul, 25:1 NIV.
    2. But in Samuel's loss was also a loss of a godly influence for righteousness for David, cf. 1 Samuel 19:18.
    3. Accordingly, God provided another very influential supporter for David, and associate to influence him to heed the Lord as follows, 1 Samuel 25:2-38:
      1. In the desert of Maon, David's men were naturally in short supply of food, 1 Samuel 25:1.
      2. In this time of need, David recalled he had protected the rich man, Nabal and his herds in the area from harm, and so requested remuneration for his service in keeping with area custom, 1 Sam. 25:2-8.
      3. However, Nabal was a difficult, unfriendly person (25:3, 17b) so he replied David was but a runaway servant from Saul, and said he was not about to give a remuneration to David for his help, 25:9-11.
      4. When David received word from his messengers of Nabal's unjustified reply, he was infuriated at Nabal, and armed his men to take by force from Nabal what he was owed, 1 Samuel 25:12-13.
      5. Well, when news of David's advance was leaked to Nabal's wife, Abigail, by a concerned servant of Nabal who supported David's case, she realized David was about to attack not only her family and associates, but do so in an unbiblical way by taking vengeance for himself. Accordingly, she hurried to do what she could to influence David to cease his hostile intent, 1 Samuel 25:14-31:
        1. Abigail took seriously the servant's advice to do something in view of David's advance, 25:14-18a.
        2. She thus hurriedly took a large supply of quality food ready for eating, placed it on donkeys and sent servants with the goods on ahead to intercept David before he arrived to attack, 25:18b-19a.
        3. As her husband, Nabal was a troublemaker, she did not tell him about her effort to make peace with David as she knew in his drunken state he would only cause more trouble, 25:19b with 3, 17b, 36.
        4. When Abigail intercepted David, she wonderfully influenced him for righteousness: (a) Abigail sought to make a positive impression on David, using her natural beauty with David's needed provision gift of ready-to-consume quality food to meet him, 1 Sam. 25:3b, 18-19. (b) When she arrived, she respectfully bowed low, further winning a hearing with David, 1 Sam. 25:20-23. (c) At this point, Abigail fully acknowledged Nabal's folly, and humbly sought David's mercy on her household and family, 25:24-25. (d) Abigail also mentioned David would be sinning were he to avenge himself of Nabal's wrong, and urged him not to soil his record as the anointed of the Lord who was about to be Israel's king, 1 Samuel 25:26-29. (e) Finally, in faith that God would slay her wicked husband, Nabal for his wrong, making her a widow, Abigail requested David to consider her lot in the future to continue to protect her fatherless family as he had before, 1 Samuel 25:30-31, 15.
      6. David heeded Abigail's plea, and blessed her for influencing him from sinning by taking vengeance, and received her supply of food and returned peacefully to his abode, 1 Samuel 25:32-35.
      7. When Abigail informed her husband the next day of this narrow escape from David, he was so frightened he suffered a heart attack and died ten days later, 1 Samuel 25:36-38.
    4. David thus took advantage of God's provision of an influential supporter for righteousness in the widow, Abigail, who had asked for David's protection, and asked her for her hand in marriage, 25:39.
    5. Abigail enthusiastically hurried with her maidens to join David in marriage, 1 Samuel 25:40-42!
Lesson: Though Samuel, an influence for righteousness with David had passed away, GOD provided another edifying influence for righteousness in Abigail. Hence, David associated with her in marriage!

Application: God provides the righteous influencers we need, so we should associate with them!