Abigail
Proverbs 15:1-5 King James Version
1. A
Soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2. The
tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out
foolishness.
3. The
eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
4. A
wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the
spirit.
5. A
fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is
prudent.
A Gentle Answer Quiets Anger but
Abrasive and Harsh Words Stirs up Anger.
I am going to be talking about
Abigail tomorrow on “A Morning Cup of Word” on live365.com/stations/thecrowngem 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM EST
When wise people speak knowledge,
they become attractive, the Bible lets us know that stupid people, you will find,
always spouts out nonsense that will bring forth irritating behavior that will
always cause problems. It is in Proverbs
chapter 15 that Solomon teaches us how to keep the peace, which is having
harmonious relations; free from disputes.
Solomon says it is by answering in soft words which will enable you to
plead your case better, when what you are seeking is being requested with
meekness and compassion. Fussing and
cussing never solves any thing.
“A soft answer- Gentleness will often disarm
the most furious, where positive disagreement has not taken place; one angry
words, will always beget another for the
disposition of ones spirit always begets
its own likeness in another; thus kindness produces kindness and rage produces
rage. Universal experience confirms this proverb.”
In other words, it takes two to
tango and it takes two to have an argument. We should always take a minute or
two to pray before we speak, especially when we are answering people who do not
know Jesus. Angry and furious words
bring in return angry and more furious words
Let look at more of what Proverb
15 has to say about our speech.
Proverb 15:7 King James Version.
7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but
the heart of the foolish doeth not so.
A mild and submissive, yielding
answer to a person who is angry or who blows up., in return turns away the
wrath; it prevents the argument from escalating. Here
is a good example of a wise person who is known for being not only very
intelligent, but was considered to be a good looking woman in appearance Abigail.
I Samuel 25:14-42 King James Version
Abigail was the wife of
Nabal. Some scholars believed this was
an arrange marriage. Abigail was known to be beautiful woman incontinence and
in formed. The Bible informs us in the opening of this chapter that the
prophet Samuel had just died and all of Israel had gathered themselves
together to celebrate his life and to mourn his death. However, the Bible also shows us that during
this time, David is force to go into the
wilderness of “Paran.” Why is he there? David is hiding from King Saul.
Now in order to really be able to
understand the story and why I am using this portion of scripture to teach you
why you should watch your speech, I will have to explain to you a little
something about Paran. The word “Paran”
means to tear, rend a garment. Paran was
located in the wilderness area south of Judea, west of Edom , and north of Sinai. I want you to know and understand that there
is a lot of history in this geographical area.
It is a place where Israel
had camped after leaving Sinai during the Exodus and had sent twelve spies to
explore the Promised Land from Kadesh which was located in Paran.
Numbers 10:11-12 King James Version
11. And it came to pass on the twentieth day of
the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the
tabernacle of the testimony.
12. And the children of Israel took their journeys out of
the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 13:3 King James Version
3. And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent
them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel .
Numbers 13:26 King James Version
26. And they went and came to Moses, and to
Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel , unto the wilderness of
Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the
congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
Chedorlaomer turned back his
military campaign at Padan (Genesis 14:5-7) Ishmael made his home there after
Abraham forced him and Hagar to leave (Genesis 21:21). King Hadad of Edom
eluded Joab by going through Paran to Egypt (I King 11:17-18). Mount
Paran appears to a poetic parallel to Mount Sinia
Now I really want you to
understand what makes Abagail so exceptional surpassing what is the common
reaction when facing a trial. I am always so amazed at people who come out
of the worst and greatest wicked environments
and worst situations; yet they have that gentle quite spirit that Galatians 5:
22-23 speaks about.
Galatians 22:22-23 King James Version
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is
no law.
Let me describe to you the place
Abigail lived at. Paran is a place where
there is no water. It was a dry land
with no or little rain, dry river beds arid.
What lived there were scorpions and serpents. You know planet earth is
the type of wilderness. You know water symbolizes the Holy Spirit and right now
people, all around the world are praying for the revival. They are praying that
the Holy Spirit will rain down on the earth and give life to the church. In the wilderness of Paran, people who live
there are faced with all types of predatory anthropoid’s animals. The inhabitants face animals that have
grasping legs and venomous stingers. This is a very dangerous place to
live. The wilderness of Paran is a scary
place that provokes fear and terror.
However, Paran is place where God’s glory will and does show up. This is the place where Abigail lived at I
want you to understand that in spite of her environment she still knew how to
talk to people.
Let look at some scriptures where
in spite of the environment or the situation God’s glory still shows up.
Habakkuk 3:1-4 King James Version
1. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was
afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the
years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
3. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran
4. And his brightness was as the light; he had
horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
Deuteronomy 5:24 King James Version
24. And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath
shewed us his glory and his
greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have
seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
Where are they at? They are in
the wilderness there at the place where there is no water and it is arid, dry. Venomous animals with stingers are all around. Yet God shows up with His Glory. So the question is this or the answer is
this, if you happen to be in an environment where there are venomous animals
all around you, maybe at your work place, or neighborhood, rest assure that
God’s glory will show up; rest assure that God will lead you out of that
wilderness into your promise land. In
fact you cannot get to your promised land unto you go through the
wilderness. You will find out that in
the wilderness the Lord will shine forth so just give those scorpions and
snakes a gentle answer.
Another thing I want you to
understand about Paran is that you won’t stay there forever you are just
passing through. It is just a journey,
an act of traveling from one place to another. Paran is your doorway to your
promotion. Therefore, why get upset with them why not just gives them a gentle
answer and take the sting out of the stinger.
When Abigail live in the
wilderness of Paran, she had no idea that she would end up becoming the bride
of a King. She was already married to a
man by the name of Nabal, who was from the town of Maon . The Bible lets us know that this was a
very wealthy man. He was rich, and
prosperous he was the owner of 3000 sheep and over 1000 goats. Abigail, who was
his wife at the time, and who was not looking for a husband, was married to
this ungrateful, self center and self absorb man. However Abigail was very beautiful and the
Bible lets us know that she was intelligent too.
Proverbs 15:1-5 King James Version
1. A
Soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
2. The
tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out
foolishness.
3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
beholding the evil and the good.
4. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but
perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
5. A fool despiseth his father's instruction:
but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
However Nabal was a man with the
venomous nature so he fit right at home in the wilderness with the rest of the
scorpions and serpents he had a lot in common with them.
Nabal one day, took his sheep to
be shared in Carmel
and David was there in the wilderness heard about it, so that it is sent ten
young men with orders to go find Nabal.
David approaches Nabal in the right manner however, Nabal response was
rude and venomous, and it was intended to strike deep ill will; deliberately
harmful and malicious.
I Samuel 25:4-6 King James Version
4. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal
did shear his sheep.
5. And David sent out ten young men, and David
said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel ,
and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
6. And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in
prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be
unto all that thou hast.
David is sending greetings to a
person that he thinks is his friend.
David speaks blessings over Nabal family. David
says I hear you are shearing your sheep; just wanted to let you know we have not
touched not one of your sheep, but have protect them. Nothing that did not belong to us was ever
taken. Were going to be in your area on
a feast day and all we are asking of you is if you can receive us kindly give
us what you can.
David men deliver the message to
Nabal in David name and Nabal said, “David?” “Who is he?” “I have never heard of him.” Now that was a
venomous strike. Then Nabal goes on to
say this. “The country is full of run away slaves nowadays.”
I Samuel 25:8-11 King James Version
8. Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee.
Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good
day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and
to thy son David.
9. And
when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words
in the name of David, and ceased.
10. And Nabal answered David's servants, and
said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a
days that break away every man from his master.
11. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and
my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know
not whence they be?
I am not going to take my bread
and water, and the animals I have
butchered for my sheepshearers, and give
them to men who come from I don’t know where.
David is tick off, and decides to
have all his men to buckle their swords and left with 400 men, leaving 200
hundred behind. However, it happen that
one of Nabal’s servants told Abigail that David had been insulted by her
husband Nabal and how David and his men had been good to her husband, by
protecting her husband and his property for him. They knew, without a shadow of a doubt that this
situation was going to be disastrous for Nabal and Abigail if something wasn’t
done to smooth things over. Abigail
thinks and reacts quickly and gathers 200 loaves of bread, two leather bags
full of wine. Five roast sheep, two
bushels of roasts grain, 100 bunches of
raisins and 200 cakes of dried figs and had them loaded on donkeys. Abigail was smart enough, not to say anything
to her husband about it she use what we call hush mouth grace.
Abigail riding on her donkey runs into
David. No sooner Abigail sees David; she
jumps off of her donkey and throws herself to the ground at David’s feet and
starts pleading for her life and saying
she was the one who was at fault. She
takes the blame for what her husband did and tells David, look “Nabal is a good
for nothing in fact, that’s what his name means, “good for nothing.” It is the
kind words of Abigail that’s saves a lot of people, including her husband, from
the sword of David. She even tells David,
“I know the Lord’s going to make you King of Israel.”
The Bible lets us know that after
Abigail begs for David’s forgiveness, she goes back home, but does not tell
Nabal what happen and what she gave to David and his men until the morning when
Nabal has sober up. Well all ends well,
Nabal has stroke and dies and David marries Abigail. Just think what would have
happen if Abigail had used harsh words against David and her husband. However Abigail ends up becoming the wife of
the King of Israel. J.
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