Podcasts about Nabal

Tuesday August 19, 2025X Week After PentecostIn today's episode, we encounter wisdom, warning, and the unstoppable work of God. In 1 Samuel 25:1-22, David faces a test of temper when Nabal insults him—but God is about to use Abigail to speak wisdom into the moment. In Acts 14:1-18, Paul and Barnabas perform miracles that leave crowds confused, tempted to worship them instead of the living God. And in Mark 4:21-34, Jesus teaches through parables about lamps, seeds, and the Kingdom of God that grows in ways beyond our control.

“O rei sentiu-se atraído por Ester, mais do que por qualquer outra moça, de tal maneira que colocou na sua cabeça a coroa real e declarou-a rainha em lugar de Vasti.”( Et 2:17)Momentos de angústia extrema despertam reis para seus propósitos. Para que um governo maligno seja aplacado, mulheres de governo precisam gerar o livramento. Uma sentença de morte só tem poder para avançar se a autoridade de uma coroa falhar. Foi assim com Ester. Poder não significa autoridade. Sisera tinha o poder, mas Jael carregava a autoridade. Nabal tinha o poder, mas Abigail carregava a autoridade. No reino de Assuero, o decreto de Hamã tinha o poder, mas Ester prevaleceria em autoridade. Era um momento decisivo para Israel porque em questão de dias sua nação seria extinta. Mas quem caminha em autoridade não desiste da promessa, e quem sustenta a coroa não aborta o propósito. Ester se levantou, e pela intensidade do seu sacrifício, o rei liberou um novo decreto sobre seu destino. Quando a noiva sacrifica, o rei estende o cetro. Ester simboliza a igreja, uma rainha que quando desafiada pela morte precisa sacrificar por uma geração que carrega a promessa. Se Ester não se levanta uma descendência seria abortada, uma nação seria extinta e os frutos de uma nova geração nunca brotariam. Honre a coroa que o rei colocou sobre sua cabeça, e da sua autoridade faça um propósito para remissão de muitos destinos.

Mensagem: I Samuel 25 | Davi, Nabal e AbigailPregação: Pr. Ricardo MoreiraIgreja Batista SulAv. Dr. Paulo Japiassú Coelho, 170, Cascatinha - Juiz de Fora/MGTel.: (32) 3025-1415

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25. Pastor's teaching is on “Anger” today and a particular incident in David's life before he became king. David and his men were in a desert area and nearby a man named Nabal from Maon is at his property in Carmel for shearing his 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. David, having at one time protected Nabal's shepherds and flocks, sends 10 of his men to Nabal to greet Nabal speaking good health to him, his household and to all that was Nabal's. They recounted when David and his men protected Nabal's shepherds and flocks and then ask for Nabal's favor in sharing with them whatever Nabal thought was fair or appropriate. David's words were gracious, but Nabal a surly, mean man responds saying, “Who's this David? Why should I take my bread and water and meat and give any to his men who come from who knows where?” David's men report this rejection back to David who responds in anger with, “Strap on your swords.” He and 400 of his men head back Nabal. David has revenge in mind but then Abigail, Nabal's wife, hears how Nabal responded to David and she comes up with a plan to stop David's intended revenge. Abigail's chooses to act and her response is not only dramatic it is instructional.  Abigail's Response     ⁃    Clear thinking     ⁃    Decisive action     ⁃    Calculated risk Abigail packs bread, wine, meat, grain, raisin cakes, figs and loads it on donkeys and goes where David and his men were without telling her husband Nabal. She comes to an angry David and his men on their way to find Nabal. Abigail falls at David's feet. David has 400 men with him, his temper is on edge, and now this lady comes to him. Abigail asks David not to pay any attention to what Nabal had said. And she says, “let this gift your servant has brought to my Lord, be given to the men who follow you.” Then she asks for forgiveness and goes on to talk about all the Lord must have in store for David, that he is a man who has not sought revenge, but rather did things God's way. She proceeds with a curse for all who pursue David and a blessing of security in the Living Lord God for David. She ends with a request for David to remember her when the Lord fulfills His promises to him. She says he would not want to have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and then she closes with a request for him to remember her. Abigail's response was issued with grace and spirit-guided wisdom with an emphasis on the things of God and it changes David's heart in an instant. He responds, “Praise be to God who has sent you to meet me. May you be blessed for keeping me from bloodshed and from avenging myself.”  David is convicted. David is a man who has God's heart, and even when he has gone astray, he is willing to take correction.  Dealing with Anger     ⁃    Recognize the danger     ⁃    Practice self-control     ⁃    Deal with the cause     ⁃    Respond graciously Only the Lord God can give us the strength and resources to truly control our anger. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning, my name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. Grab a Bible and go to First Samuel, chapter 25. We are working our way through the book of First Samuel. We left off last week where David had the opportunity to murder Saul. Saul's been chasing David, trying to kill him. David finally has Saul right in his grasp in a cave and he does not kill him. He comes, cuts off a piece of his cloak, follows him out of the cave and says, see this? Do you notice that it used to belong to your cloak? Check out your cloak. I could have killed you and I didn't because I don't want to.Saul and David have this moment where Saul says, I'm wrong, I shouldn't be doing what I'm doing. There's a little bit of a peace. Then it says they head separate ways. We're picking up in chapter 25, and we're going to see this interaction with David and some other people, and we're going to see David actively pursuing sin and how God meets him in that, what happens, how David responds, and how these other people respond. Hopefully, we will learn along with David to appreciate correction.The verse says this:> Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him and buried him in his house at Ramah.Samuel has passed and his work as the last judge is over. He's the last judge of Israel. He has transitioned under the leadership of God and under the desire of the people to a monarch ruling the land. It hasn't gone well. We've seen how all that's worked out. The last we saw him, David had run to him to try to hide while Saul was chasing him. He is now passed, and it says all Israel gathered to mourn. I think it is likely that that included David and Saul, but if it excluded one of them, it was probably David. The way the text is written seems as if David was there.It also says that Samuel was buried in his house at Ramah, which makes me think people didn't keep living in that house. I don't know; maybe it became a site for the people of Israel, but the text doesn't give us much information about that.Continuing in verse 1, it says:> Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. And there was a man whose business was in Carmel.The man was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and a thousand goats. Take a moment and try to picture that. That's a lot of sheep and goats, a lot of people that have to tend to them. The man was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now, you may have a picture of what shearing sheep is like. You understand that it's removing the excess wool from a sheep. But culturally, when we just say he's shearing his sheep, I don't think we completely capture the festivity.This was festive. In order to shear 3,000 sheep, you need a lot of shearers. They gather, it's like a harvest. You've kept these sheep alive all winter; it's now about to get hot, and it's spring. They gather. It's celebratory. A bunch of people together. The wool means wealth—he can use it, he can sell it. People gather, eat, celebrate, shear sheep, and then eventually they have to spread back out because you can't have that many sheep in one place at one time.So they've been all over the place, gather, shear the sheep, have a festival for however long this takes, a bunch of people together, then spread back out. That's what's happening. Culturally, when they heard "sheep shearing," it's like us hearing it's Christmas time. It's festive in their mind with all it entails.He's shearing his sheep. Verse 3:> Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail.There's another cultural thing missed on us here: the word Nabal means fool or boorish; his name is "fool." If you spoke Hebrew, you'd catch that. Names mean things in their culture. Either it was a rough time in the life of his parents when he was born and they took it out on him, or he was born and his mom said, "You look a lot like your father; we're gonna name you Fool." Some family dynamics we don't want to get into. Or he has earned this name over time and just rolled with it.It'd be like if you introduced him as "my buddy Blockhead," and he'd say, "Sup?" You'd have guesses on what this dude's like. That's what's happening here: his name's Fool.Then it tells us where we are. The woman, Abigail, was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved. So he's earned it; he's lived up to it. At least he was a Calebite, meaning he comes from a prominent family inside the tribe of Judah. David is also in the tribe of Judah, so they would have considered each other kin, more especially kin than just being of the people of Israel.David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. So David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men:> Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. And thus you shall greet him:>> Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.>> I hear that you have shearers.>> Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel.>> Ask your young men, and they will tell you.>> Therefore, let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day.>> Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.David sends a ten-man delegation to say, "We hear you have shearers, which means it's a feast day. We've been with your shearers and shepherds. We've actually been part of the reason all your sheep are alive. If there's anything you could give us, that'd be great."This can sound a little extortionary to us: "I helped you out, you owe me." Maybe a little of that is there, but they're of the same tribe. This is a normal thing to be hospitable and to expect hospitality. So what David has helped him, he's saying, "I'm part of the reason why this has gone so well for you this year, and we'd like to participate in this feast."The next layer is that we're of the same tribe. They belong to each other. Another layer is you should just say yes to this anyway, no matter who shows up and asks because that's what the people of Israel are supposed to be like: hospitable and welcoming.Well above our cultural pressures to be hospitable and welcoming, this is a normal cultural thing that you would say yes to.It's a little bit like if someone says, "Hey, is there anything you could do? It would be really helpful. You know it is Christmas." Saying "It's Christmas" adds this "You should" kind of thing to it. But they should say yes all the time. At sheep shearing time, it's more festive and more hospitable; there are all kinds of layers to why Nabal should say yes to this. It's expected, it's good, it's what he ought to do.Remember his name, right? Let's see how he acts.Verse 9:> When David's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David. And then they waited.And Nabal answered:> David's servants, who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to the men who come from nowhere, whom I do not know?That would be rude to us. It is wildly, excessively rude to them. You ever watch a Western? You know how there's a moment where one calls the other a liar, and everything gets tense? They stand up because you've called me a liar. Obviously, I have to shoot you now. That's the kind of thing happening.Or in the play Hamilton, they've seen multiple duels in writing letters back and forth. You can tell these are fighting words, working toward a duel. Culturally, we don't have that anymore. We don't do duels anymore; that's probably good for us.Every once in a while you meet someone and think, "I wish someone had hit them upside the head," but in general, culturally it's good that we turn the other cheek, that we're calmer, that we don't overreact or defend our honor in that way.But what Nabal has done is aggressively, intentionally disregarded, dishonored, picked a fight with David in pride. He said, "Who is David? Who's the son of Jesse? You come from no one; you are worth nothing." He says there are many people who have broken away from their masters and are roaming around the woods these days. You want me to feed all of them? Like, no.This is very aggressive.They go back to David. Let's see how David responds.Verse 12:> So David's young men turned away and came back and told him all this.David said to his men:> Every man, strap on his sword.Every man strapped on his sword; David also strapped on his sword. About 400 men went up after David, while 200 remained with the baggage.He leaves 200 and takes 400, saying, "Put your swords on. Let's go talk to Nabal ourselves."Verse 14:> But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. Yet the men were very good to us. We suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields. As long as we went with them, they were a wall to us both by night and by day. All the while we were with them, keeping the sheep."Now, therefore, know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house. He is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.There's a handful of things going on here. Somebody watches this interaction and says, somebody go tell Abigail, somebody get Ma—she'll handle this. That's the assumption.You can actually see the kind of respect and the position that she held in this household by the way they're responding. I don't know if your life has been like mine, but I've been wildly blessed by ladies like this who can handle things, who will sort stuff out, who, when something's going poorly, you say, "Yeah, go get them. Explain this to them. They'll step in, make this better, know what to do." That's the situation she's in: somebody goes to say, "Hey, real quick, Nabal was Nabling, and I need to talk to you about what just happened."They explain it to her.I also want to point out that they say, "You know what he's like. You can't talk to him. He is such a worthless man. No one can speak to him." I just want to tell you that you don't want that to ever be true for you. You don't want people to say, "Well, you know what it's like to talk to them? They don't listen. They're hard to talk to."You want to actively fight that in yourself. When someone says, "Hey, I need to talk to you about something," you want to go, "Okay, this is my chance. Lord, help me. Don't get defensive. Help me listen," because that's a bad spot to be in.They say he was very rude to them, and they've been great. David was great to us. It was great to be with David. We didn't worry about anything. As long as we were with them, there was nothing to worry about. They helped us; they protected us; they defended us.Not only should he probably not respond that way to anybody, but he certainly should be good to these guys because they've been very good to us. That's the situation they're saying to him.Verse 18:> Then Abigail made haste and took 200 loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared, and five seahs of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins and 200 cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.That's a lot of food just ready to go.She starts piling this on donkeys: 200 loaves, five sheep already prepared, 200 cakes of figs. He's very rich.We'll find out later it's not like she went and cleaned out buffets. They don't even notice this stuff is gone. Not only should he have said yes, he actually had the ability to say yes and not even notice it. So he's got all this ready to go at the moment. It's unnoticed.She puts it on donkeys.Verse 19:> She said to her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.As she rode on the donkey and came down under the cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her. She met them.David had said:> Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him. And he has returned me evil for good.>> God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.David's plan as he's traveling is, when we get there, we're going to kill every man. David says to himself that it was a huge waste of time that he defended his sheep.If you lived in a modest home backed up to somebody's massive acreage and could see all the wealth they had, and at some point their fence broke and their little yappy dog got out, you helped catch the dog and fixed the fence. Then later, you go around and say, "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any eggs?" and they say, "I can't be giving handouts to people who can't afford eggs." What does that look like? Charity? "Get off my lawn before I call the police."You might go back to your house and think, "I'm going to break their fence and steal their dog." Originally, you weren't doing it because you knew one day you were going to need something, but there might be something in you that goes, "That was a waste of time. This guy's such a jerk. He doesn't deserve any good thing I've ever done for him."You might just be losing it in your backyard.That's a little bit of what's happening with David here. He's responded violently and is saying to himself, everything that I did that was good was a waste of time. He's decided he's going to kill everybody.He gives an interesting curse—we've seen several curses in First Samuel. This is one of the better ones because of how he words it. Most curses we've seen have followed a pattern: "May the Lord do so and more also to me if I don't blank to them." But David says:> May the Lord do so and more also to my enemies if I don't kill all of them.A double outward-facing curse. It seems like a better way to word it. If I don't kill them, may the Lord kill them. He just puts it out that way; he doesn't bind himself in a curse.His plan is to go kill everybody.I want you to hear this clearly: David is wrong. Don't read your Bible and think this is one of the good guys. Not everything he does is good. The Lord is good, and what he does is good. You can see what he's doing and say that's good (Jesus is good). The Bible isn't about good people and bad people; it's about bad people and Jesus.You see Jesus at work; you can say, "This must be good," but you can't do that with anybody else.What David is about to do is wrong; he's going to defend his pride through massacre. Nobody talks to David like that; that's where he's at.But who just met him? Abigail.David's coming with 400 men, all with swords strapped on. They don't look pleasant; they're on their way to harm people. She comes to talk to them.What she's about to do is insanely courageous.You know how you have things you're afraid of? Meeting new people, large crowds, public speaking, facing down an army, possibly being murdered, conflict. She's about to do all those, and handle them extremely well.When you look at Proverbs 31, which talks about what a woman should look like—a wife should look like—Abigail is Proverbs 31 on display: using intelligence, ability, wisdom for the good of those around her.She could have avoided this situation. She knew something bad was coming. She could have left; it would have affected her household. But she was involved.She jumps right in the middle for Nabal's sake and for David's sake. She sees two foolish men. She actually knew that something bad was going to happen.As soon as she heard the situation, she said David's on the move. She was right. She said, "I don't think you can talk stuff to David like that without there being a lot of bad things that happen next."She's right.She's going to intercept David and Nabal, jump in the middle of them and this brokenness where pride, arrogance, anger are about to slam into each other.Suddenly there's Abigail on a donkey, about to give the largest speech of any woman in the Old Testament. She's going to share wisdom, clarity, humility, faith.This is what she says.Verse 23:> When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground.She begins with a very humble posture. She shows up, bows to the ground. It does not tell us if she gets up. It's possible she continues speaking from that posture or maybe stands.Verse 24:> She fell at his feet and said,>> On me alone, my lord, be the guilt.>> Please let your servant speak in your ears and hear the words of your servant.>> Let not, my lord, regard this worthless fellow Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him.Quick pause: I don't believe this gives wives license to speak however they want about their husbands, even their foolish husbands. Which I know is a follow-up question.Put your hand down.But if you are negotiating good for his entire household and trying to save his life, I think the rules get looser than when you're at book club with your friends. She doesn't speak in a very honoring way of her husband. He has actively done dumb things. She is trying for the sake of their household to bring good.She's trying to bring blessing to him, even though he's acted like that.But this isn't how I think you're allowed to talk about them all the time.Even if she did, you still shouldn't.She starts off by saying we don't want Nabal representing her house. This is on me.Don't let him lead you into this. That's what she's saying.She continues:> But I, your servant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. Please forgive me. This is on me. If I had seen him, we wouldn't have this problem.Verse 26:> Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from blood guilt and from saving with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.She says it's so good the Lord restrained him from blood guilt. She assumes graciously and boldly that he's going to stop. The Lord has intercepted him to keep him from doing something foolish.She doesn't say "foolish," but it's baked in.The fool was about to create folly, and she's thankful the Lord helped stop it.Then:> May the Lord make all of your enemies like Nabal—not dead, but foolish. Let them act foolish, but don't let you act foolish.Verse 27:> And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your servant, for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.> If men rise up to pursue you and seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God, and the lives of your enemies shall he sling out as from the hollow of a sling.She's wise in words, uses sling metaphors for David. He gets it immediately.She brings blessing. She shows up in the middle of sin, takes guilt, and brings blessing.She brings physical blessing and then verbally blesses him. She says, “Take this gift,” and then she blesses David, his house, family, future.Verse 30:> When the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel...It seems known that David has been anointed and that he's going to be king; that has spread at least to the people in Judah.Verse 31:> My lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause, or for my lord working salvation for himself.> When the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.She says when she shows up, "I'm glad the Lord let me intercept you to keep you from blood guilt." She ends with, when he makes you king, you won't feel bad about this. You won't have pangs of conscience that you tried to save yourself or shed blood without cause.It's wise, clear, corrective, humble.Verse 32:> David said to Abigail,>> "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.>> Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you who have kept me this day from blood guilt and from working salvation with my own hand.>> For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left in Nabal so much as one male."David erupts in worship:Oh, thank the Lord! Blessed be the Lord! Blessed be your discretion! Blessed be you that you came because I was about to do something so foolish!Y'all, may we respond like David when we're corrected. May we love the people who correct us.Culturally, we celebrate, "I want my friends to match my energy." Like, if I'm amped up, I want you to get amped up with me.I saw a clip from a movie: a guy comes in, looks at his friend, says, "Hey, you can't ask me questions; I need you to come with me. We're going to hurt some people. We can never talk about this again." His friend looks at him and says, "Are you driving, or am I driving?"Culturally, we say, "Yay! Best friends! Secret murders!"That's what we want. We want friends who ride or die. We want you to hop in the car if I say, "Let's go."Reality is, no. You need some calm, patient, wet blanket friends. Some people who say, "Why aren't you mad?"You need people who have wisdom, discretion, who slow you down, love you enough to risk a relationship by correcting you.I'm not talking about argumentative, contrary people. I'm talking about people who love you enough to say, "Hey, we need to talk because what you're doing is unwise, unhelpful, foolish, sinful."We want to learn to be people who say, "Praise Jesus that you listened to the Spirit when I didn't! Thank you, Lord, that you sent them to be around me."You're doing things over your life that are unwise. You're doing things that aren't good. You're sinning.The last time you were corrected is maybe the last time someone showed you genuine love.If you go long seasons without correction, you need to begin to work on how you respond to correction and the type of people you surround yourself with.May we be people like Abigail who love people enough to say something. She jumped in the middle, could have left, but she was involved.Verse 35:> Then David received from her hand what she had brought him.>> He said to her, "Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice and granted your petition."Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house like the feast of a king.Nabal's heart was merry within him; he was very drunk.She told him nothing at all until morning.Verse 37:> In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things.>> His heart died within him, and he became as a stone.>> About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.She went and explained: you said this, I did this, I met David with 400 men coming to kill everybody, the gift I gave him.He locks up; something happens to his heart, his body. He dies ten days later.Verse 39:> When David heard that Nabal was dead,>> He said, "Blessed be the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal and kept back his servant from wrongdoing.>> The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head."This principle runs throughout Scripture: we aren't meant to get vengeance ourselves. We're to trust the Lord that He will respond, will care for us, and this is not to be taken into our hands.We are to say, "Lord, I will bear insult, trusting you'll bring about good."That's how David responds when he hears that: "Thank you, Lord, for letting his wickedness fall back on him and not on me.""For me not getting involved, me not doing wrongdoing, You kept me back from him."Verse 40:> Then David sent and spoke to Abigail to take her as his wife.When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her:> David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.She rose and bowed with her face to the ground, saying:> "Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."Abigail hurried, rose, mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her.She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.First of all, she has little notes: she has the largest lady entourage of anybody in Scripture.She's wealthy and well attended to. She humbly accepts this. She even responds, "I'll just be a servant." I think she knows she's going to get married, but she humbly says, "I'll be a servant." She's gracious.The story begins with David sending men to say, "Hey, Nabal, can we have some food from your feast?"It ends with him going and getting Nabal's wife.It's a wild story.One thing is when David's corrected by Abigail, he loves her for it; he responds.I want to read the last of this chapter before considering a few things:Verse 42:> So she became his wife.David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives.Saul had given Michal, his daughter, David's wife, to Palti, son of Laish, who was of Gallim.Personally, I wish that note was somewhere else, because it feels like you see this interesting little love story play out, and at the end they're getting married, but then there's another lady also, and you're like, "Wait, what?"Historically, men in power had multiple wives.We see David wrongfully, angrily respond to a thing. We see him begin to take multiple wives.He's not handling everything well.One of the things for kings is they wouldn't have too many wives. He's not even a king yet; he's just roaming the woods.He already has two and a half because we're not exactly sure what's going on with Michal. She's married to someone else but also married to him.We'll see how that plays out.That's the situation.Looking back, consider something beautiful in this text.Abigail rides in to intercept in the middle before things go wildly wrong.David loves her for it.He walks under the shadow of the mountain, ready to murder.He leaves praising the Lord.His heart is softened at her correction.Nabal is hardened at her correction. He turns to stone, and it kills him.We have softening and love, and death born out of the same action.This reality is how Jesus comes to us.He intercepts us in our sin.He comes to correct us, call us away from sin, stepping into situations He didn't have to but does because He loves us and wants to rescue and bring blessing.He steps in to take guilt on Himself, saying, "Let the guilt fall on me."All who hear this message will either, like David, soften and love Him or will harden and say, "Who does He think He is? Why do I have to worship Him? Why do I have to follow Him? What does He mean He died for my sin? What is sin? He made the rules. Why would I have to?"You will twist on it.There's a way to respond that brings life, blessing, joy, hope.There's a way that hardens you up.If you belong to Jesus, your heart ought to be very soft to Him and His correction.You ought to see with joy the love He shows when He corrects.You ought to be soft in correction to those around you who say, "I think you're wrong about this."You ought to say, "Thank you for loving me."Try to listen as best you can, understand what they're saying, sort it out, be patient.Praise the Lord for people who will correct you.None of us want to harden ourselves against Jesus or His people so we might work closer to death, locking ourselves into stone so we can't hear His voice or listen.Let's pray.God, may You in Your grace let us be soft and receptive.May we be receptive to Your Spirit when You call us to repentance.May we be receptive to the people in our church family and those around us who know us and love us and love You who correct us.May it be a delight to our soul as David was blessed and continued to bless Your name for turning him away from wrongdoing.Lord, may we love the people in our church and those close to us enough to correct them.I pray in Jesus' name and by Your Spirit's work, for those who have hardened themselves against Your calls to repentance, may You not let them do it.May You not let them harden their heart or turn to stone so they cannot hear Your voice or listen to Your people.May You intercept them by Your grace even now.May they hear and repent.We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.As a church, we are going to take communion together.I'd like to read from Luke chapter 22.This is Jesus on the night He was betrayed, at the last supper with His disciples.Luke 22:19 says:> And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,>> "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."When we take communion together, we take a loaf and remember that Jesus' body was broken for us.Our hope is not that we would suffer and die for ourselves, atone for our sin, but that He has.We share in one loaf, and when we do this together, we remind ourselves and each other that our one hope is Jesus and Jesus alone.And then likewise the cup:> "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."This hope is made sure because it is covenanted with us through the blood of Christ, sealed through His work.If you have trusted Christ, we take communion as a remembrance of this moment and the covenant made with us.We take it in hope of the day coming when all things are restored and made new, forgiven fully and made free.If you have not placed your faith in Jesus, this is not for you.We say Christ is for you. His offer of salvation is for you. Repentance is for you.But we ask you not to take communion until you understand fully what you're celebrating.For those who've placed faith in Jesus, take a moment, listen to the Spirit.If there's somewhere you need to repent, if there's someone you need to talk to, do that, then come joyfully.Remind your soul your sin has been paid for, and your hope is held sure because of Christ's work.If you have a gluten allergy, we have gluten-free back there.

Preparing for our upcoming Marriage Weekend we study two different couples in the Bible. Today, we examine the account of Nabal and Abigail, a couple that would appear to be absolutely opposite in every way. Yet, in today's narrative we discover that Abigail does three things that help us determine why the Bible describes her as intelligent and beautiful. 

A devotional study about the Bible principles for interpersonal relations between men and women -- especially husbands and wives.  This week, we will find some of these principles in the story of Abigail in 1 Samuel 25.1 Samuel 25:18-19 KJVThen Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. And she said unto her servants, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she told not her husband Nabal.Related Podcasts:— God's Perspective on Gender Roles— The Weaker Vessel— Having the Right Perspective— Slumbering and SleepingRelated Podcasts at TrueWisdom:— In the Beginning— A Woman of Action— The Bride of ChristText UsSupport the showSend questions or comments to: BibleQuestions@ASBzone.comThe Key Principles of Effective Bible Study is a resource which outlines core concepts shown in the Scriptures that will help you to better understand many Biblical themes and doctrines. We have a whole podcast series on these principles at BibleStudy.ASBzone.com/357512/8572886.God's Precious Word is a condensed, 9-part series based on the same resource. Check out these awesome Bible Maps! Lastly, we recommend that you check out https://TrueWisdom.buzzsprout.com for a related Bible Study podcast, in a different format, co-hosted with Robert Baker.We pray that all of these resources will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies.

Can your spouse tell you anything, without fear of defensiveness, dismissal, or drama? In episode 253 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra tackle a powerful questions every couple needs to ask: "Am I safe to speak to?" Using 1 Samuel 25:17 as a launching point, they explore what happens when pride replaces humility in marriage, and how it damages connection, trust, and communication. "One cannot speak to him..." That's how the Bible describes Nabal, a man so prideful and closed off that no one could reason with him. Could your spouse ever feel the same about you? You'll learn: How defensiveness shuts down emotional intimacy. What makes a marriage safe for honesty and feedback. The difference between listening and truly receiving. How to practice humility even when you think you're right. Why biblical leadership includes the ability to be corrected. If you want deeper connection and mutual respect in your marriage, this episode will help you turn the volume up on love, and down on pride. BONUS RESOURCE: Send an email to info@familymeeting.org for our "Am I Safe to Talk To?" Self-Check Guide. For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

Obrigado por acessar o meu Canal!Aqui você encontrará podcasts com informações sobre exegese bíblica que mudarão sua vida cristã.# Não clique aqui: https://bit.ly/383Dr57Ouça novos podcasts Exegese & Exposição, exegese on-demand para você, em seu agregador preferido ou no YouTube.Grupo EXCLUSIVO do Telegram, com muitos materiais para seus estudos exegéticos: Exegese & Exposição - Materiais## Quer publicar o seu livro evangélico?Conheça a incrível proposta da Editora Contextualizar: http://www.contextualizar.com.br/PARTICIPE! Faça comentários relevantes ao tema ou sugira outras passagens bíblicas para exegese e exposição.

God's Word for Today19 Jul, 2025Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,yet his folly will not depart from him.-Prov 27:22 ESV FOLLY IS A SERIOUS PROBLEMWho is a fool? In this context, foolishness and "stupidity" are not linked to intelligence, but to how one interacts with wisdom and common sense (Prov 8:5). It is a heart issue. Biblical wisdom starts with a proper understanding of God (Prov 1:7). When a person is spiritually foolish, it may take harsh consequences to open their minds (Prov 19:29; 22:15; 26:3). For others, no amount of pain and hardships can shake them. Modern English expressions echo the difficulty of dealing with them. Statements such as "you can't fix stupid," or, "ignorance can be cured, but stupidity is forever" are expressions of hopelessness in dealing with them. Solomon's comparison to crushing grain implies that "folly" stuck stubbornly in the heart of the fool. It's so ingrained that it cannot be removed.Nabal is an example. His name matched his attitudes and actions of folly. He refused to help David and his men when David was a fugitive and needed provisions, even when David's men had showen kindness to Nabal's shepherds. Although David's messengers greeted Nabal cordially, Nabal answered rudely and sent them away. Fortunately, Nabal's wife, Abigail, went to David and persuaded him not to take revenge on Nabal. She said, "as his name is, so is he. Nabal [fool] is his name, and folly is with him" (1 Sam 25:25). Judas Iscariot was also a fool. Despite being with Jesus throughout Jesus' ministry, he betrayed His teacher. He rejected all of Jesus' teachings and miracles and sold Him to His enemies. Judas died by his own hand without having repented of his evil (Acts 1:18–19).What lesson can we learn here. There is a process of hardening our hearts if sin is perpetrated in our hearts as stain is. We must confess and repent of our sin. As Heb 3:13 says, “ But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lPuuvKVODmgListen and FOLLOW us on our podcast Spotify: http://bit.ly/glccfil_spotify Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-applepcast Audible Podcast: http://bit.ly/glccfil-audibleFollow us on various media platforms: https://gospellightfilipino.contactin.bio#gospellightfilipino#godswordfortoday

This sermon from 1 Samuel 25 explores "Vengeance Intercepted," revealing how David's path to retaliation against Nabal was divinely rerouted. Discover the lessons on breaking cycles of revenge and embracing God's restraining grace to avoid future regrets.

1 SAMUEL 25

Chapter 13 of Heroes in the Bible: David with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by 1 Samuel 25. Abigail - David and his men find themselves nearly slaughtering the household of an arrogant man named Nabal. However, his beautiful and wise wife intercedes, and David finds himself drawn to her. Today's opening prayer is inspired by Galatians 1:10, For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app. Sign up for Heroes in the Bible devotionals at https://www.heroesinthebible.com/ Learn more about Dr. Tony Evans at https://tonyevans.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Samuel 25 verse1 records the death of Samuel. Samuel's death marked the end of the era of the judges, who collectively had ruled for 450 years: Acts 13 verse 20. Samuel had an incredible influence upon Israel during the transition from the judges to the monarchy. The chapter tells the story of David and Abigail. During these fugitive years David and his band of warriors had protected the shearers and shepherds of Nabal in the wilderness of Maon and had asked for nothing in return. David during these troubled years found himself in great need and he sent messengers to Nabal asking for food. Nabal was an exceptionally wealthy man who lived in the lush countryside of Carmel. The messengers respectfully told Nabal of what David's band had done for Nabal. Nabal's arrogance was seen as he spoke savagely to David's men. Nabal also derided David and sent the messengers away empty and angry. When David heard his messengers' words he determined to immediately exact revenge on arrogant and foolish Nabal. This would have happened had not Abigail - Nabal's wife - swiftly acted after hearing from Nabal's servants the shameful way that David's messengers had been treated. In her wisdom she gathered provisions and hoped to avert bloodshed by placating David's anger and reminding David that his God has always providentially provided for David. Abigail assured David that his Sovereign will bring him to the throne and David needs to refrain himself from avenging himself: Romans 12 verses 17-21. Slowly read these words aloud and ponder the lesson for the way faithful disciples must live. David agrees with Abigail to leave matters in the Almighty's hands. Abigail is praised by David for her wisdom and foresight. Nabal held a grand self indulgent feast fit for a king that night. In the morning Abigail tells Nabal that his folly nearly proved fatal - the Hebrew name "Nabal" means fool - that he almost lost his life due to his foolishness. When he heard this the LORD instantly struck Nabal, possibly with a massive stroke-like sickness.Ten days later Nabal died and David thanked Yahweh for dealing with that wicked man. It is highly likely that the parable of our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 12 veres 13-21 of the rich "fool" is based on the life of Nabal. Now read these verses in Luke 12 and the advice for how disciples must now live in the following verses 22-34 from the same chapter. David recognises what an asset Abigail, with her wise counsel, would be as his wife. So David invites her to join him in his life as a fugitive in the wilderness. Abigail chose to accept David's proposal and forsake the luxurious life that she might have been expected had she stayed as a wealthy widow. Of course this is conjecture; but it would seem that David was playing the part of the "goel", or redeemer, in preserving Abigail's heritage. The chapter in Samuel curiously ends by telling us of David taking another wife and of Saul giving David's wife, Michal, to another nobleman. Jeremiah 2 verses 1-3 speak of the first love that the fathers of Israel and are classic expressions that relate to the nation's redemption out of Egypt - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - had for Yahweh in their sojourns before the LORD brought them into the Promised Land. Verses 4-8 speak of the decline of the nation after leaving Israel until the time of Jeremiah. They had left the love and worship of the one true God and Israel had embraced self seeking and idolatry. Verses 9-13 reveal that Israel's behaviour was worse than that of the surrounding nations. And their actions show a failing in their thinking. They had laboured to hew from the rock cisterns that could not hold water. And far worse than that they had forsaken Yahweh their Sovereign who was a fountain of waters of life forever springing from their one true Rock. How reminiscent this was of the rock that provided Israel with water during their wilderness wanderings for almost 38 years. The lessons for today's disciples are outlined by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 verses 4-5 - read and consider. Verses 14-19 denounce Israel for failing to serve the Almighty and trusting in nations whose gods failed in saving those peoples. The super powers of the prophet's era - Egypt and Assyria - are those noted. In verses 20-25 the LORD declares what He has done for His people. Yet in spite of this Israel sought the baals and was like a wild donkey ready to mate. The nation Is denounced in verses 26-28 for the folly of embracing idols and claiming that those idols are her parents. Verses 29-32 call upon Israel to understand the LORD's chastening of her that she might once again turn to her Maker and Husband. Remember the glorious gifts with which her Sovereign had adorned her. Verses 33-37 speak of her scorn for her Omnipotent Creator. The nation had the blood of the innocent on her hands and this left God to proclaim she must suffer the discipline of being overthrown and left in her sufferings, to learn to seek their God. Matthew 13 is the greatest chapter of parables in all Scripture, containing in all seven parables. Four are centred on "seed" and the other three about understanding, valuing, and teaching others of, and encouraging them to seek and prepare themselves for the Kingdom of God. The parable of the Sower is said by our Lord to be the greatest of, and key to, all parables. The parable of the Sower, called by many the parable of the soils - for in each case the seed sown is identical; the characteristic of the soil is tested and determined on the basis of the individual response to the Word of God - and this parable, together with that of the 'tares', or weeds are the only two explained. That Jesus would use the parable as the foundation of his teaching method, and the reasons for this, were prophesied in Isaiah 6:9-10 and Psalm 78 verses 1-4. Matthew quotes both Isaiah 6 and Psalm 78; and tells us that the predicted response was forthcoming, verses 14-17 for the citation from Isaiah and verses 34-35 for the Psalm. All these parables were spoken in Galilee, by the sea; and they too invariably led to his rejection among his own folk at Nazareth. One of the high points of the chapter are the verses 45-46 where the disciple discovers that in understanding the gospel the pearl of immeasurable price has been found. What are we prepared to sacrifice for this great treasure? Hopefully everything!

This sermon unpacks the powerful account of David and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25. Abigail courageously intervenes in David's path of rage and revenge after an insult from the foolish Nabal. Drawing from his own testimony, Pastor Scott likens Abigail's intervention to a spiritual roadblock—much like the people who stepped into his life to rescue him from destruction. The message challenges listeners to recognize when others are on destructive paths and to be willing, like Abigail, to boldly and lovingly intervene. Her humility, wisdom, and bravery not only save lives but also redirect David back toward God's purposes. We're reminded that while not every intervention succeeds, some do—and they are worth it.

Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. David and Abigail Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.4David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6And thus you shall greet him: Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David. 9When David's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10And Nabal answered David's servants, Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where? 12So David's young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13And David said to his men, Every man strap on his sword! And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage. 14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him. 18Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs[a]of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19And she said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21Now David had said, Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him. 23When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground.24She fell at his feet and said, On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.28Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.29If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince[d] over Israel, 31my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant. 32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.35Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition. 36And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.37In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. 39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head. Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife.40When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife. 41And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife. 43David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. 44Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

Teacher: Adam Barnett "‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.'”  - 1 Samuel 25:7-8 David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.  – 1 Samuel 25:13   Unchecked anger leads to destructive choices (which could include permanent consequences). 32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.” 35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”  - 1 Samuel 25:32-35 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. – 1 Samuel 25:38 When conflict occurs, put down your sword and trust the Lord.  

Continuing our study through 1 Samuel, Pastor Doug Sauder takes us through 1 Samuel 25 where we find the story of David, a man named Nabal, and his wife Abigail. In this message, we go deep into the difference between being a wise person and a foolish person.

At every turn, it seems that Saul is hot on David's trail until, at long last, he unwittingly happens upon the cave where David is hiding. Saul doesn't realize, however, that David and his men are there. Saul ventures away from his troops and enters the cave to relieve himself. David takes advantage of this opportunity, but not in the way you might expect from someone who is being hunted down by the ruler of a kingdom. Later, David is snubbed by Nabal, a wealthy businessman, angering David greatly. As he approaches with his men to kill Nabal, Nabal's wife Abigail intervenes with a peace offering. When he learns of her charity the next morning, his heart gives out and he dies on the spot.1 Samuel 24 - 1:03 . 1 Samuel 25 - 5:46 . Psalm 91 - 16:47 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

1 Samuel - Samuel's death. Nabal and Abigail. Abigail intercedes. David marries Abigail. David again spares Saul.

In 1 Samuel, Abigail was a Godly woman who was married to a worthless man named Nabal, who intentionally offended future king David. Rather than letting David sin by killing Nabal, Abigail took wise steps to defuse the situation, protect lives and help David stay in God's will. This calls us to humble sacrifice, especially when we see the Lord's hand and plan. Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA3CAOqx2D8&t=4832s

In a world full of conflict, pride, and offense—what does it look like to extend grace when people least deserve it?This Mother's Day, Pastor David looks at the powerful story of Abigail in 1 Samuel 25. While her husband Nabal acted like a fool, Abigail showed courage, wisdom, and grace. She stepped in, took responsibility for what wasn't hers, and spoke life when death was on the horizon. Her actions saved lives—and changed hearts.Grace isn't passive—it's bold. It goes first. It absorbs offense. It chooses peace. And it calls out the best in others when they're at their worst.To learn more about Cross Points, check out our website:http://crosspointschurch.comTo stay up to date, check out our social media:Instagram: @crosspointskcFacebook: Cross Points ChurchYoutube: CrossPointsKCTwitter: @crosspointskc

Sunday, 11 May 2025   Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. Matthew 10:4    “Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, the ‘also having betrayed Him'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the list of the twelve named apostles continued with six names. The final two are mentioned next, beginning with, “Simon the Kananaios.”   The name Simon has been explained. The title that is given to him is Kananaios, sometimes translated as a Canaanite. At other times, it is translated as a Zealot or some other word indicating being zealous, like the word Patriot. The word is found only here and in Mark 3:18, again describing the same person. In Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13, the same person is described with the word zélótés, to be zealous.   The reason for all the variances is that there is a dispute about where the word is derived from. One supposed root is the Hebrew word qanna, which means jealous. It is a word used six times in Exodus and Deuteronomy when referring to the Lord, speaking of His jealous nature. Some apply this root to indicate a zealous nature for the Lord.   That would make sense based on Luke's use of zélótés as a comparable meaning word. However, it is questionable if a title given only to the Lord would later be applied to people. If it were, it would be as an honorific, saying something like, “He has the Lord's jealousy guiding his life.”   However, as noted, others translate the word as Canaanite. This seems to be less preferable because he would have been a Jew, but it could be that he associated himself with the land of Canaan as being the home territory of the Jews and wanted to restore it to Jewish control. However, another word group is used in Greek to indicate Canaan. Thus, this translation is rather unlikely.   Another option is the occasional translation of this word as a Cananaean. That would mean he was from Cana of Galilee. This is not improbable. As it is a transliteration, this rendering doesn't do any harm. It simply gives an Anglicized rendering of the Greek.   Leaving the Greek directly transliterated into English avoids a mistranslation, and so that is what has been done here. Next, it says, “and Judas Iscariot.”   The name Judas is derived from the Hebrew Yehudah, meaning Judah. Judah was the fourth son of Jacob, born to Leah as recorded in Genesis 29:35.  His name means Praise. The name in Greek includes Jude, the author of the book of Jude. It is also translated as Judah in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Each time, it is in Jesus' genealogy.   The title Iscariot is from the Greek Iskariótés. It is believed to be a transliteration from the Hebrew words ish, man, and qirya, city or town. Thus, he would be a man of the city or a man of Kerioth, a city in Israel noted four times in the Old Testament. If he were from Kerioth, he would be the only non-Galilean apostle because Kerioth was a city found in the territory of Judah. Of him, it next says, “the ‘also having betrayed Him.'”   He is introduced into Scripture with the sad epitaph attached to him. Later, using the word apóleia, meaning destruction, ruin, loss, etc., other than the antichrist, he is the only person called a son of perdition in Scripture –   “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” John 17:12   “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4   It is as if these two notorious men were born to be destroyed. Such is the nature of misusing one's freewill to work against the Lord.   Life application: The names of the apostles are recorded, some with descriptors to give further hints about their nature. From there, some of them will have various things said about them. Peter is recorded as having denied Jesus and been weak in his stand for proper doctrine, as recorded in Galatians 2.   Thomas is forever known as a doubter. He is used as an example of this quality today, such as, “Come on, man! Stop being a Doubting Thomas.” David is known as a man after God's heart. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Nabal the Carmelite is known as a fool.   We will all be remembered before others and before the Lord for how we conducted our lives. What is it that you want to be remembered for? “He was a faithful Christian.” “He was a loving father.” “He was one greedy dude.” Like the designation of these apostles, we are generally summed up with a very short thought when remembered by others. What few words do you expect people will remember you by?   Lord God, we are living our lives out before others and in Your presence. How will we be remembered when we are gone? Help us to consider this and to do our best to live our lives in a manner that will honor You and reflect the positive qualities of faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Amen.

In this Bible Story, Samuel passes away and David marries Abigail. David’s community of outcasts and vagabonds continued to grow and thrive under his leadership.This story is inspired by 1 Samuel 25. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 1 Samuel 25:39 from the King James Version.Episode 91: While David was in the wilderness near Carmel he met a group of sheep shearers belonging to a rich man named Nabal. David took care of the men and when it came time for them to return, he sent messengers to ask Nabal if he would give them food in return for taking care of his men. Nabal, however, was arrogant and cantankerous, refusing the men David sent, answering them harshly. Luckily, Nabal's wife Abigail intercepted and interceded on behalf of her husband, restraining David from killing Nabal in his wrath.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Samuel 30: 1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Sam 25-26; Ps 63; Matt Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter invites us on day 113 of our yearlong journey through the Bible. Together, we'll explore the dramatic story of David, Nabal, and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25-26, reflect on David's heartfelt prayer in Psalm 63, and witness powerful moments of healing, compassion, and forgiveness in Matthew chapter 9. As we read, Hunter encourages us to open our hearts to God's mercy, reminding us that Jesus responds to both our physical and spiritual needs—not with demands for sacrifice, but with an invitation to show mercy and receive his love. Stay tuned as we pray together, find strength for the day ahead, and remember that love showed up for you—because you are loved, no doubt about it. TODAY'S DEVOTION: There are needs everywhere. Jesus acknowledges these physical needs without excluding our spiritual needs, the needs of our soul and heart. He sees our need for forgiveness, healing from shame, and regrets. There, he has compassion. There, he reaches out. There, he heals, and there, he forgives. He says to the paralytic, "Be encouraged, my child. Your sins are forgiven." The same is true in our lives. He sees our physical needs, and he sees and responds to our spiritual need—our need for forgiveness, our need for wholeness and healing. He has come to show mercy. In Matthew 9:13, he says, "Now go and learn the meaning of this scripture: I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come not to call those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." He wants us to think about it, to consider the meaning of this scripture. Because so often, our thoughts automatically turn toward what we must do to earn favor with God. We ask ourselves, What must I sacrifice? How might I perform in order to be made right with him? But when our thinking goes there, we miss the point. Jesus tells us to think again— to go and learn the meaning of the scripture: "I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices." Your demonstration of mercy, your heart for others, is evidence that you understand the heart of God— that he has come to sacrifice himself on our behalf, to heal us. He's not looking for our religious sacrifices; he did what we could not. He brought healing, forgiveness, and hope. He came for the unrighteous, not for those who think they are righteous by the things that they do. God wants me to raise my eyes and see what he sees: the blind, the sick, the bleeding— all people needing his compassion and his life. When we see the way God sees, when we look with his eyes in his spirit, the same response wells up within our own hearts. We have compassion, and we go out and work in the fields alongside him. We participate with him. We are empowered by him. That is what God is up to here. He wants us to see what he sees, and he invites us to join him in the fields, working alongside him with his power, his strength, his joy. And that's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1==================================================== DEVOCIÓN MATUTINA PARA MUJERES 2025“AMANECER CON JESÚS”Narrado por: Sirley DelgadilloDesde: Bucaramanga, ColombiaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist Church===================|| www.drministries.org ||===================10 de AbrilMañana puede ser tarde«Si tienes poder para hacer el bien, no te niegues a hacérselo a quien lo necesite; no digas a tu prójimo: Vete, vuelve de nuevo, mañana te daré» (Proverbios 3: 27-28).Apenas se enteró de lo sucedido, Abi corrió a la cocina, presurosa, llamó a las muchachas que le ayudaban en su casa y amasaron bastante harina como para hacer doscientos panes. Mientras estos se cocían, llenó cinco botes de vino; otros de sus ayudantes ya tenían cociendo cinco borregos. Otros más corrieron a buscar cien racimos de uvas pasas y otros alimentos. Cuando todo estuvo listo, lo puso en asnos y fue a llevar la ayuda que anteriormente había sido solicitada a su marido y que este vilmente rechazó.«Por favor, da lo que tengas a mano a tus siervos y a tu hijo David», fue el mensaje entregado a Nabal, pero siendo despiadado y egoísta se negó. Ya sabemos el disgusto que causó en David y lo que iba a hacer a la casa de este hombre. Entonces aparece Abigaíl, una mujer que sobresale por sus virtudes y cuyo nombre significa «la alegría del Padre». Nabal negó la ayuda que estaba en sus manos dar y su destino fue la muerte. Por su parte, nuestra heroína dio lo mejor que tenía y su destino fue vivir en un palacio como esposa del rey.«Por cuanto brindaste tu ayuda a uno de mis hermanos más pequeños, fue como si lo hicieras a mí mismo», dirá Jesús en aquel día, y todos aquellos que lo hayan hecho gozosos, entrarán con el Rey al palacio celestial. Por otro lado, los que actuaron como Nabal, tendrán como fin la muerte eterna.Pasaban de las 12 de la noche y no habíamos podido acudir a un llamado para orar por un enfermo. Al desocuparnos, mi esposo me dijo: «¿Vamos ahorita o mañana?». Tomando en cuenta que debíamos recorrer una distancia considerable para llegar a brindar la ayuda espiritual, le respondí: «¿Y si muere el enfermo hoy?» Llegamos cerca de la una de la mañana, entramos y se alegraron de vernos. Solo cantamos y al término de la oración el hermano murió. En vez de llanto, había alegría en ese hogar porque estaban seguros de que el pastor había entregado a su familiar en las manos de Dios.Querida amiga, la buena noticia es que podemos ser Abigaíles y lograr que nuestras acciones hagan saltar de júbilo a nuestro Padre celestial. Él se goza cuando ayudamos a los que nos necesitan; mañana puede ser muy tarde. 

Abigail did not submit to her husband Nabal when he refused to help David and his men. This biblical story provides submission principles women can use to confidently say no to things that violate their consciences. #difficultrelationships #toxicrelationship #dysfunctionalrelationship #scripturalmisunderstandings   Website: https://www.changemyrelationship.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMyRelationship YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@changemyrelationship Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KBfuIJPna8Y

Send us a textThe rich tapestry of Scripture contains countless threads that, when carefully examined, reveal the consistent pattern of God's redemptive plan. In this thought-provoking exploration of 1 Samuel 25, we uncover how the story of David, Nabal, and Abigail serves as a powerful allegory for salvation, divine representation, and the gospel message.David, a man after God's own heart, sends messengers "in his name" to extend peace and blessing to Nabal—a foolish, churlish man whose very name means "fool." When these emissaries are rejected and insulted, David prepares for judgment, only to be intercepted by Abigail, Nabal's wise and discerning wife who recognizes the authority of the future king and intervenes with humility and wisdom.This narrative contains striking parallels to our spiritual journey. David represents Christ, sending messengers ahead of him just as God sends His representatives to extend the gospel of peace. Nabal embodies human foolishness and rebellion, rejecting divine authority and blessing through pride and self-sufficiency. Abigail demonstrates the humble posture of repentance necessary for reconciliation, serving as a mediator who prevents judgment through her intervention.As we examine this passage together, we discover a profound truth: "Everything in the Bible is about salvation. More importantly, everything in the Bible is about Christ." The gospel message doesn't begin in Matthew but weaves through every book of Scripture, revealing God's consistent character and redemptive purpose across generations.What ancient biblical stories have deepened your understanding of salvation? How might you, as an ambassador sent in the King's name, carry His message of peace to those who can't yet recognize His authority? Join us as we mine for gospel gold in unexpected places and find ourselves transformed by the timeless truths hidden in plain sight.Support the show

Send us a textDiscover the beautiful gospel typology hidden within the story of David, Nabal, and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25. This compelling analysis reveals how David's peace offerings to Nabal mirror Christ's extension of grace to a resistant world. When David sends ten messengers with words of blessing, he demonstrates extraordinary humility—much like our Savior who humbled himself to reach us.The parallels are striking: David's messengers speak only his exact words and then cease, teaching us how we should faithfully communicate Christ's message without embellishment. Nabal's dismissive response—"Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse?"—echoes the world's rejection of Jesus, reminiscent of the Pharisees questioning, "Isn't this just the carpenter's son?"What makes this study transformative is seeing how the Old Testament consistently foreshadows the gospel. As one participant noted, it's like searching for Christ in every passage and discovering He's been there all along—the treasure hidden in the field worth seeking.This episode provides practical wisdom for believers sharing their faith in a resistant world. We learn when to speak, when to move on, and how to represent our Master faithfully. David's immediate preparation for judgment after rejection illustrates a profound truth: if we reject God's peace, what remains but consequences?Whether you're a seasoned Bible student or new to studying Scripture, you'll gain fresh insights into God's character and our calling as His ambassadors. Looking for Christ in unexpected places transforms how we read the Bible and share His message with others. Listen now and join us in exploring how the entire Bible tells one unified story pointing to Jesus.Support the show

Send us a textThe divine ultimatum stands before every human being: peace with God or war against Him. In this thought-provoking Bible study on 1 Samuel 25, we unpack the rich gospel typology hidden within the story of David, Nabal, and Abigail.The name "Nabal" translates to "fool" or "senseless one" – a fitting description for this man who foolishly rejected David's reasonable request despite receiving protection from David's men. This rejection mirrors humanity's irrational response to God's grace, reflecting Paul's words that "the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing."Abigail emerges as the central Christ-figure, embodying redemption through her decisive action. Four times the text emphasizes that she "made haste" or "hurried" – illustrating the urgency with which we should respond to God's call. Standing between David's righteous anger and her foolish husband, Abigail intercedes with gifts and humility, seeking peace just as Christ mediates between God's justice and sinful humanity.The narrative reaches its powerful climax when Nabal dies and Abigail becomes David's wife – moving from union with foolishness to union with the future king. This transformation perfectly captures the gospel in one sentence: "God slays your Nabal and marries you to Christ."Our lively discussion explores multiple layers of spiritual significance, revealing how Scripture contains endless treasures for those willing to look beyond surface details. Participants share personal insights about finding Christ throughout the Old Testament and how these ancient stories directly apply to our relationship with God today.Whether you're new to Bible study or a seasoned student of Scripture, this exploration will deepen your understanding of how God reveals himself through every biblical narrative. Join us in discovering how these ancient words speak directly to our most pressing spiritual needs today.Support the show

We conclude our study of 1 Samuel 25 as a case study on peacemaking. We look at the second half of the chapter and we see how the story ends. In the process, we will get a masterclass of peacemaking from Abigail, a look at how a godly person handles correction in David, and a final call to consider how we can avoid ending up like Nabal.

What happens when wisdom stands in the path of destruction? In this episode, we uncover the powerful and often overlooked story of Abigail—a woman whose courage, discernment, and faith saved her entire household from disaster. While her husband Nabal feasted in ignorance, Abigail interceded and changed the course of history. But her story doesn't end there. Journey with us through a night of bold action, a morning of reckoning, and a divine outcome that reveals the justice of God and the favor He places on the faithful. This is more than a biblical account—it's a masterclass in grace under pressure.Support the showShabbat Shalom

In this episode of the Wisdom Calling Podcast, host Bobo delves into a captivating story from I Samuel that highlights the transformative power of discretion. As David finds himself on the brink of vengeance against the foolish Nabal, his wise and discerning wife, Abigail, steps in to prevent disaster. Join us as we explore how her humility and strategic thinking not only saved lives but also showcased the importance of wisdom in our daily decisions. Discover how you can cultivate discretion in your own life and work, and learn to navigate challenges with grace and insight. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that will inspire you to think critically and live strategically!Support the showYou can order the devotionals at https://amzn.to/4h8zFe6 or https://wisdomcalling.orgFollow us on Instagram: @wisdomcallingnow

Open Forum: Pastor Amos shared possible upgrades to CFE, including expanding its mission and reintroducing the God Ideal Lab as a paid sister incubator, while balancing change with CFE's original purpose. He also led a rich discussion on marriage dynamics, using the story of Abigail and Nabal to explore submission, authority, and the complexities of marital roles. Participants debated when it's appropriate for a wife to challenge her husband's decisions and emphasized the need for mutual respect and Christ-like love. The group also delved into fears surrounding love and marriage, highlighting the need to heal from past traumas and embrace selfless love. Throughout, members acknowledged that marriage is both beautiful and difficult, requiring deep commitment, patience, and God's guidance at its center. Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com                  

In this family worship lecture led by Sam, the focus is on the unique tradition of designating the fifth Sunday of each month with five Sundays as a special time for families to gather and worship together. This time not only emphasizes the inclusion of children in the worship experience but also serves to honor and appreciate the volunteers who dedicate their time to children's ministry. During this occasion, parents are encouraged to understand that their children are integral members of the church community, contributing to a culture of shared faith and learning.Sam delves into key biblical narratives from 1 Samuel, specifically chapters 24 to 26, discussing the escalating tension between Saul and David as Saul's jealousy drives him to threaten David's life. The lecture highlights the volatile dynamics of this relationship, depicting Saul as a powerful king resorting to personal vendetta against David, who is portrayed as a vulnerable figure constantly on the run. Children present are encouraged to empathize with David's plight, comparing his struggles to the feelings one might experience when being targeted by a bully at school.The narrative then shifts to a pivotal episode involving Nabal and his wife, Abigail. Sam recounts the mistaken decisions made by David in his anger when Nabal refuses to assist him during his time of need. This leads to a dramatic moment where Abigail, characterized as wise and brave, intervenes to prevent bloodshed. She approaches David with humility and wisdom, reminding him of his identity and purpose as God's anointed. This interaction underscores the importance of speaking truth into one another's lives, illuminating the theme of identity rooted in divine love.Moreover, Sam uses Abigail's intervention to underscore a central message: the reminder of our identity as God's beloved creation. He emphasizes that just as Abigail reframed David's understanding of himself, we too, as part of the faith community, must recognize our value and belonging in God's family. This highlights the deeper narrative of who we are in relation to the divine, emphasizing that we are beloved children of God.To enrich his message, Sam shares an illustrative story inspired by a classic tale involving a character named Stuart Little. He parallels the narrative of building a cherished boat with our own creation by God, expressing how we are lovingly crafted for a purpose. This illustration culminates in a powerful analogy where losing the boat represents our drift away from God and the redemptive journey of being bought back at a cost. The message resonates with the notion of being "twice loved" — created by God and redeemed through Christ — a central theme that reinforces the assurance of our worth and belonging in God's eyes.Sam concludes with a prayer, thanking God for the community that speaks truth into our lives, embodying the beauty of mutual support in faith as he encourages everyone to hold steadfast in their identities as beloved children of God. This lecture not only fosters a deeper understanding of Scripture but also nurtures a supportive community spirit within the church.

This is the story of David and his encounter with Nabal, the foolish and inhospitable husband of Abigail. Discover how to not be a fool and have a teachable heart like David. Pastor Nate Keeler shares "How to Not be a Fool" from 1 Samuel 25. Please sign our digital Connection Card Downloaded the Children's Bulletin. License: CSPL066641 Size D #church #David #Mercy

This chapter highlights the story of Nabal, Abigail and David.

Samuel's death brings about great mourning from all Israel. As Saul's pursuit of David has paused, David now journeys in the wilderness of Paran. When Nabal refuses to help David's men, David's hot anger almost brings him to wrongful personal revenge. The godly wisdom of Nabal's wife Abigail stays David's hand, and the LORD vindicates David against Nabal. Afterward, Abigail seeks refuge with David and becomes his wife.  Rev. Andrew Belt, pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Marshfield, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Samuel 25:1-44.  "A Kingdom Unlike All the Nations” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Samuel. This time in Israel's history has its highs and lows, but the LORD's faithfulness never wavers. He provides His Word to be proclaimed faithfully through prophets like Samuel and Nathan. Even as princes like Saul and David sit on an earthly throne, the LORD remains King over His people, even as He does now and forever through the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

I Samuel 30:1-5 (NIV) David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them but carried them off as they went on their way. When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel I Samuel 30:6-7 (NIV) David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, Own Your Spirit Pray for Guidance I Samuel 30:8 (NIV) …and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” Go Together I Samuel 30:9 (NIV) David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind. Expect Recovery  I Samuel 30:18 (NIV) David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…

David Vetter died at age twelve after spending his entire life in a bubble. Nicknamed “The Bubble Boy,” David was born with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). His parents had lost their first son to the disease and were determined to protect their second-born. To prolong his life, NASA engineers designed a plastic protection bubble as well as a spacesuit so his parents could hold David in the outside world. Oh, how we all long to protect those we love! King David was wronged by Nabal, the foolish husband of Abigail. In a rogue moment, David sought revenge by his own hands. Abigail rushed to meet him with a wise reminder, “Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God” (1 Samuel 25:29). The concept of “bundle” conveys the idea of gathering up valuable items so the owner can protectively carry them. Abigail reminded David that God wanted to carry him in a protective bundle. He was safest in God’s hands, rather than in his own. “My lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or having avenged himself” (v. 31). We do well to work to protect others when they need it, but it’s only in God’s perfect care that they’re truly safe.