The King, A Fool, And His Wife

Q: What does the Bible say about the fear of God?

The Bible teaches that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). The fear of the Lord, as taught in Scripture, signifies a profound respect and reverence for God. It is the recognition of God's power, holiness, and authority over creation. In Psalm 111:10, we read, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do His commandments.' This indicates that true wisdom starts with acknowledging God, which leads to a proper understanding of our relationship with Him and ourselves. A wise person, recognizing the weight of God's authority, will bow in worship and live accordingly, while the fool disregards God's sovereignty and place in their lives.

Q: How do we know Jesus is the King according to the Bible?

Jesus is recognized as King in Psalm 2, where God declares, 'I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.' The Bible presents Jesus as King, a truth rooted in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament. In Psalm 2, God proclaims, 'I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion,' indicating His sovereign appointment. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is consistently referred to as King, exemplified by His lineage as the Son of David and His role in ushering in the Kingdom of God. His kingship is affirmed by His resurrection, where He is given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). This acceptance of Jesus as King requires acknowledgment of Him not just as a historical figure, but as the ruling sovereign over all creation.

Q: Why is understanding God's grace important for Christians?

Understanding God's grace is vital because it reminds us that salvation is a gift, not works, emphasizing our dependence on Christ. God's grace is foundational to the Christian faith, contrasting our natural inclination towards self-righteousness. The grace of God signifies His unmerited favor towards His people, a theme woven throughout Scripture. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, 'For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.' This highlights that our salvation is not something we achieve through deeds but is given freely by God's mercy. Emphasizing grace fosters humility in believers, encouraging reliance on Christ and a sincere acknowledgment of our need for His righteousness. In a world that often promotes self-sufficiency, grasping divine grace realigns our hearts to recognize that we are wholly dependent on God's love and mercy.

Q: What lessons can we learn from Abigail's actions in 1 Samuel 25?

Abigail's actions teach the importance of humility, quick action in seeking mercy, and recognizing authority. Abigail’s story provides profound lessons about wisdom, humility, and the pursuit of peace. In 1 Samuel 25, she learns of Nabal's foolish rejection of David's request and recognizes the potential danger it presents. Abigail acts swiftly, gathering provisions and approaching David with humility, falling at his feet. This powerful imagery illustrates the believer's approach to Christ: with reverence, acknowledgment of His authority, and a plea for mercy. Her actions exemplify the heart of a true believer who recognizes the King and is willing to take immediate action to reconcile. Furthermore, Abigail's understanding of her husband's folly highlights the wisdom that comes from knowing the truth about God’s king and the necessity to align oneself with His will. It encourages Christians today to act with urgency when it comes to matters of faith and to come before God in humility, seeking His grace.

Alright, go back with me to 1
Samuel 25. It has been about three years
since we've looked at this story, and we've looked at it a few
other times over the last 18 years. 18 years last month. A wonderful story. Most of you
know this, if there's someone in here who has not heard this,
I envy you hearing this for the first time. But for the others,
I pray you, pray that you will hear it as if it were the first
time. David is the king, Mabal is a fool, a fool that doesn't
know the king, and Abigail is the fool's wife, who does. know
the king. This is a beautiful picture story
of Christ, the king. And Nabal represents the unbeliever,
those who don't know Christ and don't care. And Abigail represents
every believer to whom the Lord has made known Christ. All right,
David is God's king. David and his men, he had 600
men at this time, as we saw. Quite a following. David and
his men. David was God's elect. There
was a usurper, you know, named Saul, but he was not God's king.
David always was God's king. And God has chosen a type of
the Lord Jesus Christ who is called by name, the son of David. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the
king of kings. In Psalm 2, it says, I have set
my king. on my holy hill of Zion. Christ
reigns over all the world. Though the world does not yet
acknowledge Him, they will. But God's people do. They acknowledge
Him as King, reigning and ruling. And a wise man, a truly wise
person, young or old, will fear the King and bow and believe
the King and call upon Him, only a fool. Only the fool would ignore
the King in whose hands his life is. All right, there's this fellow
named Nabal, verse 2. His name means fool. As his wife
said, so is he. Now he was, it says in verse
2, a great man, meaning men thought he was great. The world thought
he was great. Why? Because he had a bunch of
sheep. Now isn't that something? That
doesn't make anybody great. Our Lord said, a man's life consisteth
not in the things which he possesseth. Scripture says, better is a little
with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better to be unknown by men and
known by God. Better to be considered a nobody
and a nothing by the world and be considered and called a saint.
By God, huh? Oh, no. This man was not great
in God's eyes, but only in men. He was nothing. His name was
Nabal, which means fool. Why was he a fool? What made
him a fool? Because, number one, he had all
his possessions, all his eggs in one basket. His life did consist
in the things which he owned. That was his life. And he took
great pleasure and peace in those things. And he didn't fear the king.
Number two, the reason he was a fool, he didn't fear the king.
And as we all will see, what happens to fools like that? David
was his king, though he didn't know it, wasn't he? He didn't know him. The scripture
says the fool that said no God. Well, look at verse 3. He had
a wife. The name of the man was Nabal
and the name of his wife, Abigail. And it says she was a woman of
good understanding and of a beautiful countenance. The man, though,
he was churlish and evil in his doing. Churlish means you can't
approach him, can't tell him anything. Rich men are like that. Rich men are like that. But anyway, his wife was Abigail,
and it says she was a woman of good understanding. Now, she
was not always a woman of good understanding, or she would not
have married this man. Right? She married a fool, so
what does that make her? A fool. A fool. I thought about Eve in the garden,
though she was deceived, yet she was a rebel. She was a rebel,
a willful, self-willed rebel against God. And we do what we
want to do, don't we? We do what we want to do. And
this woman married this man. And now the reason why Abigail
has good understanding is this. She knows who God's king is.
That makes her a woman of good understanding. God had revealed
his king to her, evidently, hadn't it? Not Nabal. That makes her
one of God's elect, doesn't it? You have I chosen, God said in
Isaiah 43, that you might know and understand that I am he. This is a good understanding.
A good understanding have all they that fear him. Psalm 111
10 says. And it says she has a beautiful
countenance. As do all of God's people. I
bet she didn't before she. Before she knew the true king.
I thought about this and you think about. Look at the countenance
of the people of the world. Look into their faces. And then
look into the faces of God's people and tell me if you don't
see a difference. Tell me if you don't see in their faces
like the people saw in Moses' face when he came down, the reflected
glory of God. He didn't know his face shown,
but they did. And just as we see the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ,
we can look at God's people whom he has revealed Christ to and
in. And we see that same light on
their faces. Every now and then, I can see
it come on. And it's a wonderful thing. You
see, you see a face that's just, you know, no understanding and
almost morose and, you know, then all of a sudden, one day.
It's like life has entered, and that's precisely what's happened.
Well, she was a woman of good understanding and a beautiful
countenance. And one thing, let me, I don't
want to leave here yet. One thing that makes her of a
beautiful countenance and all of God's people beautiful of
countenance is humility. Shamefacedness and sobriety. That's what God's women have
and God's men. That's the beauty of holiness.
That's what it causes, isn't it? And the haughty looks of
vain women today, worldly women today, are going to be brought
No. God's determined it, God's purposed
it. And he hates that, he hates that. First and foremost of all
things, Proverbs 6, a proud look. Well, look at the king's word
sent to fools by his servants. Verses 4 and 5, David sent word
by ten young men to Nabal. Now, he didn't have to do this,
did he? He didn't have to send word,
he could have taken whatever he desired. He's king. And he could have just gone in
and taken it, but he sent a message through ten young men to this
fool. And God Almighty, Brother Roy,
has sent his men down through the ages. God Almighty has sent
his word. Great has been the company that
published it. A lot more than ten. But I can
name at least ten when I wrote them down. Moses, Joshua, Samuel. Well, these are good men. David,
Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah. Surely they'll hear these men.
These are good men. These aren't covetous men. These
aren't evil men, are they? These are not takers. These are givers. Jeremiah, Ezekiel. Daniel, what about the apostles? Good man, just like their Lord.
Our Lord said, I'll give you pastors after my own heart. They
won't be greedy dogs, merely barking dogs or sleeping dogs.
They're men after my own heart. And they have you at heart. And
what they do and what they all they do is preach the message
to you. And their wall under you. Their
watchman, look at that in verse five, it says, well, in verse. Sixteen, the young shepherds
said these men were a wall under us by night and day. God's men are faithful watchmen,
you need to listen to them if they're warning you about something.
Well, David sent out these young men in his name and all of This is how you know that both
Todd preached from this from John seven. He said that the
man come in his own name. You know he's not from God. But
that's who people receive it. They're fools that's why. And
they suffer fools gladly. But Christ said I send you men
in my name they come in my name and they seek my glory and that's
how you'll know. That's how you know for sure.
Well, verses six through eight, now the message was peace be
unto you when the Lord when the Lord made his announcement. Through
those angels on the on the mountain, remember that on the hill to
the shepherds, it was to the shepherd particularly, but it
was an announcement to the world, was it not peace on Earth? Peace
is here. The Lord Jesus Christ. Center
is only peace with God who's angry. He's angry. Well, peace
to you that live in prosperity. Verse seven, he said he sent
words through the word through these men of his. I've heard
you have shearers. Now, the shepherds that were
with us, we hurt them not. It was there all missing under
them all the while they were in Carmel. You know, God is his
tender mercy, Scripture says, are over all his works, aren't
they? He sends his rain on the just and the unjust. It's of the Lord's mercy, is
it? Whoever is not consumed, it's of the Lord's mercy, isn't
it? So what do we do? What is our
reasonable service? What is all men's reasonable
service? To give unto the Lord the glory. At the least the glory
do under his neck return a little bit unto him for the support
of his people especially his minister that's who they that's
who these. That's who David sent. For that man to support. It's
a reasonable start and God's people know that it is and I'd
like to do so not fool. Well, verse 9, they were sent
in David's name, where when David's young men came, they spake to
David, or to Nabal, according to all those words, in the name
of David, you see. They came in David's name. And
all they did was tell these shepherds, tell these men what David told
them to tell them. And that's it. And it says they
ceased, they rested, that was it. That was it. David said implicitly to these
men, he said, you go and this is what you tell them. And that's
what they told. No more no less. And they stopped. And maybe they saw it coming. Maybe I'm sure they did. I'm
sure they saw on the face of the fool. You can read it in
the fool's face. Can't you ever talk to a fool? You can see it
in his face. He's not listening to you. He's
waiting on you to finish so he can tell you a thing or two.
Right, haven't you? You've talked to many fools about
your God, and you've seen it in their countenance. They're
not interested in your king. And they saw it in his face,
but that's all they said. Isn't this a good lesson to us
about what to say to men? We're not to argue We're not
to keep casting pearls before swine. Go and say, thus saith
the Lord. This is what the word of the
Lord said. And rest. Cease. These men didn't beg these
shepherds. These men didn't try to bribe
these shepherds. Now, if you'll. These men didn't
make any promises worthy. Just give what's reasonable,
because the king has been taking care of you all this time, even
though you didn't know it. And isn't that what we tell men?
You don't go out and tell them how much God loves them. No,
no, no, no. What we say is your reasonable service to this God
in whose hands your breath is and all your way. God who's clothed
you, though you haven't known him. The God who's fed you, though
you haven't acknowledged him. The God who's had mercy upon
you, though you don't even care if he exists, has spared you
up to this day. Now, give him his due. Give him
his due. Well, here's the fool's reply.
Verse ten who is. I don't know your David. And who is the son of Jesse. Folks. I know that there are
more so-called Christians today than ever in the history of this
planet I know that. But I think there are fewer.
I really do. If you just stop, look and listen
very carefully and listen to the blasphemy that's on the tongues
of men and women and young people. They don't know God and they
don't know Christ. They really don't. They're not
interested in the true God and his true Christ, are they? They
don't need salvation because they're not sinners. They don't
need mercy because they're not guilty, right? They don't need
grace because they can get there themselves. Honestly, you know it's so, don't
you? Just take a careful look, a glancing look. Who is this
Son of God you're talking about? Nobody believes in Him. I sure
don't. Nabal doesn't believe David. He doesn't believe David's
his king, does he? Stay with me, okay? This message
has a climax and I didn't read it to you. Nabal doesn't believe David his
king, does he? Nabal hasn't acknowledged David
as his king, has he? Does that mean David can't be
king? Does David have to wait on Nabal to say that he's accepted
him as king? We'll see about that, won't we? None of these men said David
wants you to accept him as your personal king. Bull crap on that,
and I hope this goes out on sermon audio. Bull crap, bull crap. I wish I could say it like I
wanted to. Let me get just as crude as I can. Huh? Like David said, dancing before
the ark, I'll be yet more vile in this God dishonoring and Christ
dishonoring world. I don't care. Is God God because men let him
be God? That's blasphemy. Is Christ's
blood ineffectual because men won't make it so? That's blasphemy. Anybody that says that is not
of God and not a believer, and they're lost And they're on their
road to hell like this fool. Anybody says those things that
Christ didn't save his people, that God's not reigning and ruling,
the Holy Spirit can't have his way, is a fool and doesn't know
God. And they do err not knowing the
scriptures or the power of the God of the Bible. We're going
to see, we're going to see every knee will bow and every tongue
is going to confess. Yes, they are. Whether they like
it or not. Here's salvation, Roy. To like
it. And to start liking it now. God's going to make them bow.
Say it. And God in mercy and grace and
love to you, his people, has chosen you that you might know
him and cause you to willingly bow the knee to his son, to kiss
the son. Aren't we blessed? Didn't have
to. Didn't have to. We were fools,
weren't we? Sons of Adam, just like Nabal,
but God. Well, no, David's just a man.
He really is. He's just a man, but he's still
powerful, isn't he? How much more? David said, I'm
going to wipe everybody out. I'm going to wipe them out. Every
male of you. That's why he said that. You know, God, I thought
about this. I think about it all the time.
Bodily functions, things like that are nothing to God. Fleshly
beauty is nothing to God. God doesn't look at fleshly.
It's nothing. It's all alike. It's flesh. It's filthy, sinful
flesh. It doesn't matter how pretty
it looks on the outside. It's filthy, sinful flesh to God. It's all
like dung to God. You know that? Uh-huh. That's what Psalm 14 says. The
Lord looked down and said, altogether it becomes stinking. Uh-huh. The sun is not pure in his eyes. China is not. The moon, stars
are not fair. He charges his angels with Father.
That's the holy God of scriptures that men don't know. You know
him, though, don't you? Blessed are you, John Bar Davis. Flesh and blood didn't reveal
this God to you, but the Father which is in heaven. If you'll just admit what you
are. He smells a sweet smelling savor. Oh, my. How much more powerful
is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? David's going down
and going to wipe them out. Well, look at verse 11. And here's
Nabal's answer. He's a freewheeler, you see,
isn't he? He's a freewheeler. He says,
Shall I take my bread and my water And my place that I have
killed. For my share. And give them on
demand that I don't know where they come from. You want me to
take all that I have or part not all week. This man had a
thousand how many have a thousand. A thousand sheep and a thousand
goats. What was required of it? Not
even a hundred. Not even 10%. Shall I take just a portion that
he would have never missed any of it? Would you think the Lord
would have recompensed him? Do you think had he sent half
of his goods down? Do you think the Lord would have
recompensed him? Asked Job. Job had 10,000 when it was over. But he said, I've worked hard.
I got all this. Shall I take what's mine, what
I have earned and give it to somebody I don't know? I don't
know him. He knows you. I'm far off. Isn't that what Scripture says,
John? God says, I knew them not. But yet he says, I knew them
afar off. He knows all about them. David is observing him,
Nancy, the whole time. His men are down there. That's
what this whole story is about. David is observing. He's looking
down and says, look at there. whole valley full of sheep. He
could just take anything as his. He's king of Israel. This man's
on his land. Jeanette, this man's on his land.
The man thinks it's his, but it's not. Psalm 24 says, The
earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and the inhabitants
thereof. He could take it any time. The
Lord gave, the Lord take away. And David's looking down on his
land, which he's the sovereign of, governor over, and here's
this man who's a trespasser. And he could have just taken
it without sending this message. It's not his. Nothing we have,
folks, is ours. Nothing we have. What do we have
that we have not received? Now, if we received it, dare
we glory as if we had not? Well, this fool goes on and says,
I'm not going to do it. So David's young men, what did
they do? David's men are just like David.
You know what I'm saying? They're just like David. They're
not weak men. We're going to see in the next
chapter, you read it for Sunday, OK? Preparation for Sunday morning,
we're going to read the next chapter on a fellow named Abishai
with David. He killed Goliath's brother single-handedly. David has met several mighty
men with him. They were, remember what they
were like before they came to David? Down there in chapter
22? Distressed, discontented, poor,
and so forth. Remember that? Not anymore. They're
like David. They're rich. They're strong. They're content. And so on. But anyway, these men are like
David. And they don't ask this fool.
They don't plead with him one word. It's OK. OK. And they turn around and walk
off. And I bet you every one of them
are shaking their heads. Buddy, you don't know what you're doing. You don't know who you've just
Rejected. And. Remember what our Lord told
Paul, the apostle, and we have told it all the disciples, he
said, you go and you preach if they won't receive you, if the
house is worthy, you peace will be on that house. But if it's
not. Don't you dare beg them, don't you do anything, don't
you turn around, you shake the dust off your clothing. And you
come back. And I'll deal with them like
Sodom and Gomorrah. So they turned around, came back.
Got to hurry. Well, here's the king's command
concerning fools. What's a king going to do with
a fool? What should a king do with a fool like this? A king
who he spared. A fool whom the king has spared
and shown mercy to, been so good to. What's he going to do? dirt
on your sword. He tells his men who were once
men ambassadors of peace he said now. We're going to wipe them
out. See Captain this man represents
Jesus Christ. Christ is called the son of David.
The true Christ the scripture that most people don't know.
They call him, you've heard this term, having a gentle Jesus,
meek and mild. Haven't you? You've heard that many times.
They don't know him. He was meek and lowly. We see
Jesus, Scripture says, made a little lower than the angels. Why? For
the suffering of death. That's why. Unto God. He didn't
have to do that. He didn't have to die. He said,
no man taketh my life from me. He's still sober. Even hanging
on that cross, apparently helpless. He's still sober. He's still
controlling. He's still telling the soldier
that nailed the nails to nail them. So his hands are nailed, everything's
still in them. Right? It didn't change. Same
yesterday, today, and forever. He came the first time, he said,
I'm meek and lowly. Why? As a suffering substitute
before God. To be our substitute. To be killed
at the hands of men as an offering to God, a peace offering, a substitute
for God's people. And he paid that price. Scripture
said he was put in the grave. Three days later, oh, God wouldn't
allow his holy one to suffer corruption. Raised him out and
put him on a throne where he's seated right now. Now how is
he? Paul says, how is he now? Ha! Lifted up. Isaiah said, I saw him. His train
filled the temple. And even the angels covered their
faces before him. Men don't know Him today, do
they? They don't know Him. They're still talking about some
little Jesus, you know. He's not that way anymore. He
says, here's His orders right now. His orders are pending. Get on your sword! Isn't that
right? Isn't that right, Brother Sam?
I'm just telling you what God's Word says. He's got His sword
strapped. Isaiah 63 says He's coming down
and going to dye His garments red. the second time. Seriously, Nancy, isn't the fear
of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? Kiss the son, that's
what Psalm 2 says, I have set my king, kiss him lest he be
angry, and he perish from the way when his wrath is kindled. But here's a blessed woman, a fool's wife. She comes to the
king. Oh my, doesn't the scripture
say, blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causes to approach
unto thee. Blessed among women, blessed
among men, if you know who Christ is and you come to him asking
mercy and grace. Verses fourteen through seventeen,
the young man told Abigail, you see Juanita, you heard from a
young man or an old preacher or somebody, one day you heard
from a preacher of this great king who has been merciful and gracious,
watched over you and of his Christ. who made peace by the blood of
his cross for sinners. You heard this message from God's
preacher. And God in mercy broke your proud
heart and enlightened your darkness, gave you an understanding. You
were formerly a fool. You didn't know God, didn't know
Christ, didn't care. Right? Any other Abigails in
here? Mary? God, rich in mercy, for His great
love wherewith He loved you, chose you in Christ. Chose you. Brought you to Christ, asking
for mercy. So she came to David. It says
in verse 18, she made haste. Did you notice how many times
it said that? She made haste. This thing is urgent. When you
do find out, when you really find out who God is, who Christ
is, you won't wait for a convenient season. You'll run. You'll run. See, he that believeth
will make haste. That means you're in a hurry
to get to him. And then it also says he that believeth will not
make haste. Do you understand the difference?
It means you're not in a hurry to do anything or wait on the
Lord after he's spoken peace to you. And your strength is
to sit still then, but your salvation is to run to him. And that's
what she did. She's in a hurry. She doesn't know if David's going
to receive her, does she? Huh? Does she? She doesn't know if
David's going to spare her. He doesn't have to. So how does she come to him?
Verse 18, look at this. She took, in a hurry, she took
200 loaves, that is bread, wine, and killed and shed blood. Ready dress. Now you know you
we've looked at this. Nearly every way you can look
at this. And really Christ is all and in all of this. Abigail
represents Christ here. Budget who brought these things
to God for us and interceded for it. And she represents the
Holy Spirit, too. But right here, she represents
a sinner who comes by faith in Christ. What do we bring? Only
what God has provided. Bread, wine, Christ the Lamb,
faith in Him, ready dressed. That means it's all prepared.
Finished work of Christ. And look at this. Corn, raisins
and figs. What's that? Fruit. Bring forth
fruit and make for repentance. It wasn't just doctrine. Her
heart was prepared. She came to David with this blood,
with this bread and wine and fruit. And verse 20, she rolled
on that ass and came down and met David. And behold, he was
against her. That is in front of her. So what she did, verse 23, she
saw David. Again, she hasted. And she lighted
off the ass and she fell before David on her face and bowed herself
to the ground and fell at his feet. Fell at his feet. Whenever we
see the true Christ, the true King, that's how we'll approach
him. We're in a hurry to get to him, but we still fear him. And we bow at his feet. Not like
Judas. Don't kiss his cheek, but kiss
his feet. Like Mary. Like Abigail here,
bowed at his feet. I've told you about a young man
I've been corresponding with who's been hearing the gospel,
and at first he was a fool. He rejected it, hands down, thumbs
down. Hated it. Hated it. But apparently
God has broken his proud heart. It seems that way. I'm sure enjoying
listening to it. He's off at college. Writing
me back and every time he writes me about all he can say to me
is I'm not worthy. He said this in a letter today.
I'm not worthy to get within 10 feet of that church. Before he thought. Everybody
in here is wrong. And you are too. And now he says
I am unworthy. I'm all wrong. Everything about
me is wrong. My past is wrong. Well, I got good news for somebody
like that. Don't you? Good news. You don't run into
many like that. Well, you know, here's the point. David came out against her. If
David is against her, how would you like to have the
greatest king on earth against you? You ever had somebody against
you? It's bad. It's a tough thing, isn't it?
If God be against us, But now on the other hand. If God before. Who can be. Very. That's her hope so she
has that. She has nothing to do but to
fall before him and ask for mercy. I kind of think. That she heard
that he's merciful. If you just go to David. If you
just ask him. I've heard that he won't turn
anybody away. I believe she heard. I know she
did. If she heard of David, she heard that, didn't she? She not
only heard, Stephen, that David was the greatest king on earth,
because she went on to say, did you hear her testimony? She kept saying, you are going
to reign. You are going to rule. There's
no doubt about it. Even though somebody's against
you, it doesn't matter. The Lord's going to deal with
him and you're king. So, John, she was bound, she was bound
to have heard David's merciful and tender and gracious and kind
and loving and compassionate and will receive anybody that
come through God's name unto him. And so will our God. Anybody in Christ. Listen to
her plea, and this is our prayer, and I've got to hurry. Verse
twenty-three, she said, or verse twenty-four, upon me. Lord, I
am to blame. And this is Christ, isn't it,
who took our sins upon himself? And this is the believer. We
don't cast the blame on someone else when we come to God and
repent, do we? No, I'm the man. David said, against thee, and
thee only have I sinned. It's my fault. Verse 25, let
not my Lord, I pray thee, regard that fool that I'm married to.
Oh my, his name's Nabal and that's what he is. And verse 20 says,
My Lord, as the Lord liveth, as thy soul liveth, O my Lord, have mercy. My Lord, have
mercy. In the name of thy Lord, have
mercy. And this blessing, verse 27,
she said, Would you receive it? Let it be given to the young
men that follow my Lord. I pray thee, verse 28, forgive
me. The Lord will certainly make
you a sure house. And I'm not going to read all
this. You've already read it with me. She said the Lord's going
to take care of your enemies, and you're going to reign and
rule. And would you just, last line of verse 31, would you just
remember thine handmaid? When you come into your kingdom,
would you just remember me? Reckon he will. Do you reckon? I know he will. I know he will. And David granted her request,
but much more. Well, what did David do with
this? Well, look at verse 32. David said there, Blessed be
the Lord God that sent you to me. Why did you come to me for mercy?
Because God sent you. Why does anyone ask God for mercy?
God makes them to know their guilt. Why does anybody come
to Christ only as their mediator, their substitute, their intercessor,
their sin offering? Why? Because God told them there's
one way. And God said, I'll receive all
that come unto me by him. Just him. And God will spare you as the
Lord kept David from killing her. Well, what did he do to
this fool? Well, it says down in verse 36,
Abigail, when Abel was holding the feast, you know, he's rich
and increased with goods, has need of nothing. He's merry.
He's drunk. Looking forward to tomorrow where
he can count his sheep and his money. What a fool. This night is his soul required
of him. And God killed him. First thing
God did was turn his heart to stone. You read that with me,
Melanie, Abigail's mother? Don't you hope that little girl
is a true Abigail? First thing the Lord did to this
fool was harden his heart, didn't He? That's right. The Lord softens and the Lord
hardens. How's that? I withhold him this
heart-softening gospel. Well, look at Abigail's end. Look at the end of every sinner
that comes to God by Christ. Verse 39, When David heard that
Nabal was dead, and he called upon the Lord and
he sent his men to talk to Abigail. He sent his men down to talk
to Abigail and say, would you be interested? David sent us
and he's got a proposal of marriage. Would you be at all interested? Are you kidding? Would I? And the servants of David came
to her and they said, David sent us to thee. Now, the first thing
they said was, David, you may be his wife, if it so pleases
thee. And the next thing they said
was, he's come to get you. See, it's both. Aren't you glad
it's both, Kelly? That he saves us against our
will with our full consent. Makes us willing. Works in us
both the will and do of his good pleasure. Long ago, he said,
will you take this man? No, I will not. I'm not interested.
But God. Breaks that old proud heart and
causes you to see your ugliness and how you're unworthiness and
you don't deserve it. His mercy and his grace and his
loving kindness to you. And Christ said, now, will you
take this man as your? Yes, yes. A thousand times, yes. Well, he's come to get you. He's
coming to get you. Christ said, I go to prepare
a place for thee. If I go, I will come again and receive you unto
myself. To do what? Marry you. Now she
was formerly married to a fool. Now, the king of kings. How'd you like to be married
to David, ladies? You got one pretty close. Got
one liking. But my advice to all you young
ladies is you better wait around on David or you're a fool. They're
out there. Just wait on the Lord. We don't
know it sends you want to seek his face. It's anyone. Well, and she came to him verse
forty two and and five damsels with her. Those are those who
wait on the Church of Christ on God's people. His angels are
given. They're given charge over us.
And she went after the messengers of David and became his wife. And I just believe she lived
from that day forward happily ever after, don't you? I know
she did. Would you give me just two minutes? Would you go with
me to 2 Samuel? Real quickly. Real quickly. You
got to see this. See, David is not yet ascended
to his throne. It's not all over. It's going
to be. It's a sure ass. It's a sure ass. Whom have you
not seen, you love? Don't you? You believe he's reigning
and ruling, don't you? He says he's coming back. He is. It's
as good as done. It's going to wait just a few short chapters
and just a few chapters. We're going to ascend with him.
Look at Chapter two of Second Samuel, it says in verse. David
came and said, shall I go up to Judah? The Lord said, verse
one, go up, ascend. This is your rightful throne.
This is when David's coming into Judah. He's already king over
Israel or no, no, he's coming into Judah first and they're
going to crowning king and verse two. So David went up, he ascended
with his two wives and went up to Jezreelitus and Abigail, Mabel's
wife. So he went up and he was seated
on his throne and all of Judah made him king or crowned him
king. He already was. And Abigail was
right by his side reigning with him. Now isn't that just wonderful?
Okay, stand with me and I'll dismiss it. Our God, we thank you for allowing us to hear this glorious
message of thy glorious grace and thy glorious Son. Son of
thy love, King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the mercy of God to guilty sinners, the intercessor, the mediator,
the go-between, the substitute, guilty sinners, our wisdom, the
wisdom of those who are fools. We thank you, Lord, for revealing
him to us and in us. And we await that great day when
you come to receive us unto yourself. And we say even so, come quickly,
Lord Jesus. Lord, reveal yourself to other
fools such as we were, children of wrath even as others. Reveal
yourself to others and we'll give you all the praise and honor
and glory. It's in Christ's name we met here this evening. Amen. Judith Smith. That is good. I don't know if I have my video.

The King, A Fool, And His Wife

What does the Bible say about the fear of God?

How do we know Jesus is the King according to the Bible?

Why is understanding God's grace important for Christians?

What lessons can we learn from Abigail's actions in 1 Samuel 25?

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The King, A Fool, And His Wife

What does the Bible say about the fear of God?

How do we know Jesus is the King according to the Bible?

Why is understanding God's grace important for Christians?

What lessons can we learn from Abigail's actions in 1 Samuel 25?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Mahan

Comments

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