1 Samuel

1 Samuel 25: The LORD judges the proud

Begin in prayer

Before we meet proud Nabal and wise Abigail, and learn that the LORD judges the proud and keeps His servant from revenge, let us pray together. Ask Him to humble our hearts, and to show us Jesus.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You judge the proud and keep Your servants from revenge, and help us to be humble. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Samuel died, and David went down to the wilderness, where he sent young men to greet the rich Nabal in Carmel. Nabal answered with scorn, asking who David was, so David decided to attack with four hundred men. Abigail, Nabal’s wise wife, heard of it, and she hurried out with food to meet David. She fell at his feet, asked him to forgive her husband’s folly, and said the LORD had kept him from blood guilt. David blessed the LORD and thanked Abigail for keeping him from avenging himself. The LORD struck Nabal about ten days later, and he died, and David took Abigail as his wife.

As you read 1 Samuel 25, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD judges the proud, and He keeps His servant from taking revenge.

Samuel died, and David sent ten young men to Nabal, a great man, at his sheep shearing (verses 1 to 5). David's men had been a wall to Nabal's shepherds, yet Nabal answered with scorn (verses 10, 11 and 16). David put on his sword and set out with four hundred men to kill every male of Nabal's house (verses 13 and 22). Abigail met him with gifts of food, fell at his feet, and took the blame (verses 18 to 24). She told him the LORD had kept him from blood guilt and from avenging himself with his own hand (verse 26). David blessed the LORD who sent her, and about ten days later the LORD struck Nabal (verses 32 and 38). David said the LORD had pleaded his cause and kept him from evil (verse 39). Verse 43 says David also took Ahinoam, though God's plan from the beginning was one man and one wife (Genesis 2 verse 24). The LORD judges the proud, and He kept His servant from taking his own revenge.

How does 1 Samuel 25 show us that the LORD judges the proud, and keeps His servant from taking revenge?

Nabal is proud and scorns God’s servant.

Nabal had three thousand sheep, yet the text calls him surly and evil in his doings (verses 2 and 3). David's men had protected his shepherds, who said they were a wall to them night and day (verses 15 and 16). Nabal asked who David was and refused to give him anything (verses 10 and 11). One of his own young men called him such a worthless fellow that no one could speak to him (verse 17).

The LORD judges the proud.

Abigail told Nabal nothing until morning, because he held a feast and was drunk (verse 36). When the wine was gone, she told him, and his heart died within him and he became as a stone (verse 37). About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died (verse 38). David said the LORD had returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head (verse 39).

The LORD keeps His servant from taking revenge.

Abigail met David with food and fell at his feet, taking the blame (verses 18 to 24). She said the LORD had kept him from blood guilt and from avenging himself (verse 26). David blessed the LORD who sent her and thanked her for keeping him from blood guilt (verses 32 and 33). When men insulted Jesus, He did not insult back, and He trusted the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2 verse 23).

Memorise

Blessed is Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil.

1 Samuel 25:39

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I too proud to listen, and do I need Jesus to make me humble?

Abigail met David on the road and said, “Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand.” About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal.

Nabal's pride ended in judgment, and our pride deserves the same. Christ is the one Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2 verse 5). On the cross He took the death that the pride of His people deserved, and God raised Him from the dead. No one can add to His work.

Come down from your pride. Turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. He gives forgiveness to the humble who come to Him, and He lifts them up.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD judges the proud, and that Jesus stands between God and His people. Parents, you may want to explain verses 22, 34 and 43, where David takes a second wife, in your own words. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He judges the proud, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

Psalm 25:9

Father, You judge the proud and keep Your servants from revenge. Thank You that Jesus stands between You and His people. Make us humble, and help us to leave our hurts with You. Keep us under Your wings this week. Amen.