Introduction
It is said that the difference between knowledge and wisdom is that knowledge is being in possession of facts, truths or principles whilst wisdom is the ability to correctly apply knowledge in the given circumstances and at the right time. Living in a chaotic world that is becoming increasingly darker at an alarming rate, we will find ourselves needing to walk with true wisdom like never before. Everywhere we look, we are reminded that we not only ought to be women of knowledge – that is, women who know Almighty God through both the Living and written Word of God – but also women of wisdom – that is, women who walk wisely in the light of that knowledge.
As we consider how being a woman of good understanding was critical for Abigail in a time of crisis, may we recognise any promptings of the Holy Spirit to us concerning our own need for wisdom. That is, our never ceasing need for the Spirit of God through Yeshua the Messiah who is our wisdom from Almighty God our heavenly Father.
Overview on Abigail
There is not much information on Abigail’s life story but the snapshot we are given has rich benefits for us. Take a moment to read through 1 Samuel 25:2-42 and you may also wish to note 1 Samuel 27:3, 30:1-5 and 2 Samuel 3:3. From these passages we learn of Abigail that:
- she is noted for being ‘a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance’ (1 Samuel 25:3);
- she was in an unfortunate marriage to a man named Nabal, from the tribe of Judah, who was ‘harsh and evil’ in his doings. His name means Fool and in character is reckoned as a ‘scoundrel’/son of Belial (1 Samuel 25:17, 25) meaning a good-for-nothing wicked and base individual;
- she had backbone and courage – as can been seen by her decision and determination to face potential calamity head-on in going to meet David after her husband’s contemptuous response to David’s request (1 Samuel 25:19);
- through using wisdom, she delivered her household from bloodshed and thus restrained David from the guilt of wrongful bloodshed;
- she was later widowed when Nabal is struck by the LORD with a fatal illness bringing a swift death (1 Samuel 25:38) – clearly a happy release for Abigail;
- she became David’s third wife alongside another woman named Ahinoam (1 Samuel 25:43) in addition to Michal, David’s first wife (1 Samuel; 18:27);
- her life as David’s wife was anything but quiet – yet perhaps her earlier experiences as Nabal’s wife may have at least girded her mind for an “eventful” life with David! She married into an on-going conflict driven by the bitter and murderous jealousy the then king Saul had against David. This conflict necessitated several home moves as David escaped from the pursuit of Saul, (see e.g. 1 Samuel 27:3, 2 Samuel 2:2), being kidnapped while in Ziklag in its attack by the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30:1-5), David becoming King after Saul’s death as well as accepting David’s marriage to more women;
- she becomes a mother to David’s second son named Chileab (2 Samuel 3:3) – (this is the same son referred to as Daniel at 1 Chronicles 3:1).
Abigail’s Legacy
There are no details given on what made Abigail ‘beautiful in appearance’ but what is clear is that it was her good understanding and not outward beauty which commended her and for which she was esteemed. The following are a few points to note on the nature and benefits of Abigail’s understanding.
1) The preparedness in Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:18). Having received the report of the servants that calamity was about to strike she was very quickly able to assess the situation and move into action. She took what she needed that was ready to hand but moreover, her mind was prepared to act. Abigail was not a robot, as though programmed to calmly click into action at the first sign of trouble on the horizon! She was a living and feeling person as we are and would have known fear as, faced with the same situation, we would have too. Even so, there is no mention of her running around like a headless chicken in indecision. There is no mention of her falling into hysterics because danger was on its way. There is no mention of her fainting as being unable to deal with difficulty. After hearing the dreadful news that ‘harm is determined against our master and against all his household,’ she knew she had to act and knew the next step to take. There was a preparedness that gave soundness to her intended course of action.
2) The enabling in Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:19-20). We have seen that Abigail had been forewarned of the intended harm coming her way. She was not stupid. Her good understanding enabled her to engage with the fact that the possible outcome, even with the soundness of her plan, could be disaster. David was famous for his fighting abilities (see for example 1 Samuel 10-11) and he had a multitude of other fighting men with him. Abigail went forward to meet these men of war – and, as verses 21 & 22 show, the chief of them (the very one who famously slew Goliath to boot) was in a very bad mood! She was enabled to face the situation head on.
3) The dignity in Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:23). In today’s society many women would believe it beneath their dignity to bow before anything, much less “a mere man” yet it is perhaps an inconvenient truth that through our own “understanding” we have before bowed to many things, for the sake of “mere man” and have lost some dignity in the process. Here is Abigail, an intelligent woman of understanding, a woman belonging to a wealthy (albeit an unhappy one) household which quite probably afforded a measure of status, choosing to bow low before David and his men. In my own opinion, there is a sense of dignity of character displayed in Abigail’s actions which comes from esteeming another person better than yourself – regardless of their actual worthiness of such esteem – and is as ‘a crown of dignity’ upon the very head she bows. There is a dignity which is very often seen in the understanding of one who chooses to be the one that bows, seeking peace in trying circumstances rather than making it worse. As offensive as her husband had been, David’s intended response was wrong, as the passage goes on to show.
4) The grace in Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:24). In her supplication to David, we see a picture of grace in being willing to bear the wrong of another, namely her husband, who deserved no such mercy but is nonetheless given it freely. She was willing to bear the responsibility for the breach, for ‘the iniquity’, through the true provision she had been equipped with. That provision was grace.
5) The honesty in Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:25). We see here that Abigail does not make excuses in order to cover up or play down the obvious and plain truth. 1 Samuel 25:3 tells us plainly that Nabal was ‘harsh and evil in his doings’, his own servants knew him to be ‘a scoundrel’, it is no evil then for Abigail to say what is evidently the truth in this context. Sometimes there is no other way to put things but the simple bald truth. There is simplicity and truth without unnecessary and overly emotional addition in her explanation.
6) The “works” of Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:26-31). In these verses we can see more clearly the true provision for ‘this iniquity’ of which Abigail speaks of at verse 24 – the very essence her understanding displayed. Together with her words at verses 18 to 20, we can glean a snap-shot of the Scripture at James 3:17: ‘But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.’ Though we may not always succeed in walking in these as we ought and as we would wish, nevertheless may we find mercy and grace to help us persevere and press towards this goal which our Lord Yeshua would have us reach.
7) The “Fruit” of Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:32-35). It may not necessarily be the case that an action or course taken has an obvious appearance of wisdom initially but surely, as stated Lord Yeshua said, “wisdom is justified by her children“ ( Matthew 11:19). When Abigail sent the servants with the gift of food to David and his men (vs. 18-19) perhaps her servants initially wondered at the wisdom of her coming along too. Perhaps they thought the food alone would be enough – after all, what could their mistress, being just a woman, do in the face of angry men? Was it not food they had wanted in the first place anyway? When David first saw Abigail approach on her donkey, perhaps he initially wondered why she had come. Yet, we see the “fruit” of Abigail’s provision of wise words to David in his justification of her and – importantly – the calamity which had indeed been intended stopped in its tracks (verse 35). Also note David’s words at verse 32 –“Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!” We see in this statement, the Source of Abigail’s wisdom, the God of Israel who had equipped her with this provision of understanding.
8) The Blessing of Abigail’s understanding (1 Samuel 25:39-43). Not by her own hand, nor the hand of man, nor in a way that is likely to have entered Abigail’s head, comes deliverance from being bound for life to a husband who was “harsh and evil.’ There are some people that are not missed when taken (see for example King Jehoram at 2 Chronicles 21, especially verse 20). The blessing of Abigail’s understanding touched others beside herself. David was blessed by the wisdom of Abigail which resulted in him being delivered from the guilt of wrongful bloodshed. The male servants of her household were blessed by being delivered from certain death. For Abigail herself the blessing came in the form of deliverance from being married to man whose name meant ‘Fool’ to become married to one whose name means Beloved, who later become Israel’s most beloved king.
The key to Abigail’s legacy
The key to Abigail’s legacy for us lies within her speech to David at 1 Samuel 25:26-31. Consider how often she refers to the “the LORD” as she speaks to David:
“as the LORD lives….” – verse 26
“since the LORD has held you back…” – verse 26
“the LORD will certainly make…” – verse 28
“the battles of the LORD…” – verse 28
“the LORD your God;” – verse 29
“when the LORD has done…” – verse 30
“when the LORD has dealt well….” – verse 31
It is no wonder David is convinced that it is the LORD who has sent her and that her advice is blessed because it is of the LORD. This is he who also wrote that ‘[t]he fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments’ (Psalm 110:10 – a psalm of David).
The Scriptures tells us that not only does our wisdom come from God (see e.g. Job 38:36), but that our wisdom is in and actually is Yeshua Himself. Let’s consider again what is written for us at 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 and in particular what is being said at verse 30, that ‘…you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God.’
Does this not beg the question in your heart as it does mine, ‘where in me, in my thoughts – especially my anxious thoughts – is there weak or even no application of this?’ Is there not a gentle conviction there of having moved away from this – even a little? Have we cooled off in any way in reliance and desire to rely on the Lord as our wisdom? Have we become so filled with other things – material, inordinate “support systems” in family, friends or even church fellowship, our own ways, opinion and ideas, even in seeking to serve God? May have such things crowded out God’s wisdom for us in today’s world? Note – it is not in having these things that can dull our senses as to our need and dependency on God Himself but in being so filled with them.
We find our time limited; we find ourselves caught in the urgency of a need without warning; we find there is much to do in serving and seeking to serve the Lord; unforeseen circumstances come which seemingly demand our attention, our time and our strength. Is it not possible that hidden in all the “doing” there is a subtle playing out of “the pied-piper effect” seeking to draw us ever-so-subtly from God? Not from faith in Him concerning our salvation, not from the desire to live out our faith, not from the desire to serve, not from the desire for His word, but from what ought to be our time with Him to receive that which the Holy Spirit would work in us to enable wisdom to be worked out for us as needed?
Consider our Lord and Saviour Yeshua, that when He was here on earth, anointed and appointed, how often the Scripture mentions He sought God – see e.g. Matthew 14:23; 26:36-44; Mark 1:35; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:18; Luke 9:28; Luke 11:1; also see Hebrews 5:7-8. Was it not for the outworking of the will of God – the wisdom of God brought into the situations God called Him to deal with? Consider for example Luke 6:12-13 together with what the Lord said in His prayer at John 17:9, 11 & 12 concerning “those whom You gave Me” that is, the Apostles. Was it not to know the will of God concerning the twelve – even though one was a devil (John 6:70)? Consider the words of our Lord at Matthew 5:30: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”
Consider again, wisdom comes from God and Lord Yeshua is our wisdom.
The less time we spend seeking God – individually, within our family units and as a church fellowship – does it not appear to be the case that the most common reason we have is that we are either busy serving the Lord in other ways or busy with other commitments.
Yet wisdom comes from God and Lord Yeshua is our wisdom.
At times we may feel that we can’t “just seek the Lord” – meaning, usually, through prayer and trust that the Lord will lead. We may feel we’ve got to get on and do things otherwise things won’t change, or will go wrong, or won’t work out. This may possibly be true.
Yet wisdom comes from God and Lord Yeshua is our wisdom.
Consider once more Abigail – a woman of good understanding and the portrayal of that understanding. She is a wise woman that built up her house – a woman who not only knew God but was known by God, and as David said was therefore sent. Hear, as it were, her call to us to remember her words of wisdom clearly point in one direction – “the LORD”, “the LORD”, “the LORD”. Abigail’s legacy to us is the exhortation for us to build up, strengthen and continue on in a faith-habit of turning first to God for wisdom for applying His revealed will – the Bible – and, to trust His wisdom in the outworking of His will in and through us as we seek to live out The Faith to glory of God our Father.
There are many things to tempt us, panic us, worry us, deceive us into looking away from God and His wisdom in actuality as well as effectively . After we have come through those times, we often learn to recognise that those were the times we were not able to run with the fluidity we have had at other times – that rhythmic pace of running the race of faith is broken and we have then had to find our stride again as it were. Consider the times we are in. Consider the wisdom needed. Many things are said and done in the name of “wisdom” and many things are put forward as “wisdom” for us today. There is only One who is wise – Who has given, does give and will give wisdom to all who seek Him with a whole heart.
Conclusion
We who have received the gift of salvation by grace through faith in the atoning sacrificial death and resurrection of Lord Yeshua had that work begun in us by the Holy Spirit of God. Let’s not be so foolish as to forget God Himself in the midst of serving God in whatever sphere He has placed us in or draw back from continuing to rely on God through His Spirit for His wisdom for all things. Let’s encourage one another in this in these perilous days where enemy of our souls indeed goes about seeking whom he may devour. Let’s encourage each other in seeking to turn with a whole heart to God in various trials and learning steadfast reliance upon God in all things – in good times and bad -that whatever comes, we may walk wisely and with greater assurance in the promises of God in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.
‘Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’
Proverbs 4:7 & 9:10
May we through the grace of God be enabled to become, to be and continue to grow as women of good understanding.
God bless you.
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