The Word of God is the means placed before us to nourish our faith. The story of David and Abigail is a good example of the incredibly rich nourishment to be had through faith. When a believer digs in—really studies the Word of God—Jehovah-jireh (Provider) continually opens up that wealth of riches. Centrally, when it comes to stories and pictures of Christ’s work, the Word of God is saturated like a dripping-wet sponge. Abounding with the gospel message . . . bursting, crammed, jammed, loaded, overflowing, packed. STUFFED!
This becomes clear as crystal in the commentary/ biography The Life of David by Arthur W. Pink. He explains how that richness is evident in I & II Samuel. Woven into the heart of each story like fine scarlet threads (Joshua 2) are revelations of the beauty of our salvation. The gospel is tightly fastened with a scarlet cord into passages that I might never have discovered on my own. Whether it is in the familiar stories or in passages of minor impact—the Old Testament is crawling with the gospel of salvation. I highly recommend this little book (only 800 pages or so), placing it above most other books. Recommending The Life of David above even Pilgrim’s Progress, my previous super-all time- best-favorite is no small thing.
The story of David and Abigail is quite familiar. As a young shepherd boy, David was anointed by Samuel to be king of Israel. Evil Saul still reigned over the land and hunted David like a predator, hoping to snatch the life of his prey, his successor. Strangely, David was the one with the opportunity to kill Saul. But, he spared Saul’s life in the cave since it was not the Lord’s direct command. It was at this time that David retreated with his soldiers into the wilderness of Paran, about 100 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Living there was a wealthy sheep farmer by the name of Nabal (literally, “a fool”). Nabal was not around at the time, yet David restrained his warriors from molesting the flocks of Nabal. In fact, David served as protector of the sheep from the rustlers (I Samuel 25:7, 14-17). Bandits and rustlers were prowling the grounds, so David’s band stood guard. Rather than demanding any sort of retribution, David merely asked a favor. Nabal was not too willing to comply. Rudely, he refused to let David’s hungry band have any of his bread and water (v. 10-11). This stinging rejection was more than David could handle. He immediately ordered his troops to seek out and kill the evil Nabal. He was almost ready to carry out this ungodly revenge when Nabal’s wife Abigail checked him on the way. Here are the blessed mercies of salvation in this passage (I Samuel 25:23- 35):
“And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be . . . And it shall come to pass when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me … Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened unto thy voice, and have accepted thy person.”
Arthur Pink points out the picture of the elect soul being drawn to Christ.
(1) Abigail was the wife of Nabal. By marriage, she was bound to the evil “fool.” By human nature, mankind is yoked in the same way to the bondage of sin and death.
(2) The news of imminent destruction caused her to plead with David. Knowledge of the eternal destruction that we deserve is likewise important.
(3) She bowed herself to the dust before his face, acknowledging his lordship (v. 23), confessing iniquity (v. 24), imploring his mercy (v. 28).
The believer humbles himself before God and confesses His Name. Knowing well his own sin and misery, he looks to Jesus Christ for the only hope of deliverance.
(4) Abigail begged to be remembered in the day of David’s ascension to the throne (v. 30). So often in the Old Testament, we find pictures of Christ. David’s ascension here is a clear picture of Christ’s exultation. Remember the thief on the cross? “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Christ will remember. He will remember Abigail. He will remember the thief on the cross. He will remember all that the Father has given to Him (John 6:37). His ascension is our guarantee that since He (as head of us the body) is in heaven, we will be too.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19: 25-26).
(5) Finally, David said to Abigail, “Go in peace.” Once again he typifies his Lord Jesus Christ Who speaks a word of Comfort to the contrite heart . . . “Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague” (Mark 5:34, to the woman who touched the hem of His garment). “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11, to the harlot, after none of her accusers would cast the first stone).
Conclusion? It reminds me of my own spiritual self. That’s me. And that is my Jesus—at no small price.
Tom is a member of Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan.