Forgive. Give Place to Wrath. Save Yourself From Guilt!

Introduction

We have all heard it from our moms: “Two wrongs don’t make a right!”

While you were playing with your Legos or your building blocks, your brother comes in and wrecks your amazing structure. In a fit of rage, you jump on him and begin giving him a wallop. He starts crying and screams out, “Mom!”

… and then in walks your mother.


You’re Busted!

Your brother was the one who “started it.” He was the one who offended, but you are the one who’s in hot water! You get busted for taking the matter into your own hands. And in so doing, you transgress and misbehave.

You may now be able to think this through as a parent yourself. Looked at objectively, your response to the offense was excessive. It was greater than the wrong-doing warranted. And rightfully so, you got in trouble. Giving your brother a fat lip and a bloody nose was not an appropriate response to him ruining your play castle.


The Better Response

But what else could you have done in the face of being mistreated? Moms often say, “If this happens again, next time come get me. I will take care of it.” A capable mom has many options at her disposal to proportionately execute justice in these types of matters. By appealing to your mother and committing this crisis into her hands you would save yourself from your own misconduct and guilt, and allow your good mom, who is skilled in these types of situations, to handle it and deal out the fitting consequences.


The Story of David, Nabal, and Abigail (1 Samuel 25)

David and his men (some 600 in number), were on the run from King Saul. In their efforts to escape detection, they journeyed through the wilderness. For a while, this motley band dwelt among a group of shepherds tending three thousand sheep owned by a very rich man called Nabal. During this time, David and his party were very good to the shepherds, protecting them and the sheep so that none were lost – which was no small task. They performed a huge service for Nabal. It then became the season to shear the sheep, which was a time of rejoicing and feasting in this culture.

Reasonably desiring to share in a bit of the festivities, David sent men to Nabal in order to humbly request items, in reciprocation for his labors, with which he and his men could make merry. But Nabal, being harsh and evil in his doings, reviled them, and sent them away empty handed.

David then said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good” (1 Samuel 25:21). David and his men were insulted and angered. Nabal had greatly offended them, repaying evil for their good.


David’s Response

What becomes David’s reaction? He told his men to gird on their swords and then swears to not leave a single male alive in all the house of Nabal by the next morning. This is excessively vindictive and evil. As we know from the story, the male servants of Nabal thought he was a scoundrel and were not complicit with his wickedness. David’s resolutions were NOT an appropriate response. David intended to repay evil for evil… and thus fall into sin and guilt. The men he was intending to kill were innocent.


Abigail: The Voice of God and Conscience

Enter into the story the wife of Nabal: Abigail – a woman of good understanding. She catches wind of David’s intentions and initiates a wise plan. She made haste and whipped up enough pleasant and tasty food to feed an army, loaded it onto donkeys, and appeared before David with it.

Abigail then declares her personal knowledge that Nabal was a scoundrel, but offers that his offense occurred unbeknownst to her. She follows this up with the request: “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be!” (1 Samuel 25:24). She essentially is saying that this travesty was her fault because she should have been babysitting her foolish husband who is constantly getting himself into trouble like this. “Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant” (1 Samuel 25:25). She was in humility attributing Nabal’s sin to herself.

Abigail continues her dialogue with David: “… the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed… And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord… that you have shed blood without cause” (1 Samuel 25:30-31).

Abigail recognizes that what David was intending to do was sinful and without warrant. Further, being quite the woman of understanding, she knows that with a man who has a tender heart like David (see 1 Samuel 24:5) such sin would later trouble and grieve him. Not to mention that it would also lay guilt on him to which he would then be subject to God and His displeasure.


The End of the Story

At these words, David forsook his intentions; and in respect of Abigail, heeded her voice. He let go of his anger, abandoned his revenge, forgave the whole situation, and received from her hand the gifts she had brought him. He forgave and gave place to wrath, for as godly Israelites knew, vengeance is the Lord’s and He will repay (Deuteronomy 32:35).

1 Samuel 25:38-39
Then it happened, after about ten days, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.”

Conclusion

We all have to deal in one way or another with the sins and offenses of people in our lives. Our initial reactions are often to payback those who hurt us, and in the prosecution of our retribution we often fall into sin by returning evil for evil.

Listen to the teaching of this story: forgive your offenders, release them from retribution, and give place to God’s wrath. Deliver yourself from falling into sin, and commit the situations into the hands of the Lord who will repay.

Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will recompense evil.” Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

This was one story out of many that illustrates for us the training that God put David through in order to be prepared to rule His people. God is training you for glory, and seeking to prepare you to co-rule with the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:21). Learn this lesson. God will fight your battles. He is able to bring others to justice in a way that will keep you from sinning, and bring Himself the maximum glory.