Religion and politics are the two topics to be avoided in polite company. Why? - Because as a man’s heart is, so are his politics and so is his religion. These two unveil the hearts of men.
David was a faithful servant in the kingdom of Israel under Saul - “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house?” (I Sam. 22:14). Yet after Saul attempted on two occasions to murder David and David escaped into the wilderness, opinions about David became divided in Israel. Nabal and Abigail display this division in the macrocosm of a single family (1 Samuel 25). Nabal held that David was a runaway slave and claimed ignorance of David’s plight in his flight from Saul. Abigail, Nabal’s wife on the other hand:
- Saw Nabal’s opinion of David as deserving God’s judgment (1 Sam. 25:14-17).
- David’s house would endure but his enemies and those who pursue him (Saul) would be cast from the presence of God as a stone is cast from a sling (1 Sam. 25:28-29).
- David was fighting the Lord’s battles (1 Sam. 25:28).
- No evil was in David (1 Sam. 25:28).
- Saul was wickedly pursuing David (contrary to Nabal who said David was an escaped slave (1 Sam. 25:29).
- David was destined for the throne and would be preserved to that end while his enemies would be rejected and cast as from a sling.
The difference between the political opinions of Nabal and his wife are poles apart. God himself demonstrated which opinion was right when Nabal was struck dead by God. May God vindicate the right in this our day! May God display and defend the right and show folly for what it is!
by Eugene Clingman
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