A STORY OF A FOOL

What kind of mother would name her son ‘Fool’?  I don’t think I’d want to meet her.  Seems like a good chance that she was a fool herself. 

We find this man Nabal (means ‘fool’) in I Samuel 25.  Surprisingly, he was quite successful, owning at least 1,000 goats and 3,000 sheep.  His enterprise required the help of a large number of farm hands.  His wife was loyal to him and quite a beauty.

David had been hiding out in Nabal’s territory trying to elude the pursuit of King Saul.  During this time, he and his 600 men offered protection to the area farmers – including Nabal.  When shearing time arrived, David sent men to ask for a gift from Nabal in exchange for the protection he had received.  Nabal insulted David’s men and sent them away empty-handed.

David was furious and vowed to kill Nabal and all his men.

Nabal’s wife is told about the exchange and leaps into action preparing a huge feast and delivering it to David as he approaches the farm.  He is overwhelmed with her gift, her words and her wisdom!  She implores him to stay his hand against Nabal and keep his reputation unstained from unnecessary violence.  David accepts her gift and is truly grateful that she stepped in and stopped him from his impulsive actions.

That evening, Nabal feasts and drinks well into the night;  so Abigail (his wife) waits till morning to tell him what she had done.  This is another testimony to her truthfulness and willingness to accept responsibility for her actions. 

Although the scripture is not perfectly clear, it seems that Nabal had a stroke upon hearing what she had done.  He lived in this state for ten days and then died. 

When David heard that Nabal had died, he sent messengers asking Abigail to become his wife.  She agreed.

In verse 17, we read a description of Nabal:  “He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.” 

Chances are, you’ve run into someone like this.  Descriptive terms would be:  hostile, angry, sarcastic, bitter, unkind, stubborn, vindictive, hateful… 

We can’t help but notice that Abigail’s actions correct David’s misdirected intentions.  A righteous woman can have a dynamic impact on the lives of those around her!  Abigail shows us that destroying the evil person is not the way to deal with them.  She is forthright and honest with Nabal and leaves the results to God.  Interestingly, Nabal’s death is attributed to God’s action:  “About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died.”  (v.38)

When we are forced to deal with unrighteous people, we must maintain godly standards.  We don’t have the option of using their tactics.  We live by a higher standard.  We stay righteous and trust God to work it out.  He will! 

WATCH OUT FOR COMPLACENCY!

 I just read I Corinthians 10:1-13 (NIV - 1984).

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. 

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying angel. 

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

This passage is full of Old Testament references.  Paul intends to use the ancients to teach a lesson to the moderns.  

The ancient Israelites who escaped Egypt with Moses as their leader were all given the same opportunities that Moses had been given:

• they lived under the cloud (and pillar of fire) that represented God's presence.
• they all passed through the sea and witnessed the miraculous protection and provision of God.
• they all received a type of baptism by passing through the sea and experiencing the cloud of God's presence.
• they all ate the same spiritual manna.
• they all drank the same spiritual water provided by their God - the Rock (a pre-image of Christ)!

However, God was not pleased with most of them and their bodies ended up scattered all over the desert.

Paul is clear in indicating that these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did (v.6).  

Then, he moves to specifics:

      1. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were...(v.7).

What does it mean to be an idolater?  In its simplest form, it means to put ANYTHING/ANYONE before God!  Paul doesn't illustrate, so I won't either.

      2. We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did...(v.8).

         

Paul doesn't extrapolate here except to remind us that 23,000 Israelites died because of their immorality [see Numbers 25:1-9].

      3. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did - and were killed by snakes...(v.9).

Again, Paul doesn't illustrate, but I'm thinking of Annanias and Sapphira (Acts 15:1-11), and the Israelites in Numbers 21:5-6, where they were rebellious with God and Moses because they were hungry and homeless.  Testing God seems to be failing to have faith in God's plan and refusing to trust God to work on our behalf.

      4. Do not grumble as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel...(10).

In Numbers 16:41, the Israelites complained that God and Moses had caused the death of 250 of Korah's men who had rebelled against Moses' leadership.  If you've read Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy, then you know that the main sin of Israel during this period was complaining/grumbling.

Paul then makes it clear that these things were written down as WARNINGS FOR US on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come (v.11 ) [that's Jesus]!  

Then, in verse 12, he talks about complacency:  ...if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall.  

Paul ends his mini-message with words that many of us memorized when we were young.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.    (v.13)

There's the word for the day:

You cannot and will never face a temptation that can't be resisted!  God will ALWAYS BE THERE and He will always offer you a way to escape!  And in the words of Barretta, "You can take that to the bank!"