David: God's own heart Chapter 3 Abigail Part 10-12
According to the Rabbis, God brought about Nabal’s death because of his evil deeds. He was a deceiver like Laban; he corrupted his ways with incest; and engaged in idolatrous thoughts; & in his heart, he not only denied David’s kingship but even denied God. Abigail, in marked contrast, was a good woman, of whom Proverbs (18:22) declares: “He who finds a wife has found good.” If David had killed Nabal and his household, he could have offered all the sacrifices in the world, but his iniquity would not have been pardoned, and Abigail rescued him from such a sin. She therefore was better for him than all the offerings in the world. God said: “Let the good one come & be for the good, & let the evil one go in his evil,” that is, let the good Abigail come & be the wife of the good David, while the wicked Nabal goes to die for his wickedness (Midrash Tehillim on Ps. 53:1).
So the next scene, as God witnessed these two souls part ways David went on his usual duties to the Lord and Abigail was openly broken before God after being truthful about her feelings for David, it is not open to interpretation. As a married woman, the bible was silent until God moved and took Nabal according to God's will.
This to me speaks highly as to how would God settle an evil-wicked husband from an enduring virtuous wife. This did not spare Abigail from spending her days a helpless widow, her fears still happened even if David spared her husband's life, the Lord did not.
So what now? The news reached David's ears and was he supposed to be happy about it? No, he felt angry still and justified as well because the Lord took over his life for shaming David & his 600 men at a time of need. But one thing, David cannot forget was this woman whom he met once to kill, a beautiful married woman throwing herself at his feet, asking, begging to spare anyone in her household at the expense of her life. The act indeed is difficult to forget, heroic & godly in its ways.
Abigail spent her days empty & clothe herself in black until one day, a familiar servant came knocking at her door. The servant said: Lady, my Master David had said: I remember my maid!
A proposal has been issued in the air!
Part 11. Father's joy
A marriage proposal for a helpless widow needs an answer. It is rude to reject undeserving kindness and it is unwise to deny the future King of Israel like this.
The servant waited and moments came to pass but no silent rejection in the air was heard. Abigail could not possibly believe that David although had only one encounter with her remembered all about the last words she said that betrayed her heart in front of his 600 men.
It was a bold yet truthful declaration of what she feels for David. There is no lie to be told. Abigail has endured and saved a husband whom David spared and let her live, giving Abigail the freedom and chance to live far from her truth.
Abigail must answer, she immediately bowed low with her face to the ground and said, “Your handmaid is ready to be your maidservant, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
Then Abigail rose quickly and mounted an ass, and with five of her maids in attendance she followed David’s messengers, and she became his wife.
As depicted in the Book of Samuel, David takes Abigail as a wife shortly after Nabal’s death. Abigail’s love for David knew no bounds, and David writes of this passionate love in his lament for Jonathan (II Sam. 1:26): “Your love was wonderful to me more than the love of women,” that is, than the love of two women, Michal and Abigail (Midrash Samuel 25:4).
Becoming the wife is a happy ending story?
Well, rosy but continuing is still deadly ahead. It is just the beginning of many more challenges because Abigail is a married woman not even divorced, and has to face issues under David's bed of roses. She is not an exception to all the pain of thorns that picked her heart. Her virtuousness will be tried 10 times harder than it was with Nabal. Abigail could only trust...
God is greater, cast more stones!
Part 12. Father's joy
In the midrashic account, after David married Abigail, he abstained from intercourse with her for three months, to learn if she was pregnant by Nabal. Only afterward did they engage in relations, and she became pregnant by him. Nonetheless, the mockers of the generation said that this child was from Nabal. What did God do? He commanded the angel responsible for the creation of the fetus and its shape, telling him to form it in the countenance of David so that all would know that he was the father. This son of David and Abigail was called Chileab (kilav), since David was wholly the father (kulo av). Whoever saw the child would say that David was his father (Tanhuma, Toledot 6).
How hard it is for a poor widow, an ex-married woman from an evil wicked husband to become a new woman had to face David's bed only after 3 months? A honeymoon strained and more patience and agony of days to pass before consuming such love?
As customary, David and Abigail are subject to obey the Lord and please its men making sure not to fail his next-in-line Kings, they must be of the Lord's will.
Abigail not a virgin became an example of how to act appropriately set her self-esteem not to look down upon herself and understand David twice as much as he did with Nabal. Sorry, I cannot help but compare the two worlds of Abigail where she is a woman who has seen it all, experience love that would not bloom and a love to its fullest. First is tightfisted and stringent never had any child she bore with her first husband. Second is twice strict because David is not just any rich husband or simple man but God's chosen king who would produce several heirs of His throne, of His kingdom come, where Jesus would be begotten and brought out of this world.
As far as we have read, felt, and realized how the two impossible worlds came to fulfill what God arranged, it is always a yes and amen to David and Abigail. What it take for them to achieve God on their side?
It's this thing called... if you want to be successful... never lie to yourself.
In this sense, it is always the TRUTH that God seeks and wants.
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