Under normal circumstances, she should be. The woman had gone behind his back, taken his food and wine, and given it to David like Nabal had owed it to them. She should be terrified about the beating that would be awaiting her, but according to her and his servants, her actions were the only reason they were all still alive.
He should still punish her for going behind his back.
There was just one problem.
He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He couldn't even pick up his arm to strike her. He fought against his body, but his body had suddenly become a prison. Nothing would work! There was a squeezing within his chest, and then, nothing. It felt like his heart had died within him. He felt the darkness crowding his eyes, covering everything like a blanket, until it cocooned him in it's everlasting grip.
Everything was darkness.
Abigail stood beside her husband's grave. The dirt mound was still fresh and upturned, having not yet baked in the suns warm glow.
Everything had happened so fast. It had only been ten days since she had told Nabal about giving David all those provisions. She had seen the look on his face as she explained, and she knew she must be in for the beating of her life. But Nabal never moved, never even made a peep. Her fear had turned to concern, and suddenly Nabal crumpled to the ground right in front of her. After that, he was like a stone. Ten days later, it was official. The man inside that stone was gone.
She turned her face up into the sun's welcoming rays. The warmth washed over her face, teasing her with hope she didn't see at the moment.
Adonai, what next?
A huge grin split David's face. He couldn't believe what his messengers were saying.
Nabal was dead. Abigail a widow. He had been avenged by the Lord.
He jumped up and let out a whoop of praise! "Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head."
He did a little happy dance, and then abruptly stopped. Abigail! He could marry Abigail. The beauty had caught his eye and softened his heart the minute she rode into sight that day. He would provide for her, love her, be a husband to her.
Another wonderful facet in the plan of his Lord, his God. He turned and practically leaped onto the messenger, his breathing heavy from all the excitement. "I need to send a message to Abigail, widow of Nabal. Men to protect her, provisions, and a donkey to ride. I want to take her as my wife."
Based on 1 Samuel 25:36-44
Abigail told Nabal what she had done, then Nabal turns into a living stone and dies. When David hears of all these things, he praises God for avenging him, giving Nabal what he deserved, and takes Abigail as his wife.
That is quite the plan. A plan so woven and intricate and supernatural, that only God is able to take the credit.
"When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. The heart of man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:7-9
Don't these verses just describe everything about David, Nabal, and Abigail? Nabal was a wicked, evil man, and the Lord took care of that. If David had taken matters into his own hands, then his own walk with God would have been soiled. Nabal and Abigail would be dead. David would have unjust blood on his hands.
We have moments when people are just plan evil to us, and we want to strike back. We want justice. We plan, and then we act, but is it our plans that make the difference?
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19:21
God worked this whole Nabal, David, and Abigail mess out into a good outcome. It was all done by God's hands, His leading, and the obedience of His listening servants. All God. The outcome of our situations shouldn't be by our clumsy hands. It should be something where we just stop, take a step back, and say in amazement, "Yeah, God worked all of that out for me."
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
As a child of God, you will run into Nabals, anger, temptation, and unfair situations, but God will work all those things out for good. He will take everything, and make it beautiful, because you are called according to His purpose. I hope that from now on when you read the end of 1 Samuel 25, you see how God worked everything. Forever know that He is doing the same in your life. You might not see it yet, but that's because you're just not at the end of the story.
V. Joy Palmer
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