The Unrepentant Heart

The Unrepentant Heart
Words of Faith 12-10-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 Samuel 25:36-44
[36] When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak. [37] Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. [38] About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. [39] When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal's wrongdoing down on his own head." Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. [40] His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, "David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife." [41] She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, "Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master's servants." [42] Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David's messengers and became his wife. [43] David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. [44] But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

When Abigail returned from her peace mission, a huge drunken party was going on at her house. Nabal was oblivious to the disaster that had just been averted. In hard-hearted stinginess, Nabal had turned away the request of the anointed king, David. Such an insult actually justified vengeance in the ancient world. Rather than offer hospitality to the anointed king, Nabal chose to party with his worldly friends. What an image. What a choice.
Meanwhile, David and his 400 men nearly swept into the house with a destructive hand. They would have killed many of the men of the village who were attending the drunken party. The only thing that saved them was Abigail's offering, which created the reconciliation that saved the village. Now, she had to deal with the aftermath at home.
It was not the right time to tell Nabal what she had done, so Abigail waited until he was sobered up the following day. This would have been the opportunity for Nabal to finally get his life right, but he did not. Instead, something caused him to have a heart attack that severely disabled him. He was like a stone for ten days before he finally died.
We don't know precisely the source of his reaction or the affliction that followed-- whether it was his anger at Abigail or fear because of the narrow escape-- but the outcome was death. Proverbs 14:12 says it clearly-- There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death. Nabal was so sure of himself and his prideful arrogance that he ended up dead.
There is a point at which folly leads to death. Bad character and bad choices lead to a terrible end. Nabal's foolish and selfish lifestyle became the marker of his name. While he could have enjoyed life with God's blessing and a beautiful and intelligent wife, Nabal's foolishness led him to a cold grave.
Abigail's good judgment was vindicated. David saw in this turn of events a sign from God. Because he was obviously struck by Abigail's beauty and character, he proposed marriage to her, and she gladly accepted. In the meantime, Saul had spitefully given David's first wife, his daughter Michal, to another man in marriage. Saul was still a problem that would have to be resolved.
What do we find here for daily living? We certainly don't want to live as stubborn fools. There is also a reassurance that those who live with a stubborn fool and seek to love redemptively will be vindicated.

Father God, help me see the stubbornness in my own life. Help me be aware of any hardness of heart that I am allowing to develop. Help me be open to the anointing of the Lord when it is near. Help me make choices that honor You and bless those closest to me. Teach me to love as You love. Teach me to love redemptively. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2024 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.