But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight. NKJV
From my youth, I always remember the importance of speaking truth. I remember my parents being adamant about speaking truth in all things. In reading of the stories from the Old Testament I am in awe of those who would continue to go down a path of the "fool". For the above scripture holds guidance in showing that no grave trouble will overtake the righteous.
I refer you to the passage found in 1 Samuel 25!
Yes, let's take a look a Nabal, the fool!
We find Nabal working with his shearers to shear sheep in the wilderness or desert area. David had sent ten young men to Nabal to ask for whatever had come to the hand of Nabal while the shepherds kept watch over herds as David and his men were close by. David knew they would be having a form of festival eating at the increase coming to Nabal through the shearing of the sheep!
But Nabal shot back a reply to the men, "Who is this David, and who is the son of Jesse?"
Tell David had the men ask for something for his men in peace, not only in the Carmel area, but also peace in Nabal's home and to all that he had or owned! He, Nabal, took the steps of insinuation that David had turned away from his master as some were doing at the time. Nabal was treating David as if he never heard of him. Yet, David was known throughout the land of all that he had done as a service to the king and now to Nabal as those gave word to his wife, Abigail!
One young man found courage to go tell Abigail all that had transpired with David and his men.
"Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him."
David and his men most likely kept the Bedouin Arabs from taking sheep from Nabal's herds! It most likely to that food and drink were given to the men who gave this service when rendered.
We then see Abigail make haste to gather two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs. And she said to her servants, "Go on before me; see, I am coming after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. As she rode on the donkey, that she went down under cover of the hill; and there were David and his men, coming down toward her, and she met them. .....................21 Now David had said, "Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good. 22 May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light."
When David had spoken, Abigail dismounted from the donkey and fell on her face before David. This woman became prostrate before him on the ground. She said: "On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.
Wow, you certainly want someone to hear you when this kind of chaos is playing out. When insults and lies are being spewed out, you want someone who will hear truth! ........................ 25 Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, since the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil is not found in you throughout your days. 29 Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling.
30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant."
32 Then David said to Abigail: "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. 34 For indeed, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hastened and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal." 35 So David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, "Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person."
36 Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light. 37 So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. 38 Then it came about, after about ten days, that the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.
39 So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head." And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, "David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife." 41 Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." 42 So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. NKJV
I believe Abigail spoke prophetically of David's enduring House! It is the knowing those who fight and stand with the Lord. Abigail spoke, "....but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling."
Yes, let's take a look a Nabal, the fool!
We find Nabal working with his shearers to shear sheep in the wilderness or desert area. David had sent ten young men to Nabal to ask for whatever had come to the hand of Nabal while the shepherds kept watch over herds as David and his men were close by. David knew they would be having a form of festival eating at the increase coming to Nabal through the shearing of the sheep!
But Nabal shot back a reply to the men, "Who is this David, and who is the son of Jesse?"
Tell David had the men ask for something for his men in peace, not only in the Carmel area, but also peace in Nabal's home and to all that he had or owned! He, Nabal, took the steps of insinuation that David had turned away from his master as some were doing at the time. Nabal was treating David as if he never heard of him. Yet, David was known throughout the land of all that he had done as a service to the king and now to Nabal as those gave word to his wife, Abigail!
One young man found courage to go tell Abigail all that had transpired with David and his men.
"Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him."
David and his men most likely kept the Bedouin Arabs from taking sheep from Nabal's herds! It most likely to that food and drink were given to the men who gave this service when rendered.
We then see Abigail make haste to gather two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs. And she said to her servants, "Go on before me; see, I am coming after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. As she rode on the donkey, that she went down under cover of the hill; and there were David and his men, coming down toward her, and she met them. .....................21 Now David had said, "Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good. 22 May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light."
When David had spoken, Abigail dismounted from the donkey and fell on her face before David. This woman became prostrate before him on the ground. She said: "On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.
Wow, you certainly want someone to hear you when this kind of chaos is playing out. When insults and lies are being spewed out, you want someone who will hear truth! ........................ 25 Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, since the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil is not found in you throughout your days. 29 Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling.
30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant."
32 Then David said to Abigail: "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. 34 For indeed, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hastened and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal." 35 So David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, "Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person."
36 Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light. 37 So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. 38 Then it came about, after about ten days, that the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.
39 So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head." And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, "David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife." 41 Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." 42 So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. NKJV
I believe Abigail spoke prophetically of David's enduring House! It is the knowing those who fight and stand with the Lord. Abigail spoke, "....but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling."
Had people not seen this when David faced Goliath and yet David had many more years ahead and many more battles to stand and fight with Lord? This bundling was referring to the safety of the righteous. David was at this point ready to fight the fool Nabal, but because of Abigail's advice she appeased David's wrath. It was God's sling that would hold the outcome for Nabal. And David praised the Lord for having sent her to him and to keep him bloodshed.
We can do things for people who may be just like Nabal. Our kindnesses are given to help them, yes, give aid when needed in circumstances. But we should also consider that in our day to day walk, are those meeting us, filled with wisdom to give us counsel, direction, and maybe even caution as we go forward in all that is before us. We can be surrounded by Nabal's, but God is always present in our circumstance when we ask Him in for help.
When I was but a youth and living in the South, we lived among a lot of older people "senior citizens". Of course to a three year old, I thought they were ancient. My mother would do a lot of things for those older "folks"! She would give them ride to a store for groceries or just pick up an item or two for them. But one lady comes to mind in writing this Blog today. This older woman lived alone. Her husband had died years earlier. And the woman would call for my mother's help in giving her a permanent for her hair. My mother did not mind at the time, and it gave her opportunity to know the neighbors. But this woman was different from those we met in our little neighborhood. I will call her Mrs. L.
For about two years Mrs. L. would walk the block and a half to our house to have her hair permed. My mother would have the area covered around the kitchen cabinet and sink to prepare the perm solution. While hair was rolled and solution applied, Mrs. L. would open up her bag and pull out a "big chocolate candy bar". Yeah, you guessed it. She gave no candy to me or my baby sister. She acted as though my sister and I weren't even there. This would upset my mother and after awhile, she stopped giving the lady the perms. Mrs. L. either did not like children or really like her candy bars. But one thing was certain, she was not giving them to anyone else to enjoy. She seemed to enjoy her hair being done for free, but despised sharing her candy with others.
Now, not all our neighbors were like that. One couple next door had a storm shelter and that certainly kept us safe during some major storms and tornadoes in our area. These people were gracious, and always spoke kind words and seemed to like two young little girls.
When I was but a youth and living in the South, we lived among a lot of older people "senior citizens". Of course to a three year old, I thought they were ancient. My mother would do a lot of things for those older "folks"! She would give them ride to a store for groceries or just pick up an item or two for them. But one lady comes to mind in writing this Blog today. This older woman lived alone. Her husband had died years earlier. And the woman would call for my mother's help in giving her a permanent for her hair. My mother did not mind at the time, and it gave her opportunity to know the neighbors. But this woman was different from those we met in our little neighborhood. I will call her Mrs. L.
For about two years Mrs. L. would walk the block and a half to our house to have her hair permed. My mother would have the area covered around the kitchen cabinet and sink to prepare the perm solution. While hair was rolled and solution applied, Mrs. L. would open up her bag and pull out a "big chocolate candy bar". Yeah, you guessed it. She gave no candy to me or my baby sister. She acted as though my sister and I weren't even there. This would upset my mother and after awhile, she stopped giving the lady the perms. Mrs. L. either did not like children or really like her candy bars. But one thing was certain, she was not giving them to anyone else to enjoy. She seemed to enjoy her hair being done for free, but despised sharing her candy with others.
Now, not all our neighbors were like that. One couple next door had a storm shelter and that certainly kept us safe during some major storms and tornadoes in our area. These people were gracious, and always spoke kind words and seemed to like two young little girls.
God knows what is on our horizon and seeks us to keep our eyes on Him. If we have been helping someone like a Nabal and the effort seems despised, then lets move away from them. Insults and lies will not help anyone. When these people appear, then find those who really will add to you. They are out there. As David saw, Abigail came with a respect of knowing that God fights his battles. Will we move away from the "Nabal's" of this world to stand with the king of Kings?
Father, in Jesus' name, I thank You for the truth of Your word that leads us out of darkness and into Light! I pray that every one who reads this is one that will always speak truth to be wise for a false witness brings deceit. I pray for each, that their lips will be truthful and established forever. I pray that we would recognize by Your Holy Spirit those who would devise evil in their hearts. Like David, I pray for each who read this and receive it in their heart, that they would have an enduring house. Lord, You are our safety, our refuge in time of trouble and misfortune. Help us to see those who are truly against You like Nabal the godless man and help us to pray for them. I pray that we would be like Abigail......that there may be found hundred men set out to avenge. an insult maybe by someone close to us.............but having the information she needed, she ran to meet David. Lord, she showed character to be a prayerful woman who prayed for David's forbearance, by arguing Nabal's bad qualities. May we be those who will not despise the chastening of the Lord!
We give thanks for all that You do for us and our families to keep them safe. Lord be praised for David and his ENDURING HOUSE that brought us Jesus Christ, the Messiah our Redeemer! Amen
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
It's interesting the contrast between David and Saul. In 1 Samuel 14, Saul says "May God do this to ME and more also..." when vowing to kill Jonathan, which he then relented on. David says "May God do to my enemies". In the end, Saul opened the door to his eventual death by the words of his mouth. I wonder how many things I've walked through were due to thoughtless words that I myself spoke. As someone once said, we are the prophets of our own lives by the words we speak over ourselves.
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