July 6, 2010
I Samuel 25:31 - "My master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself." (NIV)
I just keep coming back to the phrase "a staggering burden... for avenging himself." Staggering burden.
David was wronged. His men had watched over Nabal's property while they were in the desert. Nabal was a cruel and mean man. He was very wealthy. And now that it became time for Nabal to reap the benefits of what David's men had done for him, he repaid David's good with evil. When David asked Nabal to share with him what he could spare, Nabal refused and instead insulted him. David was angry and ready for revenge.
When Abigail (Nabal's wife) was told what her husband had done, she knew immediately what disaster was about to happen and she knew how to stop it. She went to meet David, took him gifts and basically said—David, let God handle this. Someone might chase you, BUT God will keep you alive. God will throw away your enemies lives as He would throw a stone from a sling. The LORD WILL keep His promises and you will not have the staggering burden of needless bloodshed from avenging yourself. You don't have to do this David—God will.
David responded by praising the LORD for keeping him from revenge. He accepted Abigail's gifts, blessed her and sent her home. When she got home Nabal was throwing a feast fit for a king with his abundant wealth. He was drunk so Abigail waited until morning to tell him what she had done. When she told him, his heart stopped and ten days later the LORD struck Nabal and he died. When David heard Nabal died he said, "Praise the LORD! Nabal insulted me, but the LORD has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong. The LORD has punished Nabal for his wrong."
Staggering burden. Oh how grateful I am that our consciences are clear. My sister and brother-in-law are seeking our financial ruin. We are not seeking anything from them; we only want to be free of them. We carry no burden of "needless bloodshed" or of vengeance. This is not our battle, it is the LORD's. We will wait on Him. I am so grateful that no matter how "the storm" ends, it is ultimately not something we are responsible for. There is no "staggering burden." There is no revenge. "Vengeance is mine saith the LORD."
I Samuel 26 - Saul is chasing David again. This time with 3000 men even though in Chapter 24 Saul supposedly recognized what he was doing was wrong. He saw with his own eyes how David could have harmed him but chose to show him mercy instead. All appeared to be well, but Saul did not have a heart change. Without a true heart change, our choices will always revert back to our sinful natures.
David and Abishai sneak into Saul's camp while everyone was asleep. David once again could have easily killed Saul (and was encouraged to do so), but instead David took Saul's spear and water jug and showed Saul mercy again. Ironically showing mercy actually shamed Saul.
Abishai encouraged David to kill Saul but David refused. It wasn't his place to pass judgment, it was God's. You can't be innocent and free of the "staggering burden" if you try to assume the position which only God can hold. David said, "As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD himself will punish Saul. Maybe Saul will die naturally, or maybe he will go into battle and be killed."
I am so grateful that the battles we face "belong to the Lord." The judgment and punishment is up to God, not us. God tells us the end results. Psalm 1 - "The wicked will not escape God's punishment," but it is not up to us to implement revenge. God will decide the what, when, where, and how. The choices we make in our lives determine the why.
David left Saul's camp, stood on top of a mountain and called out to Saul. Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What evil am I guilty of? You are looking for a flea! You are hunting a bird in the mountains. What you are doing is crazy! It's hopeless! It's totally unfounded! Why haven't you given this up? Saul once again recognizes (temporarily) that what he was doing was wrong, stupid, and foolish. But once again, there was no heart change.
In looking back at the first time this happened in Chapter 24, I am struck by the fact that after David showed Saul mercy and after Saul recognized his wrong behavior, they each went their separate ways. Saul to his home and David back to his hideout. There wasn't reconciliation or restoration. They didn't leave and go off together. They went their separate ways. David knew there wasn't a heart change. The same thing happened this time. Saul went back home, and David went on his way.
I Samuel 26:23–24 - "The LORD rewards us for the things we do right and for your loyalty to him. The LORD handed you over to me today, but I wouldn't harm the LORD's appointed king. As I respected your life today, may the LORD also respect my life and save me from all trouble."
Amen. And to think, all this was happening to David after God had Samuel anoint him as king.
Addendum: 1/8/14 ~ I love how Abigail/God used the illustration of a sling, reminding David of how things began. When he trusted God, a sling from a small shepherd boy brought down a giant. God was reminding him that the same holds true now. Trust me. I will take care of the giants in your life. I will take care of Nabal.
Next Entry: I Samuel 27:1–12
I Samuel 25:31 - "My master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself." (NIV)
I just keep coming back to the phrase "a staggering burden... for avenging himself." Staggering burden.
David was wronged. His men had watched over Nabal's property while they were in the desert. Nabal was a cruel and mean man. He was very wealthy. And now that it became time for Nabal to reap the benefits of what David's men had done for him, he repaid David's good with evil. When David asked Nabal to share with him what he could spare, Nabal refused and instead insulted him. David was angry and ready for revenge.
When Abigail (Nabal's wife) was told what her husband had done, she knew immediately what disaster was about to happen and she knew how to stop it. She went to meet David, took him gifts and basically said—David, let God handle this. Someone might chase you, BUT God will keep you alive. God will throw away your enemies lives as He would throw a stone from a sling. The LORD WILL keep His promises and you will not have the staggering burden of needless bloodshed from avenging yourself. You don't have to do this David—God will.
David responded by praising the LORD for keeping him from revenge. He accepted Abigail's gifts, blessed her and sent her home. When she got home Nabal was throwing a feast fit for a king with his abundant wealth. He was drunk so Abigail waited until morning to tell him what she had done. When she told him, his heart stopped and ten days later the LORD struck Nabal and he died. When David heard Nabal died he said, "Praise the LORD! Nabal insulted me, but the LORD has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong. The LORD has punished Nabal for his wrong."
Staggering burden. Oh how grateful I am that our consciences are clear. My sister and brother-in-law are seeking our financial ruin. We are not seeking anything from them; we only want to be free of them. We carry no burden of "needless bloodshed" or of vengeance. This is not our battle, it is the LORD's. We will wait on Him. I am so grateful that no matter how "the storm" ends, it is ultimately not something we are responsible for. There is no "staggering burden." There is no revenge. "Vengeance is mine saith the LORD."
I Samuel 26 - Saul is chasing David again. This time with 3000 men even though in Chapter 24 Saul supposedly recognized what he was doing was wrong. He saw with his own eyes how David could have harmed him but chose to show him mercy instead. All appeared to be well, but Saul did not have a heart change. Without a true heart change, our choices will always revert back to our sinful natures.
David and Abishai sneak into Saul's camp while everyone was asleep. David once again could have easily killed Saul (and was encouraged to do so), but instead David took Saul's spear and water jug and showed Saul mercy again. Ironically showing mercy actually shamed Saul.
Abishai encouraged David to kill Saul but David refused. It wasn't his place to pass judgment, it was God's. You can't be innocent and free of the "staggering burden" if you try to assume the position which only God can hold. David said, "As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD himself will punish Saul. Maybe Saul will die naturally, or maybe he will go into battle and be killed."
I am so grateful that the battles we face "belong to the Lord." The judgment and punishment is up to God, not us. God tells us the end results. Psalm 1 - "The wicked will not escape God's punishment," but it is not up to us to implement revenge. God will decide the what, when, where, and how. The choices we make in our lives determine the why.
David left Saul's camp, stood on top of a mountain and called out to Saul. Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What evil am I guilty of? You are looking for a flea! You are hunting a bird in the mountains. What you are doing is crazy! It's hopeless! It's totally unfounded! Why haven't you given this up? Saul once again recognizes (temporarily) that what he was doing was wrong, stupid, and foolish. But once again, there was no heart change.
In looking back at the first time this happened in Chapter 24, I am struck by the fact that after David showed Saul mercy and after Saul recognized his wrong behavior, they each went their separate ways. Saul to his home and David back to his hideout. There wasn't reconciliation or restoration. They didn't leave and go off together. They went their separate ways. David knew there wasn't a heart change. The same thing happened this time. Saul went back home, and David went on his way.
I Samuel 26:23–24 - "The LORD rewards us for the things we do right and for your loyalty to him. The LORD handed you over to me today, but I wouldn't harm the LORD's appointed king. As I respected your life today, may the LORD also respect my life and save me from all trouble."
Amen. And to think, all this was happening to David after God had Samuel anoint him as king.
Addendum: 1/8/14 ~ I love how Abigail/God used the illustration of a sling, reminding David of how things began. When he trusted God, a sling from a small shepherd boy brought down a giant. God was reminding him that the same holds true now. Trust me. I will take care of the giants in your life. I will take care of Nabal.
Next Entry: I Samuel 27:1–12
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