The Integrity of a Wise Wife, Part 1

In times that are marked by massive confusion, God-given differences, women and men is challenging for married couples to work together in harmony. So what are the key to cultivating a healthy relationship in the home today on Insight for living.

Chuck Swindoll presents a brand-new message on this topic to begin teaching from first Samuel about the role of the wife next week will address the men on their role as husband using second Samuel as God titled this first message the integrity of a wise one. Marriages are so fully and harmonious, we refer to them as marriages made in heaven. I'm certain that all go to the altar hope that there is will be one of those. Regrettably, some marriages are miserable beyond description. There marked by disharmony some time brutality often argumentation an unwholesome and unhealthy environment.

Often those unhappy marriages are like will a hell on earth. They often don't last very long.

Sometime a couple realizes this is going to work and a few have found that out even on their honeymoon.

Some a few weeks into the marriage, you realize, again, again, this is not the person I thought I was marrying there filled with regret, disappointment, partake, and they decided it's got to end a few last few months and then it's over. Maybe that explains why a jewelry store owner that I saw a number of years ago in the Los Angeles jewelry store front window put up a sign that said, we rent wedding rings seriously. And then there are those miserable marriages that go on and on and on.

Usually that's true because one of the partners is the one who makes it so miserable and the other will, for lack of a better word. Let's just say the other is why patient willing to ride it out.

Let God work in ways that they find their unable to.

Abigail found herself in a marriage like that she was married to to enable Nabel had to of been a nickname, not all of the Hebrew verb very descriptive.

It means to be foolish to be senseless. No mother would name her son at birth fool or senseless, but he picked up a name along the way Harris archer in Waukegan there find two-volume work, theological work, wordbook of the Old Testament tells us that the verb is used only five times in the Old Testament wants to describe one who exalts himself as foolish choice proud of the fact that he's a fool four times it expresses disgust or contempt. All the above are true of naval's lifestyle surely surfaced throughout their marriage, but unfortunately he was also quite wealthy. I say unfortunately because that usually adds to the arrogance. We who does he need whatever he needs.

He can buy.

Perhaps that's how we got his wife for you. Wonder how a lady is lovely and wise as Abigail got stuck with the loser like Nabel had that happen most likely, it was an arranged marriage in that custom. And in that era marriages often were brought about in that way, and quite likely the money that was offered was too much for her dad to turn down.

And so, as it were. He sold her to enable some arranged marriages work beautifully. I'm told if this was an arranged marriage. It was one that didn't, but you see, not one argument between the two of them you read of nothing like that. Thanks to Abigail. There they were living near Carmel in the wilderness of my own. Nabel, 3000 sheep in the thousand goats.

The large flock in large herd and they grazed in the hillside but you know nothing of Abigail's life which she married. She entered the dark tent owned by unable she became what we would call the Woman so much to offer so much she could've taught her husband, but he senseless you notation evolves their stupid they're not interested in what you have to say their opinion is the opinion we see that surfacing in this story. Let's not turn it into a movie for the next few moments together. It it it really begins with the Majestic over to our as the camera pans the hillside of my own and the lives tightens in an auto warrior, standing alone, looking across the hills for which have those trails that goats make when the walk the hills and yet there were no goats on the hillside and there were no sheep there. But this warrior that you're looking at in the film, smiling, happy day for him here. This man had come to what could be called payday. Sheep shearing time is come all the sheep had been brought back to the camp there. Put in the pen he hears of the distance. Quite likely, the bleating of the sheep as they are shared.

Nabel watches over it all while David and the hillside is making his plans to receive the pay is earned. You see, David is been in charge of voluntary police force, you will let's call them a hillside patrol in those days there were marauding wild tribes that would sweep down through the hillside and not only steel sheep would kill them and take them for their own meet and even go further and emptier Leaving it with only carcasses they were wild and wicked. This was a this was a place where might makes right and only the rugged survive David with here this is 600 men patrol these hills and protected Nabel shepherds, and quite likely other Shepherd who kept the sheep of their masters, and it sheep shearing time. It was understood that the owner of the sheep would graciously and voluntarily offer remuneration for the service of this Robert Robin Hood type patrol that watched over his flocks without his hiring them or arranging for a fee, but like our custom of chipping when the waiters has earned it for good service. So these patrols were paid out of the good graces of the sheep owners. David gets 10 of his men up close to himself. The camera tightens and on the scene and read about it as he says to them go go down into Carmel with this message for Nabel verse six piece shalom shalom that all peace and prosperity to you, your family and everything you own.

I'm told it is sheep shearing time while you're Shepherd stayed among us, near Carmel.

We we never harm them and and and nothing was ever stolen from them and ask your own your own man that they will tell you that this is true, so, so, would you be kind and since we come at this time of celebration.

Please share from your from your prosperity. Whatever you feel is fair.

The men convey the message and then they step back and wait for the answer. This is a moment of decision. Nabel makes it quickly. Who is this fellow day. He says in insulting tone. Verse 10 Nabel sneered to the young man who does this is the son of Jesse think he is. There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters should I take my bread, and in my water and my meat that I slaughtered from my shearers noticed all the first person pronouns me by my mind mind and shared with you. You come from who knows where. Get out mode and listened without a word of response the young man returned. According to verse 12 and they told told David what Nabel had said. David loses it.

This is one of the things about David's put together as my dad would call it David's put together included rice moments will see it again later and we have seen it on occasion. In years past, studying his life.

Here is a moment where he throws all restraint to the wind and he looks over his shoulder and he says to his men. Put your swords on video script on their swords, including David and 400 of the 600 men began to gallop down the hillside toward the Of Nabel, you could picture it in your mind. 200 remained to guard their equipment from being stolen but it's 401 warriors with murder on their minds are underway to Nabel's Down that hill, David is thinking all the wrong counsel's when I get the Nabel cut his throat so quick you won't know until he sneezes. I am going to finish them off/of the pieces along with him.

Every one of the men in that In all of these warriors who were little blood thirsty anyway or ride along with them and they're making their way down.

In the meantime, the camera shifts from the hills to the tent recently meet for the first time the wise wife of Nabel. Her name is Abigail. Some of her servants come to her and they say you need to know what's happened is he Abigail knew nothing of the conversation. Nothing of the insulting response.

Of course knew nothing of David's plan to retaliate. She's just there with her servants and and they say to her. The these men had been very good to us and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us in back, day and night. They've they were like a wall protection to us and to our sheep. You need to know this and and to figure out what to do for this going to be trouble for our master and his whole family he so ill tempered.

No one can can even talk to him. He's history.

Abigail if you don't do something now look good to get realistic here, as many a wife who would say all suite mystery of life God moves in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform. Goodbye Mabel, not Abigail.

I'm convinced the thought didn't enter her mind.

She's lived with this fool all these years and she knows he's senseless, unreasonable associates to intervene wisely and graciously she sets up a plan now she puts together the first catering service ever recorded, and what a catering service. It is verse 18 Abigail wasted no time putting this. She doesn't pray he doesn't discuss it all on our own wisdom goes into action together 200 loaves of bread to wine skins full of wine, five sheep were slaughtered nearly a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins and 200 FIG takes what makes my jaws for reading that before lunch sounds great numbing.

She packed them on doggies and she said to her servants going ahead. I will I will follow you shortly noticed the closing words of this 19 verse look for yourself.

She didn't tell her husband Nabel when she was doing wisdom, he would never let her out of the tent to do what they're going to take and what she knew, that you can't reason with a fool like this by the way, I appreciate a number of you not yelling out a man that's that's very good because I know some of you are in marriages that are very strained. I understand your plight and I know that you admire Abigail and wish you were more like her.

She's a remarkable woman, not a sin recorded against her.

She's a center of course she is.

But in this it in. In this vignette she stands taller than anyone in the camp but away as she is preparing the meal, putting it together, arranging for the donkeys packing it up. She also puts together up a little special gift for David himself, and now the camera moves to the scene interesting a little bit like the David Goliath seen of of the earlier days when David was making his way to the revealing Goliath.

This stomping around the hillside of the opposite but the all the all the people are reversed. David is not coming down to do the killing and here's this woman alone on a donkey making her way up to meet this these galloping horses. These hungry men with murder on their minds. She was riding her doggy into a mountain ravine.

When she saw David and his men coming they've never met. There's been no no acquaintance before, and David is just been saying this and doing a lot of good it did to help his fellow we protected his flock in the wilderness and nothing we he owned was was lost or stolen. He has repaid me evil for good. My God strike me and killed me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning, I mean David means business.

He's a warrior. Remember he was not a fight, so to those ministering now, when Abigail saw David those men around him. Watch watch. She got off her doggy. She quickly got off the donkey and bowed low before him.

Imagine it. She fell at David's feet and said this is one of the great speeches preserved in Scripture I'm going to read it slowly, carefully, I accept all blame in this matter. My Lord, please listen to what I have to say I know Nabel is a wicked and ill tempered, in case you think she's in denial. Read that again she knows is wicked, she knows what she's got for a husband like every wife knows what years and every husband knows what he has and she says he's ill tempered delivery needs exiting these affluent, just as his name suggests, but but II never even saw them. The menu said I wasn't even aware of it. Now my Lord is surely as the Lord lives, and you yourself live since the Lord is kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hand. Let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabel and here's a present that I your servant have brought to you and in your young men.

Please forgive me if I've offended you in any way the Lord will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty you are fighting the Lord's battles and you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.

To put this on your record. By the way, how can you be a greater woman with a crockpot full of lands to and and you can smell it and she's got it right. Therefore she is not true. Get this, you get the closing words she's prepared all this while she prepared the meal even when you are traced by those who seek to kill you. That's referring to Saul and his is Army David still running from Saul. Saul madman trying to kill David jealous of him and she says you have those trying to kill you. Your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God noise of the sovereign God he can't touch you, David, your God's anointed you secure the treasure pot in his treasure pouch with the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling with the Lord is that all he promised in his big new leader of Israel. Don't let this be a blemish on your record, then your conscience will have to bear the staggering burden.

Needless bloodshed and vengeance with the Lord has done these great things for you. Please remember David Mell's reply to Abigail praise need to place our study on pause right here in the middle of the significant moment Chuck Swindoll is teaching from first Samuel 25, he titled today's message the integrity of a wise wife and to learn more about this ministry. Just visit insight world.org and then as we conclude this daily Bible study a make it a point to remind you this teaching series has never been heard on the daily broadcast. Although this program has been carried on radio stations for more than 42 years. We are blessed to offer a listening audience fresh new studies in God's word this longevity. This heritage is due in part to the faithful friends who financially sustain insight for living in fear among those who give. We are deeply grateful for your generosity. In fact, we represent thousands around the world to call and write to thank us, knowing that their gratitude is really directed toward you. We can provide insight for living without your faithful giving as God promised you to join the family of supporters today invite you to give your donation by calling us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/donate. And finally, as a complement to your worship experience in local church this coming Sunday morning. Remember you can also celebrate with Chuck Swindoll viewing the worship service of Stone Breyer Community Church online.

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