First Samuel 25 Anger and Restraint

Objectives

Cognitive Objectives

• Students will be able to describe the ways in which Nabal wronged David.
• Students will be able to describe David's anger including why he was angry and how he initially intended to respond to his anger.
• Students will be able to describe how David responded to Abigail's call for restraint.

Affective Objectives

• Students will relate David's feelings of anger to times in which they were angry over wrongs committed against them.
• Students will consider how they have reacted to anger in the past and how those reactions have felt.
• Students will be confident that God alone is the judge.

Theme

• David may have had good reason to be angry with Nabal but chose to act with discretion and allowed God to judge Nabal. God chose to judge Nabal and bless David. Anger itself is not necessarily wrong but the way in which we act upon that anger can be wrong.

Introduction

• What examples can you think of where a character from the Bible became angry or needed to deal with anger?
  • Cain and Abel
  • Joseph and his brothers
  • Moses and the rock

Main Body

What follows is a series of questions together with answers that can be used to lead a discussion of First Samuel 25. The purpose of these questions is to bring out key aspects of the narrative.

Introducing Nabal

The Man (v. 2-3)

• According to verse 2, was Nabal a wealthy man?
  • Nabal was a very wealthy man
• How does verse 3 compare and contrast each of Nabal and Abigail?
  • Verse 3 describes Nabal as harsh and badly behaved but it describes Abigail as discerning and beautiful. The word for discerning is that of someone with good sense. In other words, Abigail was the sort of person who made good decisions. In contrast to Abigail, Nabal is described as someone who is harsh and badly behaved.

The Situation (v.4-9)

• What action does David take in verses 4 and 5?
  • David sent men to go and make a request of Nabal.
• What request did David's men make?
  • David's men asked for some undisclosed amount of food.

The Offense (v.10-12)

• How does Nabal respond to David's request in verse 10?
  • Nabal essentially mocks David claiming that he and his men are nothing more than a rogue band of men who have broken away from their master.
• What was Nabal's answer to David's request?
  • Nabal said no.
• What do verses 15 and 16 teach us about what David had done for Nabal?
  • The verses indicate that David and his men had provided special protection for Nabal and his estate.

Offended

The Initial Reaction (v. 13-17)

• How did David respond to Nabal's answer?
  • David told his men to prepare for battle
• How did Nabal's men respond to Nabal's answer to David?
  • Nabal's people realized that Nabal had done wrong and told Abigail of the problem.

The Plan (v. 18-22)

• What plan does Abigail set in motion in verses 18-19?
  • Abigail prepared food to go and try to appease David.
• According to verses 20-22, what had David, in his anger, decided to do?
  • In his anger David had decided to kill Nabal and all the males in his house.

Diffusion

The Humble Response (v.23-27)

• What actions did Abigail take that indicate humility in her approach to diffusing the situation?
  • Bowed down
  • Asked that the guilt be charged to her
  • Acknowledged Nabal's worthlessness
  • Elevated David

The Hope of Promise (v.28-29)

• What does Abigail remind David of?
  • God had promised David a sure house
  • God would fight David's battles.
  • God would provide for David's righteousness

The Importance of Innocence (v.30-31)

• What reasons does Abigail give for David to restrain himself?
  • Abigail wants David to have a clear conscience
  • Abigail wants notes that David should not try to work his own salvation.

Judgement

The Judge (v.38-39)

• According to verses 38 and 19, who judges Nabal?
  • God judges Nabal

The Blessing (v.42)

• How does God bless David?
  • God provides David with a wife.