INTRODUCTION

Review of Study 1

--- overview ... survey of what the Bible has to say about Anger

--- various phases of Anger

--- eph 4:26-27

Anger is God-Given, not necessarily sinful

Safeguards against having our anger explode into sin

--- Illustrations of Sinful Anger

--- How to deal with Sinful Anger

Read 1 Samuel 25:2-17

--- lessons / principles on

what causes Anger?

what should we do when provoked to Anger?

what should we do when Anger overtakes us?

--- chapter highlights ... see p3 Reference Materials

main characters: David, Nabal, Abigail

the plot

--- surrounding background ... see p4 Reference Materials

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

ASIDE FROM DAVID WE HAVE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS:

Nabal a big time businessman from Carmel ... very rich: he had a solid gold flock ... 3000 sheep, a thousand goats ... (V2)

Abigail Nabal's wife ... intelligent, beautiful ... clear thinking, wise ... (V3)

--- a rare woman ... blending inner and outer beauty ... (pro 31)

--- she is the one real blessing in the otherwise barren life of Nabal, the fool

that's what his name literally means in Hebrew ... he is well known as a fool (see v17: the way he is spoken of by one of his shepherds) ...

and he is an even bigger fool from God's eyes, as we see the narrative unfold, we see him live his life as though there were no God

the plot revolves around Nabal's rejection in vv10-13 of David's request for payment ... for services rendered

SURROUNDING BACKGROUND

God takes away all of David's crutches, gradually yet systematically ... review so as to catch the full impact of chap. 25

1 sam 19:8-10 David's military position as head of Saul's army is taken away

( see: 1 sam 18:5 )... up to this point, this must have been David's biggest crutch ... it entitled him to enormous power and prestige

1 sam 19:18 fleeing from Saul, David goes to his mentor 1 sam 19:19,22Samuel ... but he is forced to flee when Saul discovers their hiding place in Naoith ... another crutch, Samuel taken away

1 sam 20:1-5 from Naoith, David flees to his closest friend Jonathan ... here we see him bewildered and emotionally distraught ... what have I done? ... what is my iniquity? ... he asks ( v1 )

but now in mortal fear for his life, David is forced to leave even the emotional comfort of Jonathan's friendship ... one more crutch gone

1 sam 21:10-13 from Ramah, he desperately flees to Goliath's hometown, Gath

there he hits rock bottom ... greatly fearing Achish, the King, he is driven to lose even his self-respect ...he pretends he is insane ... scribbling on the doors of the gate .... letting his saliva run down his beard ...

his very last crutch, his self-respect ... even that is taken away first God prepares and shapes David's character into steel ... then in what must have been one of the darkest points of his life, God graciously gave him a ministry ... he becomes leader to a host of weakened and despairing men ... turning them around into strong reliable warriors

1 sam 22:2 400 men ... those in distress ... those in debt ... those discontented ... gather to him ... he becomes captain to them

1 sam 23:13 rising to the challenge ... David leads the group ... they increase from 400 to 600

plot unfolds:

--- under David's leadership, the 600 malcontents from the cave of Adullam have become a tight knit, efficient band of guerrillas ... special forces roaming the Wilderness of Paran protecting shepherds from raids of predatory hill tribes

this brings us right into 1 sam 25

1 sam 25:4 from the wilderness David hears Nabal has begun to shear his sheep ... the long awaited time to convert the precious wool into cash had finally come

1 sam 25:5-6 David says to his men: go up to Carmel ... greet Nabal in my name ... say to him peace to you and your whole household

1 sam 25:7-8 then graciously ask him to give you whatever he feels is fair for the protection we gave his flock during all the time they were exposed and at peril in the wilderness

--- scholars tell us that during those times, it was customary for flock owners to give a portion of his profit to those who helped protect his shepherds from marauding tribes

--- not unlike our current custom of tipping waiters or hotel housekeeping staff 1 sam 25:10-13 the dramatic point of conflict ... not only does Nabal spurn David's gracious plea ... he insults him and his men

v10: who is David that I should pay heed to him, he says:

--- adding insult to injury, he adds: there are many worthless refugees going around these days

--- the way he said it must have cut deep into David ... dredging up his wounded ego ... the same one only so recently bruised and battered by the loss of everything he held dear

note David's reaction in v13 ... gird your swords ...

WHAT CAUSES ANGER?

in David's case, it was the blatant disregard and denial of what was rightfully his and his men

--- compensation rightly due them according to prevailing customs

psychologists variously tell us anger is often caused by wounded pride

--- it is the natural, even compulsive reaction of anyone who has been violated

CSLewis, an Oxford University Don, ... renowned intellectual and professor ... one of the finest thinkers ever produced by the Christian world ... who said it so clearly

--- anger comes when rights, whether real or merely perceived, are denied ... whichever of the two it doesn't matter ...

illustration:

--- have you ever had the experience of driving down the expressway during rush hour? ... with cars and buses practically bumper to bumper?

from your rear view mirror you see this huge 60 footer bus practically on top of you ... flashing his headlights as though there is an emergency ... but you've seen this often enough to know it's no emergency ... he just wants you to get out of his way !

--- I used to get raging mad whenever that happened ... what if I suddenly had to step on the brakes? ... why, he would be on top of me, crunching me from behind in a matter of seconds

--- thinking this through, I realized I was angry because he was bullying me ... not just because he was blatantly violating some impersonal traffic rule or safety principle ... this was personal ... he was violating my rights ... how dare he do that !

anger comes when rights, valid or perceived are denied ... whichever of the two doesn't matter

--- as I look back to my own experience, what I clearly recall are those times I lost my temper because I wasn't given the recognition or respect I felt I was entitled to ... or those times my right of way was violated

--- one thing is sure, I get angry when my rights are set aside ... I get really angry when I am treated shabbily ... when I am not given even the courtesy that I feel I am entitled to

such was the case with David ... so it is with us today

WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN PROVOKED?

HOW DAVID REACTED UNDER PROVOCATION

1 sam 25:10-13 Nabal's belligerence and insults boil David's blood

1 sam 25:14-19 Abigail, Nabal's wife, is dutifully brought into the picture by one of the shepherds ... learning how David and his men graciously protected the flock in the wilderness, she quickly goes about preparing to salvage the situation

1 sam 25:20-22 we see an extremely agitated David ... he is livid, bristling and raging mad

--- picture David, his rage barely controlled ... the venom of his anger now permeating his whole body ... you can practically feel his overpowering rage jump at you from the text

what has he been doing since his first spontaneous reaction in v13?

--- vv21-22: note his focus ... I have guarded ... he has returned me evil for good ... may God do to the enemies of David ...

David, brooding and dwelling on himself ... what was the result?

--- note how he has been fanning his now inflamed passions by brooding on the injustice done him?

--- see him recalling Nabal's rejection and insults, thinking them over and over in his mind ... how he has been unfairly taken advantage of ... how he has been ridiculed

--- see his self-pity building up ... feel his rage mounting until he can think of nothing but to viciously kill Nabal and his whole household with him

RECAP TO ANGER STUDIES UP TO THIS POINT

remember ... at times we do have valid cause to be angry ... if you do ... be angry ... do what you have to do, but do not dwell and focus on yourself ... do not allow your righteous indignation to turn into sin

remember also that your first, natural tendency will be to do just that ... to focus on yourself ... to keep the provocation in front of you ... don't do it! ... do not give the devil a foothold ... do not let righteous indignation turn into sin

but also remember: much of our anger stems not from a violation of God's righteousness or of settled righteous convictions but from a violation of our own personal turf and " rights "

WHAT TO DO WHEN ANGER OVERTAKES YOU

what are you to do when sinful anger is already fully upon you? ... pick up the narrative ...

1 sam 25:14-19 Abigail is brought into the picture by one of Nabal's shepherds

1 sam 25:15-16 he confirms the invaluable service they willingly received from David and his men in the wilderness

1 sam 25:17 knowing Nabal, he wisely brings the problem directly to Abigail

1 sam 25:18-20 Abigail is a picture of frenzied activity ... preparing to intercept David, she carefully maps out moves to recover her husband's desperate situation

1 sam 25:23-25 she puts her carefully considered plan into action ... notice that she first disarms David by humbly offering to be her worthless husband's shock absorber

vv26-31 is the key to the whole chapter ... we see in Abigail's inspired appeal to David two timeless and precious truths that teach us what to do when we are overtaken by anger ... when our temper threatens to consume whatever little self-control still remains

two very clear principles

--- take your eyes off yourself and fix them on God

--- watch your witness

TAKE YOUR EYES OFF YOURSELF AND FIX THEM ON GOD

Abigail's first strategic move is pure inspiration ... note how deftly she pries David's eyes away from his wounded pride ... away from his self-pity ... how she redirects David's focus towards God

1 sam 25:26 she credits God with restraining David's avenging hand thus far

--- this must have momentarily stilled David's raging heart ...

--- pictures of how he had just recently refused to lift his sword against Saul, vulnerable and helpless as he relieved himself in the cave (chap 24), suddenly come rushing back to him

--- he remembers what made all that possible ... he remembers that it was because his focus was on God (1 sam 24:6) that he effortlessly restrained his sword in the cave

1 sam 25:27-29 sensing that she has struck a sensitive cord, Abigail presses home her point

--- notice that the appeal is entirely God centered

--- the Lord will make for you an enduring house ... for you are fighting His battles ... by the Lord you will be preserved with the living ... even as He does the exact opposite for your enemies

pure inspiration ... this is the surefire antidote to anger ... take your eye off yourself ... pry them away from your wounded pride and self-pity ... look at the situation from God's eyes

--- ask yourself why has God ... who loves you ... who makes no mistakes ... who is perfect control ... why has He allowed this monstrous violation of my rights to happen?

--- what is His purpose?

how can I line myself up with that purpose?

--- what does this mean in practical terms? ... to pry our eyes from ourselves and to fix them on God may mean to give up our rights ... not an easy thing to do but it is the key

WATCH YOUR WITNESS

Abigail's second strategic move is no less inspired ... look at how she tactfully reminds David he is next in line to the throne of Israel ... then quickly draws for him what that implies

1 sam 25:30 it shall come about, my Lord will do as He promised ... He shall appoint you King of Israel

1 sam 25:31 then immediately she reminds David ... that means you must be above reproach ... above even the slightest hint that you shed blood without cause

this very same principle was invoked by Paul in 1 cor 6

1 cor 6:7 Paul is aghast ... what? ... you have lawsuits with one another?

--- is there anything that justifies that? ... can you imagine what that says to the unbelievers around you?

--- why not instead be wronged?

--- why not instead be defrauded?

no violation of your rights ... or of any principle, however lofty ... will ever justify the compromise of your witness to others

--- sobering reminder ... the stakes to which the witness of our lives are tied are eternal in both nature and magnitude

--- we are given no choice ... better be wronged ... better to be defrauded than compromise your witness in the process of seeking redress for any violation of your rights

--- this is a principle easily stated but just as easily forgotten ... think about it, how many times has someone been turned away from the Saviour because your mouth said one thing but your angry body language said another?

RECAP TO ANGER STUDIES UP TO THIS POINT

anger inevitably comes when our rights, whether real or merely perceived are denied

awareness is half the battle

--- I get angry when my rights are set aside ... I get really angry when I am treated shabbily and denied even the basic courtesies due me

--- this was true of David ... it is no less true of you and me

when provoked

--- we must be careful not to brood and dwell over our wounded pride ... do not allow yourself to wallow in self-pity

--- be angry, yet do not sin

do what you must do ... clarify, correct, seek redress ... but do not let your righteous indignation degenerate into sin

--- but remember: it is better to be wronged ... better to be defrauded than to compromise your witness in the process of seeking redress

when already angry

--- take your eyes off yourself and fix them on God

--- look at the situation from God's eyes

what is His purpose?

how can I line up under that purpose

--- give up your rights ... look at the situation from God's eyes

THE TEMPTATION IS NEW EVERYDAY

the episode comes right at the heels of one of David's spiritual high points

--- in chapter 23, in the Cave of Adullam, we see how he learned to wait on the Lord

--- in chapter 24 we see how he refused to lift his sword against Saul because he was anointed of the Lord

--- yet so shortly after these lofty spiritual peaks, we see his self-control go to pieces after a few insulting words from a fool of a man like Nabal

--- one minute we see a cool, calm, collected David ... the very next we see him raging, bent on violence and murder

David's dilemma is our dilemma too, isn't it? ... our anger is never too far beneath the surface ... everyday the temptation to blow it assaults us

what are we to do? ... like David, everyday we must offer a new prayer to God ... everyday we must ask afresh for grace to be delivered from the snare of lurking sin

LOOK FOR THE ABIGAILS GOD SENDS

you remember 1 cor 10:13? ... one of the first verses we all memorize ... what does it say? ... no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man ... and with the temptation He will provide a way of escape also ...

--- do you realize that God's way of escape could be people?

--- as Abigail was obviously a God-send to David here, many times He will send us our own Abigails