1. powerpoint presentation designed by claro ruiz vicente http://clarovicente.weebly.com Adult Bible Study Guide Oct Nov Dec 2010 Adult Bible Study Guide Oct Nov Dec 2010

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4. Background Characters in the Old Testament Contents 1. Story and History 2. Caleb: Living With the Wait 3. Hannah: Learning to Be Someone 4. Jonathan: Born for Greatness 5. Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances 6. Uriah: Faith of a Foreigner 7. Abiathar: The Priest 8. Joab: David’s Weak Strongman 9. Rizpah: The Influence of Faithfulness 10. The Man of God: Obedience is Not Optional 11. The Widow of Zarephath: The Leap of Faith 12. Gehazi: Missing the Mark 13. Baruch: Building a Legacy in a Crumbling World

5. Background Characters in the Old Testament Our Goals {181} T o “learn things that can help us to write a different and better story for ourselves.” To “read Scripture afresh, looking beyond the obvious to discover the joy of learning new truths from God’s Word.” To “remember the power of our own lives and examples.”

6. Background Characters in the Old Testament Lesson 5, October 30 Background Characters in the Old Testament Lesson 5, October 30 Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances

7. Key Text Proverbs 14:33 NKJV W isdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, but what is in the heart of fools is made known.”

8. Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances Initial Words {235} H ave you ever felt a victim of circumstances? In the time of Abigail and Nabal, marriages were prearranged, and so Abigail probably had no choice in the matter. Circumstances seemed to speak against her in such a marriage as this. Conditions were not favorable, but in the glimpse that we are given into the life of Abigail, we are encouraged not to become victims of circumstances.

9. Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances Quick Look 1. Married to FOOLISH Nabal (1 Samuel 25:2-3) 2. “Mediatrix” Between FIGHTING Men (1 Samuel 25:32-33) 3. Married to FUGITIVE David (1 Samuel 25:40, 42)

10. Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances 1. Married to Foolish Nabal 1 Samuel 25:2-3 NKJV T here was a man…[who] was very rich. … The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings.”

11. 1.Married to Foolish Nabal Someone Who Will Listen {236} N abal is unaware totally of whom he is dealing with. Nabal is so self-centered and conceited that he is unable or unwilling to listen to his servants [who] have lived near David’s men and know that they are a fighting force to be reckoned with. The servants recognize that their master “is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.” And so they turn to someone who will listen—Abigail.

12. Abigail does more than listen; she acts. Abigail does not just send the gifts off and then wait to see what happens. She saddles up and rides to meet David. Despite being married to an overbearing and rash man, she has not allowed him to crush her spirit. She still holds to her sense of self- worth and is ready to risk her life in order to protect her household. 1.Married to Foolish Nabal Actions Speaks Louder Than Words {238}

13. Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances 2. “Mediatrix” Between Fighting Men 1 Samuel 25:32-33 NKJV T hen David said to Abigail: ‘Blessed be the L ORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 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.’ ”

14. 2. “Mediatrix” Between Fighting Men A Time to Talk {240} I ntercession is marked by one common denominator: the person interceding must closely identify with the person he or she is interceding for. The person must be willing to put aside his or her own selfish interests and ask for what would be best for someone else. Abigail could have seen this threat on Nabal’s life as a way of getting rid of her husband and regaining her freedom.

15. 2. “Mediatrix” Between Fighting Men A Time to Talk {240} Perhaps the very best form of intercession is intercessory prayer. We pray for people who are unable or unwilling to pray for themselves. It is in praying for others that we realize the immense compassion that God has for us. We can learn how to bless those who curse us and pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:28).

16. 2. “Mediatrix” Between Fighting Men What Abigail Won’t Do {242} She does not give herself credit but sees herself simply as God’s instrument in changing David’s mind. She reminds him that he is to fight the Lord’s battles and not waste his time and energy in seeking revenge for personal insults. Abigail’s speech shows that wisdom can be found in any life situation in which we surrender ourselves to God.

17. 1 Samuel 25:40, 42 NKJV T he servants of David came to Abigail…saying, ‘David…ask you to become his wife.’ So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens…and became his wife.” Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances 3. Married to Fugitive David

18. No Fairy Tale Life {244} A bigail’s life was no fairy tale, even after her marriage to David. Abigail was David’s second wife, and he had to be constantly on the run from King Saul. At Ziklag she, along with the other men’s families, was captured by the Amalekites and later rescued.

19. 3. Married to Fugitive David No Fairy Tale Life {244} We would all expect to see this wise and beautiful woman at King David’s side, playing an important role as David’s story develops further, but there’s only silence. All we know about her further is that she had a son named Daniel or Chileab, who was second in line to the throne by birth order. However, both Abigail and her son disappear from the picture.

20. Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances Final Words {244} A s followers of Jesus, our lives are not necessarily fairy tales, either. God knows the end from the beginning, and so all the turns of our lives do not need to make sense to us. We need, instead, to trust in the goodness of God.