When Someone Steps In

Jesus stepped in to atone for our sins on our behalf.   ~~~   Nabal’s greed and David’s need to avenge himself. This is the big problem we are presented with in 1 Samuel 25. How will this resolve? Turns out that one of Nabal’s men reports the whole situation to Abigail, the wise and beautiful wife of Nabal. This is the turning point of this story. So what is going to happen? David is fuming mad; taking matters into his own hand. And now he has Nabal’s wife bowing down at his feet. How easily, once again, it would have been to start administering justice right then and there. But knowing that perhaps her window of opportunity was closing, she began to speak, and it seems like she doesn’t take a breath until she finishes her speech. It is the longest recorded speech by a woman in the OT. Think about the risk involved in what she is doing. She doesn’t tell her husband; she’s traveling alone; she has no idea what David or his men might do to her. And her first words are words of atonement—“On me alone, my lord, be the guilt.” Here is an innocent woman who is willing to step in and take on the guilt of a prideful, harsh, and badly behaved man in order so that man might be saved from David’s wrath. I can’t help but be aware of the parallel to Jesus. What is it that confronts and is the only cure for my sinful behavior? Who is it that steps in, as an innocent party to assume the guilt that does not belong to Him, in order to absorb and extinguish my unrighteous, over-reactionary anger, bitterness, and hatred? Here in Abigail’s words and actions, riding in on a donkey, offering herself, and then a celebratory meal, we have an analogy to Christ—who rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, offers himself, and then gives us a memorial, celebratory meal to participate in. The actions of Abigail lay a preparatory foundation for us to see the beauty and need for atonement of our sin, and that when Jesus comes and offers himself, not just for one man’s sin (like Abigail), but for sin for all those who would believe Him. In this story we see hints and shadows that are only filled out and made clear in Jesus. And you would do well to pay fierce attention to the full story today if you are apart from Jesus Christ. This whole book we have before us, written by different authors over the course of a couple of thousands of years, has been given to us to tell us of one story, one hero, who has come to interrupt your life, to stop you in your tracks to see the dangerous path that you are headed down today if you do not heed His word to you—that if you continue in your sin, you will face in judgment the one who has the power to not only destroy your body but also your soul. And He will do it in complete justice and righteousness. But if you realize and confess and turn from your sin, and if your heart is being warmed towards Jesus, and you receive Jesus as your atoning sacrifice, you will be made new, cleansed, forgiven, adopted into his family, and given eternal life that begins right now.