Women in the Bible – Abihail – mother of Zuriel, chief of the house of Merari

Women in the Bible – Abihail – mother of Zuriel, chief of the house of Merari

Numbers 3:33-37 (ESV) To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. And the chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.

When you are young many things go through your mind. Thoughts of what could be. How will you spend your life? What accomplishments will mark your path through this world? Abihail’s life was spent in the wilderness. She most likely was born during the captivity of Egypt. Life as a slave girl was not easy. Her Hebrew name, ʾabîhayil, which means “father (i.e. possessor) of might” indicated she may have had a strong will that would help her through some very difficult times.

She crossed the Red Sea on dry land. She saw the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. She went out each day and gathered manna for her family during their years in the wilderness. As part of the band of Hebrews travelling through the wilderness their days were pretty much the same. She was married to someone from the Tribe of Levi, and thus served in the priesthood and tended to the Tabernacle. Specifically, they were responsible for “the frames of the Tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords. ”There is no way Abihail could have ever imagined she would be part of a crew that erected a tent in the wilderness day in and day out, traveling as nomads. I can totally identify.

Growing up I never imagined I would be a computer programmer. There were no PCs, Macs, or any other form of personal computers. There were no gaming systems. I had never even seen a computer until I was in college. I took typing in high school, but every day in class I wondered why. “I’ll have a secretary. I don’t need to know how to type.” After my first year in college I worked with a band of brothers hauling hay. I worked on a pig farm. I learned to drive a tractor, back a trailer, slaughter a hog, and work a garden. None of these were ever on my “bucket list” as a child. It was not until years later that I understood, at least in part, why I had some of these life experiences. I was called to the Ministry of Helps. Most everything I learned came in handy when I went into full-time ministry.

Abihail probably knew how to do many things. Helping was probably at the top of that list. I imagine her being a source of encouragement and a steadfast rock for her children, husband, and others in the close family. Of course, we may never know fully what impact she had on the lives of those in her world. But, God mentioned her in His Book. I’m very glad. It lets me know that God knows the importance of those living a seemingly mundane existence. However, Abihail and her family played an important role in the development of a nation, Israel, that would one day produce the Messiah, Jesus, who would change everyone’s life forever.

Never underestimate the significance of your role in life. If you are a Believer, you have purpose. Your gifts and abilities are important to God, and needed by every other Believer. You are part of a Body. There are no “unneeded” parts of a body. Do what you do, and do it well, so that God will be glorified and you will be edified.

Even if it’s just putting up a tent!

Women in the Bible – Abigail – Wife of Nabal, Who Became a Wife of David After Nabal's Death

Women in the Bible – Abigail – Wife of Nabal, Who Became a Wife of David After Nabal's Death

1 Samuel 25:2-3 (ESV) And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.

We saw last time that the name Abigail comes from the Hebrew word ʾabîgal, which means “father (i.e. source) of joy.” We learn about this Abigail by reading the whole chapter of 1 Samuel 25. Her story is all too familiar.

Over the years I have been acquainted with other women that, who like Abigail, enable their husband’s bad behavior. On the short 1 block street where I lived as a young child there were at least three, maybe four men who were drunks. Even though I was young I remember seeing many times where the wives would intervene on behalf of their husbands to cover up their mistakes. It was a sad existence, but they did it to protect their household and their children. It was just normal life to them.

In the story cited in 1 Samuel, David (who would be king) and his men had been protecting the people of Israel without them even being aware of their presence. So was the case with Nabal. David and his men were hungry. He sent some of his men to Nabal to explain what they had been doing and asked if he would give them some food. He refused.

This infuriated David. He and his men prepared to go and smite Nabal and all of his household, killing all the men. Abigail heard of Nabal’s refusal from one of David’s young men. When she heard it she quickly gathered goods and hurried to meet David before he came to Nabal’s house.

Abigail was a good repenter. She probably had much practice going behind Nabal to clean up his messes. She knew of David’s reputation and acted quickly to prevent a catastrophic result.

1 Samuel 25:23-31 (ESV) When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, because the LORD has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. And when the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

David accepted her goods and her apology for her husband’s bad behavior, and returned home. When Abigail returned home she found her husband having a drunken party. Instead of telling him what she had done at that time, she waited until morning when he was sober. After Abigail told Nabal what she had done he apparently had a stroke or heart attack. The Bible says, “… his heart died within him and he became like a stone. He died ten days later.”

We are not told much about Abigail, like how many children she had, if any, or how long she had been married to Nabal. All we are told is “she was discerning and beautiful.” We clearly saw her discerning characteristics by the way she handled things with David. Apparently she was beautiful as described, because when David learned that Nabal had died, David sent for her to become his wife. She agreed.

We don’t know much more about this Abigail. One can imagine that she spent the rest of her years tending to David and possibly even playing a role in cleaning up some of his messes he created along the way.

Women in the Bible – Abigail – Mother of Amasa, Sister of David

Women in the Bible – Abigail – Mother of Amasa, Sister of David

1 Chronicles 2:16-17 (ESV) And their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three. Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite.

I enjoy watching certain TV shows. One of these is “Person of Interest.” The gist of the show tells of a computer system that is constantly scanning every action of every person (presumably on the planet) and alerting the authorities so they can intervene in matters of national security. It also has a “back door” program that notifies the systems designer with “irrelevant” people whose life is some way at risk.

The Bible is full of names. Many you have never heard because, quite frankly, their place in the historical events recorded in scripture is not very compelling, or “irrelevant” to the main storyline – Jesus reconciling man back to God. However, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at these folks and find out for myself their relevance. In my opinion, anyone mentioned in the Bible deserves to be considered. I do not believe there are any “wasted” words in the Bible.

The first name on the list is Abigail. There are two women mentioned in scripture that have this name. The first one we will consider is found in 1Chronicles 2. The name comes from the Hebrew word ʾabîgayil, which means “father (i.e. source) of joy.” Many of the “sisters” are never mentioned in scripture. It is possible that Abigail is mentioned because she was the daughter of Jesse, sister of David, who would one day be King of Israel.

Abigail had at least one child, a son named Amasa, which means “burden.” Abigail married a man named Jether the Ishmaelite, the father of Amasa. In 2 Samuel 17 Jether is referred to as Ithra the Israelite. There certainly seems to be a difference between the writers of the two books regarding the man’s name and family origin. I’ve read some documents about this written by folks above my pay grade. They assure us that it is not a discrepancy, simply an alternate form of the same name.

It would be very easy to invent a story line for Abigail. She could have lived a life similar to that of Lady Edith of Downton Abbey. In the TV show Edith had a child outside of marriage but was still loved by her father. The child grew up with the blessings that come with its station in life. The same may have been true for Amasa. We know from other references that Amasa was placed as a leader in the Israeli army under David. We also know that David considered him “bone of his bone.”

2 Samuel 17:24-26 (ESV) Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.

2 Samuel 19:13 (ESV) And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’”

David was king over Judah before he became king over all of Israel. He united the divided kingdom of Israel, but there was a price in doing so.

2 Samuel 20:4-13 (ESV) Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” And there went out after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.

And one of Joab’s young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

Abigail’s son, Amasa, died in service to King David. He gave all trying to bring together the factions of Israel. It reminds me of the movie Braveheart where William Wallace wages war with England to free his native land of Scotland. It also brings to mind many in both the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland who died trying to unite their homeland. Abigail, like many mothers of sons, suffered anguish because of the sacrifice of men on the battlefield. However, David made sure that Amasa’s death was vindicated. He killed Joab to avenge the death of his nephew, Amasa.

1 Kings 2:5 (ESV) “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.

1 Kings 2:32 (ESV) The LORD will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.

So much of Abigail’s life remains a mystery. I’m sure there are many stories of being part of the royal family that went untold. However, there was much anguish that came with that role as well. David’s family, especially his sons, caused him much grief in his reign as king.

Weapons for the Believer 5.8 and 5.9 – The Gifts of the Holy Spirit – Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues

Weapons for the Believer 5.8 and 5.9 – The Gifts of the Holy Spirit – Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues

According to Paul, there are weapons of warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We are considering ten weapons that the Believer has at their disposal. We looked at the first four in previous posts. If you haven’t read them I encourage you to do so.

The next weapons are referred to as The Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits,

Different Kinds of Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues.

When our faith intersects with the Spirit’s power, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished in those moments. I do not believe these are given permanently as some teach. I do not believe that some “posses” these gifts, but instead are given in the moment when needed. Consequently any or all of these may manifest in each Believer as the Spirit chooses.

There are nine gifts list by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12. Traditionally these have been divided into three groups: The Power Gifts, The Revelation Gifts, and The Speaking Gifts.

            The Power Gifts:                  Faith (or special faith, as some have described it)

                                                            Gifts of Healing (the only plural gift)

                                                            Working of Miracles

            The Revelation Gifts:          Word of Wisdom

                                                            Word of Knowledge

                                                            Discerning of Spirits

            The Speaking Gifts:                        Prophecy

                                                            Tongues

                                                            Interpretation of Tongues

Today we will look at the final two of these in more detail: Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues. You don’t see these gifts in operation much in the local church. At one time during the height of the Charismatic Renewal these gifts were seen in just about every service. I’m not sure what changed. I think because of some abuse of the gifts people became leery of them. Others considered them “uncouth” for the church. They are still as much a part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit as when Paul penned 1 Corinthians.

In essence, the combination of the two gifts, Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues, is equivalent to Prophecy. When one speaks in an unknown tongue in a public gathering only the one speaking is blessed unless someone interprets. When someone interprets the word given by the Holy Spirit through tongues it will bring edification, exhortation, and comfort.

Tongues are not used to “wage war” with the enemy. Because it is a language that only the Holy Spirit knows the devil or other evil spirit has no idea what you’re saying. The Gift of Tongues is for ministry to the Body of Christ, or can be used by the Holy Spirit as a sign to the unbeliever.

1 Corinthians 14:1-6 (ESV) Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

1 Corinthians 14:22 (ESV) Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

There is much confusion about tongues, primarily because the mainstream protestant, evangelical churches do not give place to them in their doctrine. Most will not categorically deny they exist, because they are mentioned in the New Testament many times. As I stated at the beginning, I believe it is because there has been much abuse of these, and other, Gifts of the Holy Spirit; mostly through ignorance. Others will place them on the back burner of their faith because of these words from Paul.

1 Corinthians 14:13-19 (ESV) Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

“I would rather speak five words with my mind …” That seals it for most. Why would we do something that is unfruitful? I have a different question. If Paul “spoke in tongues more than all of us” apparently he felt this activity worth his time. That should provoke us to find out more about this Gift that Jesus gave us after He ascended to Heaven. It must be pretty important. Why would Jesus send something that is of no value? He wouldn’t. That’s my point.

Before you throw the last two Gifts of the Holy Spirit out with yesterday’s news take some time to read through Acts and 1 Corinthians. It could open up a new world for you!