Biblical definition of peace:
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Character Study:
Abigail – 1 Samuel 25 – 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 3:1
She was a sensible and beautiful woman, married to Nabal (his name means foolish or senseless) a descendant of Caleb, who was crude and mean in all his dealings. She marries David after Nabal’s death. She also had a son: Kileab (Daniel) 1 Samuel 25:32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. v33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.
Abigail is known for her:
Wisdom and reason:
1 Samuel 25:1-17 After the death of Samuel David moved to the wilderness of Maon. When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, he sent ten men to see whether Nabal would give them some provisions as David’s men had protected his shepherds and sheep while they were sheep-shearing at Carmel. Nabal rudely refused to give them anything. When David’s men reported this to him, David put on his sword and instructed his men to “put on their swords.” 400 men went with David to confront Nabal. Meanwhile, Nabal’s servants immediately went to Abigail to report what had happened. She was the source of wisdom and reason in the household.
Decisiveness to take action
1 Samuel 25:18-19 She wasted no time and loaded enough food for David’s men on donkeys.
Courage
1 Samuel 25:20-22 It must have taken courage to ride on a donkey towards David who was ready to take revenge for the way his men had been treated.
Submission
1 Samuel 25:23-25 When she meets David she quickly gets off her donkey and bows down before him. She takes the blame for Nabal’s rudeness
Intercessor/Peacemaker
1 Samuel 25:26-35 She not only intercedes on behalf of Nabal, but she also promotes peace in David’s heart when she reminds him how foolish it would be to take revenge on a “Fool”. Abigail reminds David that it was the LORD that had kept him from taking vengeance into his own hands.
Restraint
1 Samuel 25:36-42 On her return home she found Nabal holding a banquet, he was in high spirits and very drunk. She told him nothing until the next day. When she told him the next morning “his heart failed him and he became like a stone.” He died ten days later. After Nabal’s death, David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.
What the Bible teaches about peace:
Old Testament:
Genesis 26:26-31 King Abimelech came to visit Isaac with a request to enter into a sworn treaty with him, to not interfere with each other. Isaac prepared a covenant feast to celebrate the treaty. The next morning they each took a solemn oath to not interfere with each other and when Isaac returned home they left him in peace.
Leviticus 7:11-21 Leviticus is a book written by Moses while the Israelites were wandering in the desert, before entering the Promised Land. God revealed to Moses numerous religious, civil and moral laws that they had to follow. One of the laws was “The Peace Offering” also called “The Fellowship Offering.
Judges 6:1-24 Gideon was the fifth judge of Israel. Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD. We see that the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon telling him to rescue Israel from the Midianites. When Gideon realizes he had seen an angel of the LORD he became afraid, v23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. (in Hebrew – Yahweh Shalom).
Psalm 29:1-11 In this Psalm we read how God reveals His great power in nature. When we allow God to be in control of our lives, He will give us both the peace and the strength to weather the storms of life.
Isaiah 26:1-21 God revealed to Isaiah that people will praise God on the day when Christ establishes His Kingdom. It is a passage of trust, praise and meditation.
New Testament:
Matthew 5:9 In the Beatitudes/Sermon on the Mount Jesus says those who work for peace will be called “children of God.” In this world of chaos we who are called children of God, pursue peace and we are not concerned by the chaos around us.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. This peace that Jesus is talking about is having a confident assurance that no matter what our circumstances or situations are, with the peace of Christ we can face our fears whether it is at present or in the future.
Romans 15:1-13 In this passage we are called to please others. Those believers who are strong ought to bear with those who are weak; help others to do what is right and build them up in the Lord. As we follow Christ, God will give us endurance, encouragement and a spirit of unity amongst ourselves; we need to accept one another as Christ accepted us, to bring praise to God. Just as Christ became a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so we as Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy.
Philippians 4:4-8 As we saw in John 14:27, the peace of God is not the same peace that we experience in the world. It is so wonderful to know that, because God is in control, we can let God’s peace guard our hearts against anxiety!
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. This verse makes it clear that we are to pursue peace as we become more Christ-like.
Application:
James 4:1-3 aptly says that for us to have peace we need to submit ourselves to God.
Why do we not have peace all the time? Conflicts such as quarrels and fights are evident among believers. We desire that we want more money, status and possessions. When we don’t get what we want, we usually sulk or look for arguments to get it. Instead, we should ask God to help us and trust Him to give us what we need.
What do we need to do to obtain peace?
Psalm 119:165 We need to obey God’s law of love.
Be a peacemaker
Proverbs 16:7 Being a peacemaker is not always easy, because we want people to approve of what we are doing. Even if we fail at being a peacemaker, we can be sure that God will be pleased with our efforts.
Having the peace of God.
Romans 5:1 How wonderful to know that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace is not the peace of being calm or tranquil. This peace is to know that we have been reconciled with God because Jesus paid the price for our sins on the Cross.
Conclusion:
2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
Responding in Prayer:
Read Psalm 34:1-22 – A prayer for peace in times of trouble.
This Psalm was written by David when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who then sends him away.
When you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances or situations, come to the Lord in prayer and He promises that He will give you the peace that surpasses all understanding! Philippians 4:7
Journal – Scripture/Prayers/Thoughts: