Abigail, a Type and Shadow of Jesus Christ

The story of Abigail, Nabal and David in 1 Samuel 25 teaches forgiveness and repentance.

David felt insulted and challenged by Nabal. Nabal's wife, Abigail heard of what had happened and recognized that something bad may happen between David and Nabal. She gathered all that David may have thought was owed him from Nabal and perhaps more. She hurried to meet David who was on the road to get to Nabal.

And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
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I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid
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And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.
1 Samuel 25:23-24, 28, 32-33)

Abigail is a type or shadow of Christ in this story. She goes to David and says "forgive the trespass of thine handmaid" She comes between the offender and the offended and takes the role of the offender.  David recognizes that Abigail did nothing to offend him. He sees that she has all the he felt was owed to him. He freely forgives her and Nabal as well.

That is what Christ does for us. He comes between the sinner and the sinned against. He offers to pay the full price. The offender and the offended are offered the most precious of gifts, forgiveness.

And it is not only material recompense Jesus offers. He can heal our souls. He offers the balm of Gilead. We can be made whole. He offers every good gift. He gives all that He has. And asks that we, the forgiven, to do the same.