How does 1 Kings 11:15 illustrate consequences of disobedience to God's commands? Setting the Scene • 1 Kings 11 opens with Solomon’s clear violation of Deuteronomy 7:3–4 by marrying many foreign wives who “turned his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4). • In response, “the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary” (v. 14). Verse 15 explains why one particular adversary—Hadad the Edomite—burned with hostility. A Single Verse in Context “Earlier, when David was at war with Edom, Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, and he struck down every male in Edom.” (1 Kings 11:15) Disobedience Exposed • God had permitted Israel to subdue hostile nations (Deuteronomy 20:10–15), yet total extermination of a non-Canaanite people like Edom was never commanded. • Joab’s action—slaughtering “every male in Edom”—exceeded God’s revealed instructions. David did not restrain him (cf. 2 Samuel 3:39), reflecting a lapse in enforcing obedience. • Scripture consistently condemns unrestrained bloodshed (Genesis 9:6; Proverbs 6:16–17). Consequences Unfolding • A surviving royal son, Hadad, escaped to Egypt (1 Kings 11:17). Years later he returned as “an adversary” explicitly “raised up” by the LORD (v. 14)—divine retribution using historical grievance. • Solomon’s own apostasy intensified the judgment; God employed Hadad’s vendetta to discipline a now-wayward kingdom (Leviticus 26:17; Deuteronomy 28:25). • Thus 1 Kings 11:15 shows how past disobedience (Joab’s brutality, David’s failure to correct it) combines with present disobedience (Solomon’s idolatry) to produce long-lasting trouble. Sin’s harvest can ripen slowly but surely (Numbers 32:23; Galatians 6:7–8). Lessons for Today • Sin is never isolated. Unchecked rebellion plants seeds that may sprout in future generations (Exodus 34:7). • Excess beyond God’s command—even when cloaked in zeal—remains disobedience and invites judgment. • God’s faithfulness to His word means He will discipline His people for unrepentant sin, often through circumstances that mirror their transgression (Psalm 89:30–32; Hebrews 12:6). • Obedience preserves peace; disobedience opens the door to adversaries, conflict, and loss of blessing (Proverbs 13:15; Isaiah 48:18). |
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