What lessons on obedience can we learn from Hadad's journey in 1 Kings 11:18? Setting the Scene • 1 Kings 11 describes how the LORD “raised up an adversary against Solomon” (v.14). Hadad the Edomite is that adversary. • Verse 18 captures Hadad’s formative trek: “Hadad and a number of Edomites from his father’s servants had set out from Midian and went to Paran, taking men with them from Paran and proceeding to Egypt—to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, food, and land.” Tracing the Journey 1. Midian → Paran → Egypt: a demanding desert route, hundreds of miles on foot. 2. Hadad is “still a boy” (v.17); adult servants guide him. 3. The Lord silently oversees each stage, arranging protection and eventual provision through a pagan Pharaoh. What Obedience Looks Like in Hadad’s Story • Obedience often begins young – Like Hadad, children can learn to follow godly direction early (cf. Proverbs 22:6). – Abraham obeyed as soon as God spoke, launching a lifelong pattern (Hebrews 11:8). • Step-by-step faithfulness, not full-map certainty – Midian to Paran to Egypt: one segment at a time. – Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us that the Lord “will make your paths straight” as we trust, not after we see every detail. • Wise guidance matters – Hadad submits to the servants who know the way. Godly mentors still guard us from ruin (Hebrews 13:7). • God provides in unlikely places – A pagan Pharaoh supplies “house, food, and land.” The wilderness never outruns God’s provision (Deuteronomy 8:2-4; Philippians 4:19). • The wilderness shapes character – Crossing barren Paran tests endurance and dependence. Israel’s own desert trek proved the same lesson: live “by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Warnings from Hadad’s Later Choices • Material blessing is no substitute for heart obedience – Though preserved and prospered, Hadad later returns to plague Solomon out of revenge (1 Kings 11:21-25). – Selective obedience—using God’s gifts for personal vendetta—leads to conflict, not peace (James 4:1). • Partial obedience is still disobedience – Solomon’s story in the same chapter (vv.9-13) shows how ignoring any part of God’s word provokes discipline. – “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). Take-Home Applications • Cultivate obedience early and daily; small steps prepare us for larger tests. • Trust God for the next waypoint rather than demanding the full itinerary. • Seek and submit to righteous counsel; no one crosses the wilderness alone. • Expect God’s provision, even through unexpected channels. • Guard your motives—obedience fueled by pride or bitterness morphs into rebellion. • Finish well; the blessings that begin in obedience should end in God-honoring service, not self-advancement (2 Timothy 4:7). |
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