1Kings 11: 14-25 The Response

1Kings 11: 14-25 The Response

INTRODUCTION:

·       Things in life often catch us by surprise.  Radom events that appear to come out of nowhere can catch us off guard. 

·       Sometimes these random events can forever change or affect us for the rest of our lives.

·       We see this scenario lived out in Israel and its neighbors because of October 7^th.  Lives forever impacted. 

·       In our own lives, our childhoods and experiences can feel so challenging, and even grossly unfair. 

·       Where is God in all this evil and the pain that flows out of these events?

·       Where is God in your pain? 

SCENE 1: God up.  (14-25)

·       “the LORD raised up”, this phrase has not been used since the time of Judges.

The Lord raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, 17 but they did not listen to their judges. — Judges 2:16-17 (CSB)

·       The last time we read these words was God raising up someone to help Israel.  This time God is raising something completely different.  This is turning point in Israel’s history. 

·       “enemy” – an adversary one who opposes.  Same root word in Hebrew where we get Satan. 

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE:  God can use evil against itself to accomplish his good purposes.

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result ​— ​the survival of many people. Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.  — Genesis 50:19-21 (CSB)

Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him — Acts 2:23 (CSB)

1.     the Edomite.

o   Edomites had a long history of hostility against Israel (Numbers 20, 1Samuel 14)

o   “Hadad” – name of the ancient Semitic false storm god. 

o   He was an Edomite prince. 

o   “killed every male in Edom” probably 2Samuel 8. 

o   2Samuel 8 judgement like what happened in Egypt years ago. 

Pharaoh then commanded all his people, “You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live.” — Exodus 1:22 (CSB)

o   Like Moses, Hadad was raised in the King of Egypt’s house. 

o   Also like Moses, Hadad asks to leave Egypt, but receives resistance. 

o   Hadad’s story extends way before Solomon was even king, but was part of God’s plan none the less.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: “Hadad’s story is profound.  It teaches us to see that there are consequences in life and human history beyond our normal understanding of cause and effect.  The consequences that really matter do not rise simply from the laws of nature and probability. There are consequences because God is sovereign.” John Woodhouse[1]

2.     son of Eliada.

o   Rezon’s story mirrors David’s. 

o   He also was a servant to a king and was forced to flee.

o   Also, like David, he gathered men to himself.

o   Rezon also ended up becoming a king. 

o   Rezon “loathed” Israel.  (To abhor, disgusted by to the point of anxiety or weariness).  Deep inner hatred.

EMERALD CITY:

1.     God will use from your past for his good purposes.

o   He will rescue you from the eternal consequences of evil you have done.

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. — 2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB)

o   God will the evil (and the pain it caused) inflicted on you.

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result ​— ​the survival of many people. Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.  — Genesis 50:19-21 (CSB)

2.     Do you have some “evil” that you need God to deal with?