Then the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, a member of Edom’s royal family, to be Solomon’s adversary. Years before, David had defeated Edom. Joab, his army commander, had stayed to bury some of the Israelite soldiers who had died in battle. While there, they killed every male in Edom. Joab and the army of Israel had stayed there for six months, killing them. But Hadad and a few of his father’s royal officials escaped and headed for Egypt. (Hadad was just a boy at the time.) They set out from Midian and went to Paran, where others joined them. Then they traveled to Egypt and went to Pharaoh, who gave them a home, food, and some land. Pharaoh grew very fond of Hadad, and he gave him his wife’s sister in marriage—the sister of Queen Tahpenes. She bore him a son named Genubath. Tahpenes raised him in Pharaoh’s palace among Pharaoh’s own sons. When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David and his commander Joab were both dead, he said to Pharaoh, “Let me return to my own country.” “Why?” Pharaoh asked him. “What do you lack here that makes you want to go home?” “Nothing,” he replied. “But even so, please let me return home.” God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada as Solomon’s adversary. Rezon had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah, and had become the leader of a gang of rebels. After David conquered Hadadezer, Rezon and his men fled to Damascus, where he became king. Rezon was Israel’s bitter adversary for the rest of Solomon’s reign, and he made trouble, just as Hadad did. Rezon hated Israel intensely and continued to reign in Aram.
1 Kings 11:14-25
Dear God, I suppose that we all end up with obstacles to overcome in our lives that may or may not be our fault. In this case, Solomon has some enemies that are the collateral damage from how he became kind of such a powerful nation. They were bitter men. What I find interesting is that Pharaoh seems to be playing both sides, to some extent. He gave Hadad his sister-in-law in marriage, but he gave his daughter to Solomon. Wouldn’t it be interesting to get this story from Pharaoh’s perspective.
As for me, I suppose there will always be obstacles for me to overcome, some of my own making and some not. I think the call that you put on me is that I would simply be faithful to you and obey your commands. And sometimes I do that. But sometimes I fail. I judge. I covet, I lust. I create idols. I allow lethargy to overcome me. I’m sorry for all of that.
Father, help me to take my eyes off of my path, my enemies, my obstacles, and my successes and to simply gaze at you. Help me to die to my ego. I hope that I’m able to do all of that without you having to go to too drastic of measures in my life. But regardless of what you have to do, give me the path you need my life to take so that your will might be done and your kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.
In Jesus’s name I pray,
Amen
Emails to God 