Rebellion Brings Adversaries
And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. -1 Kings 11:14
For all the good that king Solomon did, he also had many wives and concubines, (roughly 1,000 of them), and his heart was turned away from the Lord. As a punishment, God told Solomon that He would tear the kingdom from him in the days of his son, and God began to bring difficulties into Solomon’s life. One such difficulty was that God stirred up opponents and adversaries to come against Solomon.
From the earliest giving of the Law in the Old Testament, one of the curses of disobedience is the stirring up of adversaries.
The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. -Deuteronomy 28:25
Chastening: not just in the Old Testament
The idea that God would punish a Christian may seem too harsh to today’s believers, yet it’s fully supported and taught in Scripture, even in the New Testament.
| Old Testament | New Testament |
|
“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” -Proverbs 3:11-12 |
“My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” -Hebrews 12:5-6 |
Related posts:
Leave a Reply