“Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom… Hadad and his men set out from Midian and went to Paran. They took men from Paran with them and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.” vs14, 18

Solomon is chastened by God for going after many women who turned his heart to idolatry. Hadad is the chastisement.

First, even before the sin comes, the Lord prepares the chastisement. vs15-17

“Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom. Joab and all Israel had stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom. But Hadad, still just a young boy, had fled to Egypt, along with some Edomites who were servants of his father.”

He knows the end from the beginning, and the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the word. God’s purpose always comes to pass, and He uses our sins to accomplish His will. Nothing is out of His control.

Learn:

1. God is absolutely sovereign and does as He pleases.

2. He is the only reason that we are saved, 100%, or we would have perished forever [Rom 9:22-23]. He’s arranged things so that ONLY SOVEREIGN MERCY could bring us out of the pit of our own digging.

3. We can trust God because He’s in total control. He controls riots and pandemics. He controls racism. It is not that we shouldn’t act, but we must never act as those without hope.

“Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.” [1 Thess 4:13]

Many in the USA are terrorized because their eyes are off Christ and on the problems of the day. Their politics do not include the Lord Jesus Christ, only a thirst for rights or patriotism.

Secondly, when chastisement must come, it will come! vs21-22

When Hadad heard in Egypt that David had rested with his fathers and that Joab, the commander of the army, was dead, he said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”

But Pharaoh asked him, “What have you lacked here with me that you suddenly want to go back to your own country?”

“Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but please let me go.” vs21-22

It is well deserved. God never chastens without a reason: it is always for our good and for His glory; it is always the best thing for His church.

1. Solomon was chastened to teach us! These things are written for our sakes.

“For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” [Rom 15:4]

2. Chastisement comes so that we might fear. Solomon didn’t fear, but he learned to write Ecclesiastes, and we benefit from his wisdom, so that we fear God and keep His commands [Eccl 12:13].

3. Chastisement makes us obedient to love others. It disciplines us from the flesh and causes us to keep His commands; it brings us NEAR TO GOD in faith, so even your falls are for good, though obedience is better. Do not fear anyone but God, and you fear wisely!

Thirdly, God sets up unbelievers for His glory also. vs34-37

“Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and statutes. But I will take ten tribes of the kingdom from the hand of his son and give them to you. I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name. But as for you, I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your heart desires, and you will be king over Israel.”

Jeroboam was an evil man, and he’d squander what God gave him. Nevertheless, God put him on the throne and controls unbelievers absolutely.

Many in the USA, including myself, have been greatly disturbed by the wickedness in high places, but there is a higher wickedness, even the Devil, whom God controls! He appointed him his place under wrath in the Lake of Fire, but He uses him now for His purpose. Satan is controlled. Even in the evil, God is doing good and bringing to pass His own plan:

1. To show how Israel pictures God’s elect under chastisement.

2. To show that God promises and it happens: He keeps and fulfills His word.

3. To show how the regathering of Israel pictures the gathering of God’s elect out of the nations.

4. The gospel is triumphing, and God’s ultimate purpose is being established, which is the salvation of the elect and the destruction of His foes. Romans 9:22-23 tells the whole story!

“What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?” vs22-24