The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 5 November 2026 – The Voice Of God Is Powerful
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TOPIC – The Cost Of Disobedience (2)
READ: 1 Kings 11:14-25
14 And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom.
15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;
16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)
17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.
19 And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.
20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh.
21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.
22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.
23 And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.
25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
THE MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we saw how disobedience to God can affect a coming generation. Today, we see another consequence of disobedience to God. God raised up an adversary—Hadad of the royal family of Edom—against Solomon. Before this time, Hadad and some of his father’s Edomite servants who escaped to Egypt after David conquered Edom, had settled there, having won the friendship of the king. When the news reached Hadad in Egypt that David had died, he returned home, possibly for revenge; he was an evil and bitter enemy of Israel (verse 24). Hadad only arose because Solomon had missed his way with God.
From this story, we see that walking in disobedience to God empowers the enemy against us. Disobedience to God is like HIV—it breaks the walls of a man’s defence and protection against the enemy. He becomes exposed and vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. But when we obey God, He makes even our enemies to be at peace with us. In the days of Joshua, God gave the people rest round about (Joshua 21:44). The LORD gave them peace throughout the land, such that no one of all their enemies was able to stand against them. There are battles God keeps us away from, just to help and allow us focus on other important issues of life.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, have mercy on me and give me rest round about.
