Yesterday we just finished off a major study on the top 3 societal platforms that undergird every society on planet Earth.
The biggest takeaway I want you to get from that study is that the dominant platform in Scripture is the shame-and-honor framework.
However, once the Lord rescued Israel from bondage in Egypt and gave them His Torah, Israel began the long, and I should say painful, process of transforming into a guilt-and-innocence-based society.
However, the extent of that transformation varied among the tribes.
That seems to be the case whenever a major change takes place within a population.
Some will adapt better than others.
And some will decide to rebel.
Alrighty, with that out of the way, let’s quickly get our bearings on where we’re at.
Right now, Israel is in the process of being split into two kingdoms.
To punish Solomon for his idolatry, the Lord raised up a homie named Hadad to oppose him.
God’s plan was to remove Solomon’s family’s right to rule the ten northern tribes.
Now, Hadad was an Edomite who was born into Edom’s royal family.
When Hadad was still a child, David and his army commander Joab attacked Edom.
They killed nearly all the men old enough to fight.
This event is briefly mentioned back in 2 Samuel 8.
“David gained even greater fame after defeating Aram
and killing eighteen thousand men in Salt Valley.
He stationed military garrisons throughout the land of Edom.
All the Edomites became subject to David’s rule.
ADONAI gave David victory wherever he went.”
– 2 Samuel 8:13–14
When David attacked, Hadad’s papa fled with his servants and then chilled for a time in Midian and the Paran Wilderness.
Eventually they ended up residing in Egypt.
Hadad received great favor from Siamun, the current Pharaoh in Egypt at the time.
Interestingly, Siamun was also allied with Solomon during this time.
Their partnership was so strong that Siamun even gave Solomon his daughter to be his wife.
This wife ended up holding the highest place of honor in Solomon’s palace amongst the countless number of wives Solomon had amassed.
When King David passed away and Solomon began his reign over Israel, Hadad decided the time was now ripe to leave Egypt and return to Edom.
We’ve already discussed in depth the motivations behind Hadad returning to Edom even though life was good in Egypt.
The bottom line is that he didn’t decide to go back simply because King David wasn’t around any longer.
Hadad returned to harass Israel and King Solomon.
The takeaway here is clear as day.
When David conquered Edom, he didn’t just defeat an enemy army.
He humiliated an entire nation and stripped its royal family of its power and honor.
And guess what?
Based on what we’ve learned about shame-and-honor-based societies…
That kind of humiliation doesn’t just disappear because a new king takes the throne.
Hadad carried that history with him.
So when he saw an opportunity to return to Edom…
The homie wasn’t simply looking to reclaim lost territory.
He had to restore what his family and nation had lost.
In a shame-and-honor society…
Losing your status, reputation, and honor is the firewood that fuels the embers of revenge.
We can see this same dynamic playing out in the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
For the Palestinians, it’s not just about a loss of land, national identity or political power.
It’s about their honor being violated.
And for them, the only way to restore that lost honor is to wipe Israel off the map.
It’s the same story folks,
Just playing out in a different generation, folks.
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