THE BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL
The outcome of
dishonoring God
1 Samuel 2 SCC 9/28/14
The
Faithful and Devout remember to always praise the Lord for who He is 1-10
1. In this prayer, which contains no petition, Hannah
articulated her belief that God rewards
trust with blessing. He turns barrenness into fertility, not just in her
case but universally.
2. Hannah praised God because He had provided salvation
for His people v 1-2. She had
learned that God will humble people who view themselves as self-sufficient v 3-4 but He will help those who cast themselves on Him, asking Him to provide what they need v 5-8. Therefore the godly and the wicked
will experience vastly different fates v 9-10.
3. God will selectively favor people who want to further
His program in the world by making it possible for them to do that. He may even
do supernatural things to enable them to do so. Natural limitations do not
limit God. Knowledge of what God has revealed about Himself and His program is
what God uses to inspire trust in Himself and interest
in His program. God may even reverse the fortunes of people in response to
their response to His will.
4. If in contrast to Hannah, Eli appeared profane and inept
while Hannah was strong and faithful, now in contrast to his sons he comes
across as weak while they are wicked. And their wickedness was due in
large part to his weakness as well as lack of perception v 11.
PEOPLE CAN USE THEIR SERVICE AS A GUISE TO ONLY SERVE THEMSELVES
The Wickedness of Eli’s Sons 12-17
1. The sons, priests themselves, were basically
pagans. The story begins by telling us that they were worthless v 12. We are also told that they did not
know the Lord v 12. A stronger
statement of their spiritual condition could not be made. They were not only
worthless, but they were not even members of the covenant because they had not
responded to the word of the Lord by faith. And yet they were
priests! They had no genuine,
personal relationship with the Lord they claimed to serve.
2. It was their custom that while the sacrificial meat was
boiling, their servant came with a flesh hook and stuck it into the pot and
brought out all the flesh that it could hold v 13-14. So the priests
took for themselves all the meat that they wanted. In fact, before
they even burned the fat on the altar the servant came and took it. He
would tell them to give the meat to the priest v 15. If the worshiper responded with a correct understanding
of the way the sacrificial ritual was to work, the servant would take it by
force and give it to the son’s v 16.
3. The abuse of these priests is clear v 17. The priest’s portion was to
be the leg and the breast for the heave and wave offerings. The fat was
the best part and was to be burned on the altar to the Lord. The fat and
the blood, had to go the Lord first. The priests could never take from the portions
that belonged to the Lord. But
these men were taking what was God’s for themselves--and
sometimes by force. They were violating the laws of the sacrifice to
satisfy their own greed.
NB: And
they were not the last to do this; the ministry has been filled with people who
seek their own interests before God’s, and corrupt the process of worship for
many otherwise devout people.
SELF SERVING SPIRITUAL LEADERS PERPETUATE THEIR CORRUPT
SERVICE
The Weakness of Eli 22-26
There is a short passage on the blessing of Samuel by Eli v 18-21.
First, it
offers a clear glimpse of the growth of Samuel, God’s selection, as he
ministered before Lord.
Second, it
offers a glimpse of the devotion of a pious mother rewarded for lending her
child to the Lord.
Third, it gives
a favorable glimpse of Eli--this is his finest hour who blesses the family v
20.
The Report: Then
we read the account of Eli’s confrontation with his sons. All that can be
said well of Eli is that it was too little, too late. Two sins are
recorded here. First, old Eli heard
what his sons were doing v 22. This
must refer to the sacrifices, how they took the fat and the raw meat for
themselves. Second, he heard
how they lay with the women at the door of the tent of meeting v 22. These were women who served
in some capacity in the sanctuary (Exod. 38:8). The sons had sexual intercourse
with them--there in the entrance of the Tabernacle. The spiritual surrounding and the openness of the sin made the whole
thing particularly evil. All the people saw it; and Eli heard about
it.
NB: The
story is so real that it fails to shock us any more. Many modern
religious people could very well identify with the wickedness given here, or at least with the tolerance of it by the people and
by the headman. Modern scandals of the clergy in various denominations
have almost reached these levels.
The Rebuke: Eli’s
rebuke comes in three parts.
First,
there is an opening rhetorical question designed to rebuke them Why do you do these thing v 23.
If Eli had actually been looking for an answer he might not have liked what
they would have said. God will blame him. The question is late in the
story, and without force.
Second,
without their answering Eli makes an observation: No, my sons, for the report I hear is not good, making the people
transgress v 24. The major
difficulty with the corruption of the priests is effect it’s effect on the
people and their service of God. The
people would see their spiritual leaders violating God’s laws, and would feel
free to do the same. And all Eli could say was, No my sons, it is not good.
Third, he
bases his response on a principle that if
a man sins against another man, God will arbitrate but if a man sins against
the Lord--who will pray for him? The tragic thing is that from the
beginning of their ministry the truth of this message was not being taught to
them properly. Now it was too late, for the priests themselves
needed prayer to escape the judgment of God.
The Response: The
text reports their indifference. But
they did not listen to the voice of their father v 25. Eli’s rebuke fell on deaf ears. They were so involved in
their lifestyle that mere words at this stage would not change them. But
the writer adds an additional explanation: they
did not respond because the Lord was of a mind to kill them. Here is a case where the men had missed
their opportunity to call on the Lord when he could be found. Now
they were judicially hardened so that they could not and would not because they
were now under the sentence of death by God. The section closes with a note
about Samuel. He grew and increased in the favor of the Lord and man v 26.
NB: The
warning is clear for all that when the Spirit of God convicts you of sin you
better respond correctly, for there may be a time when God will leave you to
your own devices to self-destruct. God cannot be trifled with.
Eli’s rebuke is correct but it came too late and when it came it was very
weak.
GOD MAY REMOVE CORRUPT SELF SERVING SPIRITUAL LEADERS FROM
THEIR SERVICE
The Charges against Eli
1. Suddenly, a man of God appeared on the scene to deliver
the word from the Lord to the priest and his family. This prophet began
by rehearsing for Eli the history of the priesthood, more as a reminder than a revelation.
In fact, since Eli probably knew all this, the reminder would be warning
enough.
2. According to this prophet’s review of the priesthood
(2:27, 28), there had been a revelation from God to the father Aaron,
there had been the election of Aaron in the redemption from bondage in
Egypt, and there had been the selection of Aaron for spiritual
service. These are three principles that are applicable to all who are
called by God to serve. But with
the great privileges to serve there are also great responsibilities.
Eli had either forgotten or taken for granted these great privileges.
3. But the charges made against Eli are here two. He
trampled the sacrifices under foot, and he honored his sons over God v 29. The two are inseparably bound
together, as effect and cause. He did these things, the prophet claims,
to make himself fat with the best. He himself was greedy and
self-serving. And the additional
implication is that he honored his sons over God. He gave more
authority, more importance to his sons and what they wished to do, than he did
to what God had demanded, and so he was in the process trampling God’s
sacrifices under foot.
NB: Here
is the archetypical parent who is slow to see his children doing anything
wrong, or slow to correct them, hoping that they will come around. The
child becomes so important in this case that all benefit of the doubt and all
authority is given to him, at the expense of God.
The Judgment on Eli and His House
In the strongest language possible the oracle is introduced
to Eli with be it far from me v 30. It announces that
what is coming is truly horrible. The principle is God will honor those who
honor him, but those who despise him will be cursed (treated lightly).
The curse takes the wording that God would cut
off the arm v 31. The arm
was the figure of strength and security. To have the arm cut off figuratively
meant that he and his family would be ruined as far as the power and authority
they had as priests. Their ministry was over; and their lives were in danger
as well.
In verse 35 God
announces that he will raise up a faithful priest
(implying much more about Eli), and that he will build him a sure house
(dynasty). The word group expresses the confidence and certainty of what
is said (like in Jesus’ “truly, truly” [amen, amen]). God was looking for a priest he could depend
on; and he would make that priest a house or dynasty that was sure, that one
could count on.
So
What?
1. Remember who God is and do not forget that every day of
your life. Our tendency will be to forget. Hannah did not. Develop a mindset of
devotion to God and His Word.
2. The danger is forgetting God and then corrupting our
service. In the end there is no reward for that service no matter how sincere
your service. If for you, then you got your reward.
3. Corrupt service is service that can be done without the
power and fullness of the Holy Spirit. It only becomes fleshly service that
brings no honor to God.