Samson had set a very poor example before the nation of
Israel, though he was called of God.
After his death, they went even further from the Lord, even to the point
of homosexuality and murder. Even the
priests of God were affected by the lack of respect for God, as we see in I
Samuel 2:12-17. “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. And the priests' custom with the people was,
that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the
flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; And he
struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook
brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh, unto all the
Israelites that came thither. Also
before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that
sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden
flesh of thee, but raw. And if any man
said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as
much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give
it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for
men abhorred the offering of the LORD.”
Though they had grown up in the high priest’s home and knew
and practiced all the Jewish rituals, and were actively engaged in ministry,
Eli’s sons did not know the Lord and were serving Satan, whether they realized
it or not. God had specified that the
offerings were to be treated in a certain manner and ther specific parts of
each sacrifice were to be given to the priests.
Not content with what God had provided, the priest had changed the way
things were done, taking the part they
wanted before offering the sacrifice, and threatening anyone who didn’t go
along with them. People began to feel
like Judaism was just about enriching the priesthood rather than pleasing God,
and felt they were being taken advantage of.
Sadly, we see much the same attitude developing in many churches today,
with more stress being placed on fundraising programs and expanding the
ministry than on loving and obeying God.
Eli was troubled by the changes his sons were making and especially
their using their positions as priests to get women to have sex with them. He warned them that they were going against
God, in I Samuel 2:22-25, and causing people to sin, but they paid no attention. “Now
Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they
lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. And he said unto them, Why
do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I
hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge
shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the
LORD would slay them.”
Samuel grew up under Eli’s teaching as well, but followed
God, according to I Samuel 2:26. “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in
favour both with the LORD, and also with men.”
Eli’s sons had chosen not to believe in God, even though they had
the same teaching.
As high priest, Eli was responsible for seeing that God’s
principles were followed. While Eli had
warned his sons about what they were doing, he had not stopped them. God sent a prophet to warn him of the
consequences of not taking his responsibility, in I Samuel 2:27-36. “And
there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I
plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in
Pharaoh's house? And did I choose him
out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn
incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy
father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
Wherefore kick ye at
my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and
honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all
the offerings of Israel my people? Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said
indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for
ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will
honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Behold, the days come,
that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there
shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation,
in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old
man in thine house for ever. And the man
of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine
eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die
in the flower of their age.
And this shall be a
sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in
one day they shall die both of them. And
I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is
in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall
walk before mine anointed for ever. And
it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come
and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say,
Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece
of bread.”
By allowing his sons to change God’s commands and continue
in the ministry while doing things that clearly disqualified them, Eli clearly
indicated he cared more about his sons than he did about God. While God honors and blesses those who
respect him, those who do not will suffer the consequences. Eli’s family would be permanently removed
from the priesthood and replaced by priests who would put God first, because
Eli had not.
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