Eli Warned About His Sons’ Sins

 While Eli’s sons were using the priesthood for their own benefit, Samuel was ministering before the Lord, even though he was just a child.  Although he was separated from his family, his mother parents maintained a close connection, earning Eli’s respect and God’s blessing, as we see in I Samuel 2:18-21.  “But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.  Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.  And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.  And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.”

 

As the High Priest, Eli was responsible for overseeing the other priests, with the authority to remove any who were not doing things properly.  When he learned what his sons were doing, he warned them that what they were doing was wrong, in I Samuel 2:22-25.  “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.”

 

Sure their father would not put them out of the priesthood, Eli’s sons hardened thir hearts and ignored the warnings, because as I Samuel 2:12 tells us, “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.”  God intended to kill them because their actions as priests were causing people to despise God and his laws, as I Samuel 2:17 tells us.  “Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.”   Though he was just a child, Samuel was not influenced by the corruption of the priests, continuing to follow the Lord, according to I Samuel 2:26.  “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.”

 

God sent a prophet to warn Eli that by not stopping his sons, he was effectively placing his approval on what they were doing and placing them ahead of God and portraying God’s service as irrelevant and using it to enrich themselves, as I Samuel 2:27-29 explains.  “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?”

 

Because Eli was allowing this sin, his entire family would be removed from the priesthood,  and as a sign that the prophecy was true, Eli’s sons would be killed in a single day, as I Samuel 2:30-34 tells us.  “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.”

 

God was not going to turn away from his people, even though he removed the leadership.  I Samuel 2:35-36 promised that he would replace them with a priest who would be faithful and obedient, but that none of Eli’s family would ever again hold that position.  “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.”

 

When God calls a man to lead his people, he holds that person responsible for seeing that the job is done properly.  God’s commands must take precedence over any personal agendas or relationships.