Day 921: Honouring the Lord - 1 Samuel 2 vs 22 - 30

22-24 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.

26 Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and also with man. 27-28 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus the Lord has said, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do you scorn (kick at) my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded, and honour your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me for ever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.'” 1 Samuel 2 vs 22-30 English Standard Version

It's always a tragic thing to hear on the news of a Church leader committing adultery, or doing other things that are totally against what God called them to be. But it's not a new thing. It happened over 3000 years ago with the sons of Eli, as vs 22-24 describe. We don't know if Eli had neglected to discipline them and so their behaviour had got worse and worse, but certainly in vs 25 he speaks faithfully to them of the danger of such rebellion against God. What does vs 25 tell us that such rebellion can lead to?

In their defiance of God they crossed a point of no return, and God's punishment was to harden their hearts even further so that they would reap what they had sown. That's a truth we don't like to hear. But the apostle Paul tells us of people who knew from what they saw in creation that there must be a wise an awesome Creator, but refused to give God honour, and chose sinful ways instead. And Paul says God therefore “gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:28) It's a fearful judgment when God allows sinners to rush headlong after their lusts, and to the destruction their sins will bring them.

But Eli was not off the hook either. Verse 27-29 tell of an unknown, but faithful, man of God who pointed out to the old Priest where he had also let God down badly. What was the serious charge God was bringing against Eli? (vs 29)

Eli's sons had been forcing those who brought animal sacrifices to give them portions that ought to have been burned as an offering to God. It seems that Eli must have joined them in eating those portions. They had treated the offerings with contempt (kicked at them), and by not rebuking his children for their wrongdoing, it was as if Eli was honouring his children more than the Lord. What a word of caution there is for those of us who are parents today!

The outcome of this was a sad one. Speaking through the man of God who confronted Eli, God reminded Eli of how he, and his line of the descendents of Aaron, had been called to be priests. (vs 27-28) But now that privilege was going to be removed and given to others. And then God said something that we too should take earnestly to heart. He said to Eli: “Those who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” (vs 30)

Jesus taught His followers to pray daily that God's name would be 'hallowed'. That means being kept holy, but would include being honoured. But we must not only ask that in prayer, we should live so that our actions do that too. Like young Samuel in vs 26, we should seek to grow in favour with the Lord, and not dishonour Him by our lifestyle.