31-33 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house for ever. The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. (or, die as men) 34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.

35-36 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed for ever. And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.” 1 Samuel 2:31-36 English Standard Version

In the verse just before today's reading an unnamed, but faithful, prophet told the aged priest Eli that God would honour those who honoured Him, but that those who despised God would be lightly esteemed. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had done terrible things which Eli had overlooked, and so failed to put God's honour first. The prophet announced a severe judgment that was to come upon Eli and the family of the priesthood he represented. (vs 31-33) What was the added heartache Eli would experience? (vs 34)

The next chapter goes on to tell of a big battle that followed between Israel and the Philistines, and how a man ran from the battle line with his clothes torn and dust on his head, to where Eli was. He told Eli that Israel had fled before the Philistines, and that the army had suffered heavy losses. And then he said: “Also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” Sadly, we then read that “when he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.” (1 Samuel 4:17-18)

The words of that prophet were fulfilled further in the days of King Saul when he ordered 85 priests in the city of Nob to be put to death by the sword. And the final curtain fell in the days of King Solomon, over 100 years after the prophet had spoken to Eli. 1 Kings 2:27 tells us that “King Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.” Solomon then made a man named Zadok priest, who was from a different line to Eli. So Eli's family tree was no more.

Accounts like these cause some Christians to drift away from reading the Old Testament. But we shouldn't do that. Many things which happen in our generation are just as terrible as what took place in Old Testament times. The Old Testament reminds us to not take God's honour lightly, and to realize that sinful things we do can even affect future generations. There's a danger in the world today, especially the West, to look on God as being our ‘buddy', and as someone who overlooks our 'naughtiness'. The Old Testament reminds us that God is Holy, and sin is serious!

But it also shows us that God is never stumped when people let Him down. What did the prophet go on to tell Eli? (vs 35-36)

God would raise up a faithful priest to replace Eli – someone who would “do according to what is in God's heart and in my mind”. That's what faithfulness is all about. It's when God is first in our life, not our own desires. Those words probably applied firstly to Samuel, who had been 'growing in the presence of the Lord'. Their ultimate fulfilment would be in the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament says of Jesus: “We don't have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus is all that a priest should be!