OASIS – Spring 2024 – May 28, 2024 – ELI and his wicked sons “No Regard” – 1 Samuel 2:12-36
The Samuel narratives (1 and 2 Samuel) tell the account of Samuel, Saul, and David.
• 1 Samuel begins with the birth narrative of Samuel to his mother Hannah. Hannah honored her vow to the LORD and took him at a young age (4-5 years old?) to enter service to the LORD at Shiloh with Eli the priest.
• Last week, we studied chapter 3 and the call from the LORD to Samuel
This week: The wicked sons of Eli the priest and his unacceptable inaction.
#1: God’s truth is always MOST important, even (especially) Godly Leaders
1 Samuel 2:12-17: 12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.
15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” 16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.” 17 This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD’s sight, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.
• Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are described as SCOUNDRELS. NIV 84 uses the term WICKED. ESV uses the word WORTHLESS. You get the picture.
o This is the same Hebrew word used by Hannah in chapter 1, when accused of being drunk the Lord’s House, states, “don’t take your servant for a wicked woman.”
▪ Note: The use of this word in both chapter 1 and chapter 2 involves worship actions and activities.
o Question: How might modern-day churches and Christian leaders be guilty of inappropriate actions and activities during worship services?
▪ What are the non-negotiables of public worship services today?
• v. 12: “They had no regard for the LORD.” This literally means in Hebrew “they did not know the LORD.” This is a reminder for us today that simply doing religious activities alone does NOT equal KNOWING God.
• vv. 13-14 describe the practice that had come to accepted for determining the priests’ portion of the Fellowship offering (Leviticus 7:31-36; Leviticus 10:14-15, and Deuteronomy 18:1-5).
o The tradition seems to be that a random thrust of the fork who providentially determine a fair portion of the meat for the priests.
o Verses 15-16 show how Hophni and Phinehas arrogantly violate the custom and the law, even using force when resistance takes place. Leviticus 7:28-36 and Deuteronomy 18:3 declares the meat portion for the priest was to be a voluntary act on the part of worshipers.
o What about BOILING (v. 13) vs. ROASTING (v. 15)?
• v. 17: “This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD’s sight.” Some might wonder if this seemingly insignificant practice in verses 13-16 should really matter, but the author of Samuel reminds us it does matter in the eyes of the LORD. Why? “They were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.”
• Summary: This is an obvious MISUSE of POWER and AUTHORITY by the religious leaders of this day.
o Reminder: Modern-day MISUSE of POWER and AUTHORITY by religious leaders is EQUALLY wrong and UNACCEPTABLE in God’s sight!
From last week, Samuel the boy serves as a stark contrast to Hophni and Phinehas:
1 Samuel 2:18-21: 18 But Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the LORD.” Then they would go home. 21 And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD
#2: Eli the priest has an opportunity to RIGHT the obvious WRONGS of his sons.
1 Samuel 2:22-26: 22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things?
I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours 24 No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the LORD’s people is not good. 25 If one person sins
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against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the LORD’s will to put them to death. 26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.
• The sin of Hophni and Phinehas involving the meat of the Fellowship offering is just scratching the surface of sinful behavior.
o v. 22: “They slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” Obviously not their wives, the wicked behavior of the sons of Eli has accelerated to a whole new level.
▪ This speaks of the power and alure of SIN.
▪ Exodus 38:8 speaks of the women serving at the entrance of the tent of meeting, but not much is known about specifics.
▪ Some have speculated that this wicked behavior is reminiscent of the religious prostitution (fertility rites) at Canaanite sanctuaries, actions that were an abomination to the LORD and a desecration of the LORD’s House (Deuteronomy 23:17-18).
• Eli the priest CONFRONTS (kind of) his wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
o Eli’s message of rebuke to his sons involves the following:
▪ A question: “why do you do such things?” Eli is trying to understand the wicked ways of his sons.
▪ An announcement: Your immoral and ungodly ACTIONS are known by “ALL” the people. This is not a secret.
▪ A pronouncement: “What you are doing is not good.” This might seem obvious, but it speaks to the reality of self-deception when we are “drawn away” and “enticed” by the power of sin.
▪ A reminder: Sin against the LORD himself creates the ongoing problem of a lack of intercession and forgiveness.
o What’s missing from Eli’s speech? ACTION! The most powerful religious leader in the land is unwilling or unable to do the right thing, probably because his sons are the offenders.
o Of note: v. 25: “If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender.” Some manuscripts have “the judges” instead of “God.”
o The sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas “do not listen to their father’s rebuke.” They just keep on sinning. And the author of Samuel makes it clear they are on the WRONG side of God’s providence! “It was God’s will to put them to death.”
#3: The LORD always gets the FINAL word! (Reminder: Be on the right side of any issue involving the truth of the LORD!)
1 Samuel 2:27-36: 27 Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites 29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
30 “Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, 32 and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’”
• “A man of God came to Eli” – This is often a designation for a PROPHET throughout the Hebrew Scriptures (1 Samuel 9:6-10; Dt. 33:1; Joshua 14:6; 1 Kings 13:1; 1 Kings 17:24; 2 Kings 4:9)
• What’s the message from the Man of God/Prophet?
o First, Eli receives a HISTORY lesson, what has happened in the PAST.
▪ “I revealed myself to your ancestors back in Egypt.”
▪ Three tasks of the Priest are mentioned:
1. To go up to my altar = perform sacrificial rites in the tabernacle.
2. To burn incense = at the altar of incense in the tabernacle.
3. To wear an ephod = the special ephod of the high priest?
▪ They were also to receive all the food offerings from the sacrifices.
o Second, Eli receives a REBUKE, what is happening in the PRESENT.
▪ “You scorn my sacrifice and offering.”
▪ “You honor your sons more than me.”
o Third, Eli receives a PROPHECY, what will happen in the FUTURE.
▪ Eli and his household will be EXCLUDED from the priesthood moving forward.
▪ Eli and his household will NOT experience the blessing of LONG LIFE, and will miss out on the GOOD WILL being done in Israel.
▪ Eli will experience a most personal pain, as his sons Hophni and Phinehas will both die on the same day! The ark of God will also be captured by the Philistines. This word is fulfilled in 1 Samuel 4:11.
o Finally, it is REVEALED to Eli a FAITHFUL PRIEST will be raised up.
▪ Most likely NOT Samuel. Although Samuel will perform priestly duties at times, as well as serving as both Prophet and Judge, he does not descend from the line of Aaron.
▪ It is believed that this prophecy speaks of ZADOK, who served during the time of King David (2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 15:24,35; and 2 Samuel 20:25).
• The line of Zadok will continue to serve through the time of exile and the return.
• Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BC) will bring this legacy to an end during the intertestamental period when he sells the priesthood to Menelaus. This is mentioned in the Apocrypha in 2 Maccabees 4:23-50.
Lessons from Eli the priest and his wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas:
#1: The downward spiral of SIN is REAL, and a dangerous SNARE for all, even Christian leaders.
• Hophni and Phinehas were very HUMAN in their sinful desires. Tragically, they allowed their DESIRES to become full-blown sinful BEHAVIOR
o James 1:13-15: “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
#2: WORDS certainly matter, but must be accompanied by ACTION!
• Eli rebuked his sons, but refused to remove them from leadership.
o James 1:22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
#3: Christian leaders MUST be ABOVE REPROACH!
• Eli and his sons are a sober warning for modern-day leaders. Sadly, far too many modern-day leaders have FAILED this crucial test!
o James 3:1: “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that those who teach will be judged more strictly.”
2024 encouragement: What can we do to keep this snare from catching and destroying us? Two reminders from the Hebrew Scriptures:
• Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
• Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
Oasis June 4: 1 Samuel 4: Defeat and death for the people of God.
NO Oasis on July 2 or 9 this summer. Dr. Fred Johnson from Lincoln Christian Institute will be our guest teacher on July 16, 23 and 30.
This summer in Main Auditorium: The Samuel narratives. Sunday June 2 brings a study of 1 Samuel 20 and special and godly friendship of David and Jonathan