1 Samuel 2b

1 Samuel 2b

Shawn Bumpers / General

Introduction:

For most children their dad is their first hero.

What is a real dad?

Being a dad is a difficult task.

His name was Eli.

No doubt he was a Godly, good man.

1 Samuel 2:12 NKJV

Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord.

We all have a limited amount of our emotional being to give. 

So, make sure that Jesus is the focus of your life, whether at the job, church or family.

No wonder then that Israel languished.

Those who came to Shiloh seeking spiritual assistance and guidance went away empty. 

1 Samuel 2:27 NKJV

Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?

Where we pick up tonight is this:

Samuel, the prophet of the LORD has been born.

V12-17

Hophni and Phinehas were spoiled.

They were accustom to getting what they wanted, when they wanted it.

They would take the choice meat instead of taking whatever came out by chance.

And yes, it’s a Biblical principle for the father to bless his children.

In the case of a godly father, that equals less godly influence.

Back to our text, Eli’s sons were stealing from the people.

This was what Shiloh had come to under their priesthood – it was a place of thievery. 

That stewardship can be a joy, unless we choose to complicate it by desiring more for ourselves than what God intends for us.

Verse 15 says that they would blatantly take the meat with no pre-tense of covering up their sin.

No one would dare to strike a holy priest or his servant.

The 2 priests and their servants insulted God by ignoring all His requirements, taking advantage of their position.

V18-21

We are not told what Samuel’s duties consisted of, but he clearly carried them out faithfully.

And there in the Tabernacle he diligently served the LORD.

The ‘little robe’ of verse 19 was probably similar to the garment that ‘the Priest’ wore under the ephod.

A new one was brought by his mother every time that she attended the regular feasts. 

We see in verse 21 that the Lord answered Eli’s prayer and the LORD again ‘visited’ Hannah.

The result was that she conceived and bore 3 sons and 2 daughters. 

Mark 10:29–30 NKJV

So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

While Samuel was growing and developing, Eli’s own sons were falling apart.

V22

Notice the extent of the influence of these godless men.

They had become even more sinful.

So they disgraced their office in a new way. 

In the ministry, giving in to temptation will bring shame upon the church, God’s Word, and it casts a bad light on the Lord Himself.

James 1:13–15 NIV84

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.

God was not leading Phinehas and Hophni to commit fornication with the women who served.

This was a result of their own evil desire’s that were controlling them. 

Genesis 4:7 NIV84

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

How do we master sin?

The key to victory in our struggles with sin lies not in ourselves, but in God and His faithfulness to us.

Psalm 145:18 NKJV

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

Romans 7:24–25 NKJV

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

2 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV

who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

V23-25

• To deliver lectures rather than listening, learning and earning the respect of your family.

James 1:19 NKJV

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

When we get out of line with God He doesn’t just want to correct our immediate behavior, He wants to correct our heart …

… To get our heart in line is to prevent the misbehavior from recurring. 

We must instead “respond.”

Eli challenges his sons on their behavior, but it was something that he should have done long before.

He points out that he is hearing about their bad behavior from everywhere. 

This was very serious, because, if a man sins against another, God will step in as arbitrator and judge.

But when a man sins directly against the LORD, who is there to arbitrate for him? 

1 John 2:1 NKJV

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Eli’s sons were hardened sinners.

And verse 25 ends telling us that they did not heed Eli’s voice.

V26

While Eli’s sons have totally gone off the deep end, and have come under the condemnation of both God and men …

Scripture reveals many times that God is never left without a witness.

Always at special times of need a ‘man of God’ appears. 

V27-31

The man of God comes to Eli and outlines all that God has done for his house.

It was a huge privilege that the house of Aaron had been given. 

And so, the time would come when Eli’s line would cease to act as priests.

V34

Since the fulfillment of the judgment would be many years away (in the days of Solomon), …

… God gave Eli an immediate sign to demonstrate it would happen. 

• UNDERESTIMATING THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING A SPIRITUAL APPETITE IN YOUR CHILDREN.

To develop a spiritual appetite in our children it must be fun and attractive.

Our kids for the most part don’t desire the long-term benefits of a spiritually productive life. 

V35-36

The promise is then that in contrast to Eli and his family, God will raise up a Priest who will be totally faithful to Him.

This faithful priest will establish His house and make it sure.