May 8

According to Biblical sources, Eli was a good and pure man. He acted as priest and judge in Israel for over 40 years. Yet, what we read in 1 Samuel 2 is not the telling of such a man. It’s the ultimate undoing  of a weak and wavering man.  This is the story of man who had lost the fear of a God whom he once love and adored. It is very sobering and important to note what transpires in the heart of a man whose heart becomes void of the fear of God. Let’s read verses 22-29 again and see exactly what happens based on the life of Eli. #1 -We lose our love and concern for people. One of the primary functions of a priest is to act as the mediator between man and God. We see in verse one that although Eli knew of the harmful affect his son’s sin were having on the people, he didn’t feel it was necessary to remove them from their position of authority. Instead, he allowed the people to become vulnerable to the perverse ways of religious men. #2-We exploit people for our own pleasure and gain. We can see from verses twenty-two and twenty-nine that Eli and his sons personally profited from sincere sacrifices the people brought to God. They were stealing what was God’s and saw nothing wrong with it! #3-We begin to regard Christ’s sacrifice cheaply. You may say, “Lauryn, now that’s a bit harsh.” But, my friend, it’s the truth. In verse twenty-nine, God asks Eli, “Why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings?” Wow! Eli and his sons had literally come to a place where they regarded the sacrifices and offerings of God as worthless. God responds to Eli’s sin with just discipline. We can learn from the life of Eli that God will humble those who think “lightly” of Him and take advantage of His people. He will do whatever it takes to bring one in rebellion back to a place of wholeness. Wholeness in Christ and intimacy with him always requires a reverent fear of His glory and honor of His name. Ultimately, Eli’s compromise led to the forfeiting of his destiny, the aborting of his legacy and the loss of God’s provision for him and the generations that followed. May this text provide great encouragement to us as we continue to pursue the God we love and may it serve as a reminder of the great importance God put’s on His honor and house. Be blessed Antioch Church! -Lauryn *Historical information given on Eli was found using the Zondervan Bible Dictionary.