SCRIPTURE: 1 SAMUEL 2
HANNAH’S PRAYER (vs. 1-11)
Hannah sang praise to the Lord for answering her prayer by giving her a son named Samuel. The Lord God determines life and death, poverty and wealth, honor and shame, saints and the wicked. The Lord was gracious to Hannah. She conceived and gave birth to three sons and 2 daughters while Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
ELI’S WICKED SONS (vs. 12-26)
Eli had two wicked sons named Hopni and Phinelas. They treated the Lord’s offering with contempt. They even slept with women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Elie rebuked them but his sons would not listen.
PROPHECY AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ELI (VS. 27-36)
A man of God came to Eli and told Eli: “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?” (v. 29) Therefore, the Lord declared that He will cut short the strength of their house so that there will not be an old man in the family line. All the descendants will die in the prime of life. And the death of Eli’s two sons on the same day will be a sign. God will raise up a faithful priest to minister in His house and anyone left in Eli’s family will be under him and asked to be appointed in some priestly office.
THOUGHTS:
Singing is one way of thanking and glorifying God. Hannah thanked God for His wisdom, power and sovereignty. She dedicated her sons to the service of the Lord. Mary also sang a song of the “Magnificient” when she knew she would conceived Jesus. She praised the Lord for His mercy, deeds, power and promise. We should also praise God through songs for all the good gifts and blessings we received from Him.
The sons of Eli were selfish, overbearing and lustful. They took advantage of their position to satisfy their lust for power, possessions and control. And Eli also pampered them and honored his sons above the Lord which was idolatry. He failed to disciplined them even when the integrity of God’s sanctuary was threatened. As a result, his family lost the priesthood and died in the prime of life. Children are a gift from God. It is a heritage to a family, a source of joy and a crown in their parent’s old age. But if we fail to discipline and train them while young, we will ruin their future, and caused us trouble.
WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ELI’S CHILDREN?
- The took parts of the sacrifices before they were offered to God on the altar.
- They ate meat before the fat was burned off.
- They were treating God’s offerings with contempt.
- They slept with the women who serve them.