The fall of Eli’s house…
1 Samuel 2:27-30
The Message Bible
27-30 A holy man came to Eli and said: “This is God’s message: I revealed myself openly to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt.
Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests: to preside at the Altar, to burn incense, to wear the priestly robes in my presence.
I put your ancestral family in charge of all the sacrificial offerings of Israel.
So why do you now treat as mere loot these very sacrificial offerings that I commanded for my worship?
Why do you treat your sons better than me, turning them loose to get fat on these offerings, and ignoring me?
Therefore—this is God’s word, the God of Israel speaking—I once said that you and your ancestral family would be my priests indefinitely, but now—God’s word, remember!—there is no way this can continue.
I honor those who honor me; those who scorn me I demean.
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Here’s the backstory:
Eli was the high priest and judge of Israel, and the Bible says, “his sons were wicked,” and while Eli makes a feeble attempt to correct them, they are undaunted. It wasn’t until Eli heard reports of immorality that he finally reproved his sons.
But it was far too late for his mild verbal reproof to have any effect.
They hardened their hearts and so were judicially hardened, like Pharaoh of old, for God had determined to destroy them.
During this time Samuel was quietly growing, his purity and goodness pleasing both … the LORD and men.
If we remember that these events took place during the time of the judges, it is not surprising that the priesthood failed to escape the moral decadence of the period.
Anyway, as a result of the wickedness of Eli’s Sons, a prophet comes to the temple and prophesies judgment against Eli and his family.
Eli was guilty of honoring his sons above God by letting them continue their sinful actions.
Is there a situation in your life, family, or work that you allow to continue even though you know it is wrong?
If so, you may become as guilty as those engaged in the wrong act.
Honor God more highly than anything else, and don’t wait for Him to intervene for you.
SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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Monday, Sept 8
The Cutting Edge
by Larry Ollison
WHEN WE HONOR GOD, GOD HONORS US
The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 2:30 that God honors those who honor Him and that He lightly esteems those who despise Him.
By this scripture, we know what we must do, but the question is
“How do we esteem and honor God?”
Of course, we esteem and give Him honor when we worship Him and tithe.
But there is another way to give Him honor that is often overlooked.
Jesus said, “If you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto Me.”
When the disciples attempted to keep the children away from Jesus, Jesus rebuked them.
The children are considered least by some, but according to Jesus, they are valuable.
We can give honor to Jesus and we honor God by giving honor to the little ones.
But that raises the question again, “How do we honor the children?”
We honor our children at home and at church by giving them the Word of God and by training them in the ways of the Kingdom.
As Christian adults, we should supply the very best teaching materials for our children.
We must give them quality time and understanding.
We must be an example to them of peace and wisdom.
Too many parents will control their tongue and their anger in public, but release it in an ungodly way privately in front of their children. This should not be.
When we do this, we are not giving honor to our children. And according to Jesus, what we do to the least, we are doing to Him.
So how do we honor God?
We honor God by giving honor to children and we despise God by not esteeming our children.
Therefore the LORD God of Israel says:
‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’
But now the LORD says:
‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Sam 2:30).
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