1 Samuel 2:12-26 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 2:12-26. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
In 1 Samuel 2:12-26 we see the stark contrast between Samuel and the sons of Eli. All of them were priests serving in the same place of worship, but they were worlds apart in terms of character. As a result, though you could find them in the same place, they were moving in opposite directions. It’s your character, not your surroundings, that matters most. Let’s take a look in more detail.
1 Samuel 2:12-17 (NIV)
12 Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD.
13 Now it was the practice of the priests with the people that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice and while the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
14 He would plunge it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot, and the priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.
15 But even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned up first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would then 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.
On verses 12-17: Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests like their father Eli. Yet verse 12 says that “Eli’s sons were wicked men” and “had no regard for the Lord”. Verses 13-17 describe one example of their wickedness: the Jewish law required that when people brought meat to the priest to sacrifice, the priest was to burn the fat as an offering to the Lord first (for example, see Leviticus 3 and all the references to offering the fat to the Lord, such as Leviticus 3:16 – “All the fat is the Lord’s”). After offering the fat to the Lord, the priests could then in certain cases take the rest of the meat for themselves.
But Eli’s sons refused to offer the fat to the Lord first. Instead, they would take whole pieces of raw meat, including the fat, for themselves and offer none of the fat to God (v16). They were taking for themselves the best parts that belonged to God, and left God with the leftovers. In this way, “they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt” (v17) and sinning greatly against God.
What can we learn from this? Give to God first. The Bible says that all of us who have trusted Jesus Christ are priests and that we are to offer the first tenth of our income to God before taking any for ourselves, also called tithing (for example, see Proverbs 3:9-10; Matthew 23:23). Let me ask you, fellow priest: Do you tithe? Do you take the first part of your income and offer it to God, or do you use it on yourself and leave God with the leftovers? Let’s not be like Hophni and Phinehas, taking what belongs to God and using it on other things with no regard for the Lord. As Jesus says, if we seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, everything else we need will be added (Matthew 6:33). The key to being blessed is not to short-change God, but to give Him what He is due trusting that He will take care of you.
1 Samuel 2:18 (NIV)
18 But Samuel was ministering before the LORD–a boy wearing a linen ephod.
Verse 18: While Eli’s sons carried out their corrupt practices, Samuel ministered before the Lord with integrity, wearing an ephod, the traditional garb for a priest. What can we learn from this? When those around you are not following the Lord as they should, do not let that deter you from following Him with all your heart. Samuel’s life is a great illustration of 1 Timothy 4:12 “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example in speech, in faith, in life, in love and in purity.”
1 Samuel 2:19 (NIV)
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.
On verse 19: For me verse 19 is one of the most touching pictures in the Bible. Though they were far apart and could only see each other once a year, Samuel was always in his mother Hannah’s heart.
1 Samuel 2:20-21 (NIV)
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 conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
On verses 20-21a: God would bless Hannah with 5 more children after she gave her firstborn Samuel to serve as a priest (v21). This is another great illustration of how when we give first to God, He gives us even more.
1 Samuel 2:21b (NIV)
21 …Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
On verse 21b: Even though Samuel grew up apart from his natural parents, he always had his Heavenly Father with him, and Samuel “grew up in the presence of the Lord”. May this bring comfort to you who are parents. We want to and need to do everything we can to be present in our children’s lives. But in circumstances where we cannot always be there for our children, we know that our children have a Heavenly Father who will never leave them or forsake them. We can trust that when we are not able to, God Himself will give our children everything they need to grow up loved, loving, happy, healthy, wise, and strong.
1 Samuel 2:22-24 (NIV)
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; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the LORD’s people.
On verses 22-24: Here we see a second example of how Hophni and Phinehas were wicked: they would sleep with the women who served at their place of worship (v22). Rumours of their corruption were beginning to spread among the people (v24).
1 Samuel 2:25 (NIV)
25 If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the LORD’s will to put them to death.
On verse 25: Eli tried to warn and rebuke his sons for their wicked behaviour, but they wouldn’t listen. Their unteachability would ultimately lead to their downfall and death. Proverbs 13:1 says, “A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction.”
How about you? Are you someone who humbly accepts correction and learns when rebuked, or are you set on doing your own thing regardless of what anybody says? We have a choice: we can either learn from correction and live, or we can despise correction and die.
1 Samuel 2:26 (NIV)
26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men.
On verse 26: Again, juxtaposed against Eli’s sons is Samuel. While Eli’s sons were descending into wickedness, Samuel was growing up and beginning his ascent as a man of God and a leader for his people. Luke would use similar words to describe Jesus’ development as a boy. “And Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature and in favour with God and people.” (Luke 2:52) Likewise, I pray that you individually and we as a church together would grow in wisdom, stature and in favour with God and people.
Father, I pray that we would not be like Hophni and Phinehas, who on the surface were priests but who deep down were wicked, corrupt and unteachable. I pray that we would be humble and teachable like Samuel and grow up in Your presence, becoming the people and priests You made us to be. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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