Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.1 Samuel 2:12-15 NLT
Some of the most egregious, heartbreaking stories are the ones where your own children go off track and become a curse to the family instead of a blessing. This is the story of Eli’s sons who took over portions of the tabernacle responsibilities and did whatever they pleased. And, it wasn’t good. They had contempt of God.
The story screams for resolve and answers. What in the world happened to turn Hophni and Phinehas into brats and scoundrels (The Hebrew word, beliyyaal: two words that literally mean they wore out their worthiness!), and eventually perpetrators of young women who served at the entrance of the tent of God. Exasperated, Samuel realizes that they were not going to change and writes. “Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.” Death was merciful for everyone, the boys, their father and certainly the community!
And right in the middle of one of the worst family stories, the most abusive, out of control boys with an aging, failing Father, we find Eli, the priest raising young Samuel as a foster son and future judge of Israel. Samuel had great parents and a promise is a promise. Hannah entrusted her precious child to a wicked foster family! The question begs to be asked… even with a horrendous origin story of being raised with an ineffective leader with a couple of entitled, good for nothing boys, how does one become one of Israel’s most revered and beloved Judges and Prophets of his day? One, both Samuel’s parents loved him dearly. Two, his mother spoke to little Samuel of his future purpose by giving him a new “official” outfit every year – positively projecting Samuel’s worth and value to the people he loved and trusted the most. Three, seeing and living with Eli’s failures did not in anyway lessen Samuel’s respect for his mentor nor his mentor’s office. Samuel learned to hear God’s voice and obey God’s voice at a very early age. We should never dismiss the ability of a child to hear and obey God.
Proverbs speaks of the heartache and misery of parents whose children have gone awry in the things of God. Most children bring their parents joy throughout their entire life. But, there are also those who bring great shame and sorrow into the family because of their poor, selfish decisions.
Prayer
Dad,
I think without Jesus changing my life, I could have become one of those sons who wore out my worthiness. I was just at the beginning of living life as a bad boy, bad son when you changed all that. I know of dozens of stories where the children have lived a destructive life and have wreaked havoc in every area they touch. I know parents are perfect, but none of these deserved the shame and financial cost of their wayward adult son or daughter. My heart goes out to each of them. Please let us see the days when our sons and daughters become amazing people of faith. Let us experience a generation that knows you and obeys you. Amen.