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The Judgment of Eli's House
Scripture Passage:
1 Samuel 3:11-14 INTRODUCTION – Aaron, the first high priest, had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazer, Ithamar(Eli).
- The Purpose of Judgment (Romans 2:2-6 [2] But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
[3] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
[4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
[5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
[6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
See All...) - The Sin (1 Samuel 1:3And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
See All...; 1 Samuel 2:12-17 [12] Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. [13] And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; [14] And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. [15] Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. [16] And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. [17] Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
See All..., 22-25) - Eli’s Responsibility (1 Samuel 2:29Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
See All...; 1 Samuel 3:13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
See All...) - The Promise of Judgment (Numbers 32:23But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
See All...) - God’s Repentance (1 Samuel 2:27-30 [27] And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
[28] And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
[29] Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
[30] Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
See All...) - Eli’s Rejection (1 Samuel 2:31-34 [31] Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
[32] And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
[33] And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
[34] And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
See All...) - Eli’s Replacement (1 Samuel 2:35-36 [35] And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
[36] And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
See All...) - The Power of Judgment (Galatians 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
See All...) - 1st Generation – Eli (1 Samuel 4:18And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
See All...) - 2nd Generation – Hopni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 4:10-18 [10] And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
[11] And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
[12] And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
[13] And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
[14] And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
[15] Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
[16] And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
[17] And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
[18] And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
See All...) - 3rd Generation – Ichabod [brother to Ahitub] (1 Samuel 4:19-22 [19] And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
[20] And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
[21] And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
[22] And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
See All...) - 4th Generation – Ahimelech (Ahiah) (1 Samuel 14:3And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
See All...; 22:9-19
See All...) - 5th Generation – Abiathar (1 Samuel 22:20-23 [20] And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
[21] And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.
[22] And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
[23] Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
See All...; 2 Samuel 20:25And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
See All...; 1 Kings 2:26-27 [26] And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. [27] So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
See All...) - 6th Generation – Ahimelech (2 Samuel 8:17And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
See All...; 1 Chronicles 24:6And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.
See All...)
Rebellion | 1 Kings 1:5-7 [5] Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
[6] And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
[7] And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
See All... | |
Removal | 1 Kings 2:26And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
See All...,27 | |
Replacement | 1 Kings 2:35And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
See All... |
CONCLUSION – God Judges Sin !!!
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
See All...
Proverbs 28:12
When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.