When Religion is King - Staff Chapel Devotional
More than Just Music: Songs of Unexpected Reversals • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
A Crisis of Corruption
A Crisis of Corruption
In 2004 a book titled “When Corruption was King” was written. It is the story of how an attorney named Robert Cooley helped to take down the Chicago Mafia. Robert Cooley wore a wire for 3 years gathering evidence against the mob and those in their wide spread network of corruption. When the cases went to trial in the 90’s Cooley’s testimony led to over 24 guilty convictions and eliminated the different systems that the mafia was using to manipulate and corrupt Chicago’s government.
As you read through Cooley’s testimony, the events he describes pretty accurately reflect what happens when the pursuit of wealth, power, fame, and influence become king in a person’s life. When corruption is king.... there is no room for anything else.
As we open our Bibles to the book of 1 Samuel chapter 2, we are going to see that this very same thing has happened in Israel.
Over the years… in the minds and hearts of many living as part of the nation of Israel, Yahweh had been removed from His throne… and religion had taken His place in the hearts of the so called spiritual leaders in Israel.
As a result, corruption had overtaken the observance of the Law, and now in place of God.... Religion had become King.
First, we’ll see that when religion is king, there is no glory given to God.
I. No Glory Given
In Chapter 1, God provided us with a picture of faithfulness in Elkanah, a picture of the nations need through Hannah’s circumstances, and the provision of His grace through the birth of Samuel. And then we are told in 2:11 that:
Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.
Keep that in mind. Samuel was ministering to the Lord....
God is good! Even though the nation of Israel is still in crisis… everything is going to be alright. God’s Grace has been given!
But.... the very next verse disrupts that mental picture.
Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.
There is an immediate contrast here between Samuel, who is ministering to the Lord, and the priests at Shiloh and these worthless men, who did not know the Lord.
The word that is translated as “Worthless men” literally translates as “sons of belial”. It is the same phrase Hannah used when speaking to Eli back in 1:16. The Hebrew word for belial is associated with death, wickedness, and rebellion. Later in the Bible, it becomes a title that is associated with the prince of evil. (2 Cor. 6:15)
This is very strong language being used. The last time this strong language was used in the Bible was in Judges 19:22 and 20:13, where the gang raped and murdered the Levite’s concubine were called “sons of belial”. That’s a pretty vivid picture of the kind of character these men… these sons of Eli possessed.
These sons of Eli had horrible character… but that is not the worst of it. The source of their wickedness stemmed from the fact that “they did not know (respect/ revere/ honor) the Lord”. (experiential knowledge…. )
It’s interesting how this phrase directly connects with Hannah’s prayer. Hannah had prayed in 2:3 that “the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighted.”
Eli’s sons may not know the Lord.. but the Lord knew them… and He knew their deeds… and they would not go unpunished.
Even the wickedness of these men will not frustrate God’s grace!
Verses 13-17 give us an overview of the situation taking place at Shiloh.
The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.
Verse 13 uses the phrase “custom of the priests”. It’s an interesting choice of words. The word “custom” has a basic meaning of justice. It is based on the root word for judge. The writer is using some irony here.
The leaders God provided for Israel in these days were called “judges”. Justice is what they were meant to bring to Israel by delivering them from their enemies and settling disputes.
What we see these young priests doing at Shiloh was dispensing their own version of “justice” to Israel..... which was a far cry from the type of Justice God had prescribed in His Word. By force, they were taking as much as they could.
Demanding that the people contribute to their corruption, in order to receive access to the Lord.
The priests at Shiloh were living out the reality that…
—> When anything other than God is king.... our desires are indulged… and God’s Word is ignored. <—
This entire event is meant to shock us....
This was Israel!
This nation had been chosen by God from all the kingdoms of the earth to be a holy nation (Ex. 19:6). This was the place where God had set up His dwelling place among His people.
These young priests had a solemn and holy duty to teach God’s Law and offer sacrifices for the atonement for the sins of the nation. ---- and yet.... these wicked men… did not even know the Lord.
These men were serving as the face of the Israelite faith.... and while God should have been on the throne.... Religion was their king… and God was not glorified!
While we are not priests.... we are called to be holy even as He is holy… we are to be set apart from the world and unto Christ. But, too often, something other than God grabs our attention and prevents us from constantly looking to Jesus as our King.
There is a warning here…
God will not honor those who do not glorify Him!
When anything other than God is king, not only is there no glory given to God. While there may be much busyness in ministry …. it is possible to have practice without progress.
II. Practice without Progress (18-26)
So far in this event we have heard a lot about the sons of Eli, but not Eli himself. At last Eli, the man who had served for years shows up to straighten everything out. Or so we hope.
Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.
Eli kind of confronts his sons but there is something a bit sad and pathetic about his confrontation. Eli doesn’t come in and directly rebuke his sons. He does not demand that they repent. He merely pleads with them by saying “Why are you doing these things?”
He didn’t condemn them for the worthless men (sons of Belial) that they had become.
By abusing and defiling the sacrificial system they were charged to administer, Hophni and Phineas had shown contempt for God and the very means by which He had provided for their forgiveness, cleansing, and salvation.
They had experienced the daily and yearly ministry of the Lord. They had watched countless people come to the tabernacle bearing the weight of their sins.... watched as each family placed the burden of their sins on the sacrifice to the Lord…. and then leave certain that God has bore their burden…cleansed them of their sins.... and heard their prayers.
Hophni and Phineas had been tasked with mediating between God and man.... but had never progressed in their own hearts.
They had practiced the role of priest… but had never progressed in their belief. They had been on staff for a long time..... until that very position had become their idol.... and religion had become king and replaced their relationship with Yahweh. —> We have to be careful that never happens to us. <—
This is a picture of Israel’s leadership. They had been practicing the priesthood for years… but never progressed in their godliness.
They would not listen.... and so it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.
Shiloh was suffering from the corruption of Eli’s sons as well as the absence of godly leadership that Israel so desperately needed.
When it seems like God’s grace has disappeared from the horizon of Israel’s gaze.... God gives a glimmer of hope through Samuel.
Sprinkled throughout this pretty negative event are hints of hope. Samuel is presented several times throughout the narrative as a hope filled contrast.
God will use Samuel to demonstrate that His grace cannot be frustrated by the wickedness of man.
Remember how we were introduced to Samuel earlier in the chapter?
Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.
While the sons of Eli were practicing without progressing… Samuel was growing… he was progressing.... He was glorifying God through his ministry.
(It is interesting that Eli was the one raising Samuel… and Samuel grew…..Eli also raised Hophni and Phineas…. but they weren’t growing…. discuss?)
Look at verses 18-21 to see his progress.
Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home.
Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.
In verse 11 we were told that Samuel was minister under the authority or influence of Eli. Now in verse 18 we are told that he was ministering before the Lord wearing a linen ephod. (a garment worn by the priests.)
The sons of Eli were abusing their position as priests… but Samuel was doing what a priest was meant to do… and he even looked the part!
Year by year Samuel would minister before the Lord, growing in knowledge, wisdom and holiness… wearing this linen ephod that his mother made and delivered to him each year. As you read verses 18-21 Elkanah, Hannah, and Samuel are presented as this beautiful picture of what truly glorifying the Lord looks like.
They are a living illustration of the truth that God honors those who glorify him.
Then in verse 26 we are given yet another contrast between Samuel and the sons of Eli.
Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.
While Samuel was growing in favor (literally “good”--reputation) with God and man.... the sons of Eli had earned a reputation that was definitely “not good”.
The sons of Eli had appointed corruption and all things man-centered and self-pleasing as their king.... and while they had practiced as priests for years… they had never progressed.
Samuel on the other hand is presented as this picture of growth, progress and what glorifying God looks like… and God was honoring him.
While wickedness seemed to be growing.... God’s grace is not frustrated. He has a plan.
So far, this event has shown us that when anything other than God is on the throne as king, He is not glorified, and we are unable to grow spiritually.
— omit if needed —
Now, let’s finish up our study for today by seeing that when religion is king.... promised blessings are forfeited.
III. Promised Blessings Forfeited
At the end of this chapter (27-36), God delivers a very specific message to Eli and his family through an unnamed prophet.
Through this prophet, the Lord reveals all that He had done for the house of Eli, then speaks to what Eli’s family had done, and then at the end God speaks of what will happen to Eli’s house as a result of their unfaithful response to Him.
For now, let’s consider verses 29 and 30.
Remember that in Exodus 29:9, God had said that the priesthood would be part of Aaron’s family forever. That promise was later reemphasized in Numbers 25:12, 13.
But now this prophet is delivering this judgment, because the house of Eli had not honored the Lord through their great wickedness and weak leadership, they had forfeited their access to the promises made to their forefathers.
Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
God is not removing the priesthood from the Aaronnic line… just removing Eli’s family from being the beneficiaries of that promise.
Recorded in the end of verse 30 is one of those main truths that are being presented: God will not honor those who do not glorify Him!
When “religion” took up residency as King of their hearts.... they forfeited the promised blessings of God.
Chapter 2 began with Hannah’s singing, “There is none holy like the Lord… there is no rock like our God (1 Samuel 2:2). That faithful response to God had allowed Hannah and her family to be the recipients of God’s blessing.
But now, the chapter ends with this picture of judgement on the house of Eli for their faithlessness… and the forfeiting of God’s blessing on their family.
God is judging the sin of these individuals. Yes, He had promised that the priesthood would always be in this family line, but that promise does not give the benefactors of the promise a license to sin!
Actually, God is teaching us through this judgement that the giving of His promises actually intensifies the demand for holiness in those who are the recipients of His grace. -------- Should those of us who are the receivers of God’s grace continue in sin? God forbid!!! Let it never be so!!!
God will not honor those who do not glorify Him!
The sons of Eli were given access to the promises of God… but by their rejection of God… they forfeited the privilege to be possessors of the blessings of God. They had turned their service to the Lord into a false religion that reigned in their hearts. Their example provides us with a sobering warning that when Religion is the king .... there is no room for God.
Conclusion/ Application:
There is a promise in this passage. God honors those who glorify Him.
God’s grace cannot be frustrated (derailed from its good purpose) by human wickedness
— God’s grace is more powerful than your circumstances.
God will not honor those who do not glorify Him.
If this principle is true… and it is, then it means the opposite must be true also.
God honors those who glorify Him.
Truth:
When Religion is king .... there is no room for God.
When Christ is King… then you will glorify Him..... and He will enable you to progress in your growth and spiritual development… and you will be a beneficiary of His eternal blessings through grace!