The Neck Has to Break

Old and Fat

1 Samuel 4:13–18 ESV

13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

They offered up the fat as a burnt offering

1 Samuel 2:14–17 ESV

14 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. 15 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.” 16 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.” 17 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.

This was a sacrilegious act!

They served themselves before serving God by misusing the power of their position for personal gain and for the practice of sexual immorality

Their father, Eli the high priest, refused to discipline them or remove them from the priesthood.

What does that sound like???

And the worst thing about this situation is that they offered up fat as a burnt offering!!!

The Expected Standard

2:12–13 Custom (Hb. mishpat) usually means an expected standard,“this shall be the priest’s due [mishpat] from the people, from those offering a sacrifice”); it can also mean “justice.”

Eli’s sons were not ignorant of the regulations, their lack of real knowledge of the Lord or even concern for his honor.

The phrase “They did not know the LORD” meant that they completely ignored his commands.

In the Mosaic law the portion to be given to the priests is specified for various sacrifices, e.g., Deut. 18:3 (shoulder, cheeks, and stomach) and Lev. 7:31–32 (breast and right thigh).

But what we find is the practice in 1 Sam. 2:13–14 has little in common with the regulations on priestly rights.

The priest, who was supposed to know the rules of sacrifice, was engaging in behavior that shocked even the ordinary worshiper.

The fat was normally removed from certain internal organs and offered as a burnt offering to God (see Ex. 29:13; Lev. 3:3–5).

Also, the priest would normally take his share right after killing the animal, before giving it to the worshiper.

Repent!

1 Samuel 7:3–4 ESV

3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.

It’s Time to Take A Stand

1 Kings 18:20–24 ESV

20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”

Notes:

Explain the importance of headship

Break down the foxes has dens reference

Explain why John the Baptist had his head cut off.