To Know or Not to Know
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
So far in our story we have learned that Samuel, the boy is ministering before the Lord under Eli the priest (v. 11).
This morning, we are continuing our study in the book of 1 Samuel. If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to 1 Samuel chapter 2, and we’ll begin reading with verse 12. In our passage today we are going to learn about the wickedness of Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
They Don’t Know Yahweh
They Don’t Know Yahweh
Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord.
We are told two things about Eli’s sons:
They were wicked men! The Hebrew means: good for nothing, evil, scoundrels.
They had no regard for the Lord. The literal translation of this phrase is who did not know Yahweh.
This is one of the saddest statements in God’s Word. The two men who represented God before the people did not know Him.
One of the key things that a follower of Jesus should be doing is to know Christ! Check out Philippians 3:10.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Here in Philippians it is obvious that Paul already “knew Jesus,” that is he was “saved.” But his goal was to know more and more about Jesus.
Question: How many pastors, Sunday school teachers, and just plain Christians who are “saved” but do not know Jesus!
How about you? Do you know God—I mean really know and have a personal relationship with Him?
Eli’s sons did not know the God whom they were supposed to represent. Now in the next several verses of 1 Samuel 2, we are going to see how may ways they violated God’s commands for the priests, and sacrifices.
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. 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. 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.”
Now we’re not sure what this three-pronged fork was, because this word is only used twice in the Old Testament. In verse 13 and 14.
What we are sure about is they were not taking “only” the priest’s portion of meet.
From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the Lord by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
These priests were violating God’s instructions. They were taking the meet before the fat was burned off.
In fact, the priests refused to take any meat that wasn’t raw.
In fact, look at what would happen if the people refused.
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.”
They would take it by force if someone refused—making them follow the prescribed rules.
When you come to verse 17, you have the summery statement about Eli’s two sons:
This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
They treated God’s offerings with contempt—disrespect, disregard, disdain, irreverence.
But Samuel
But Samuel
When we come to verse 18, we have a contrast to how Hophni and Phinehas acted. There was Samuel.
But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. 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. 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. 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.
Ministered before Yahweh—he was actually getting to know Yahweh.
He stayed simple—a boy serving His God.
Side note: each year mom made him a little robe that was supposed to last him through the year.
Eli
Eli
Each year he blessed Hannah and Elkanah, asking God to be gracious to Hannah because of her sacrifice.
Side note: The Lord gave her three more sons, and two daughters—five more kids!
Eli tried to correct his boys.
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. So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the Lord’s people. 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.
Eli is old—he sees more of his life behind him than in front of him.
Eli sees what his boys are doing—how they are acting:
—How they despised the offerings made to Yahweh (2:17).
—How they were sleeping with women who served at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
Eli told them what they were doing was not good. and he uses a story: If a man sins against a man the God can mediate between the two men. But if a man sins against God who can mediate for him—the answer is no one!
The end of verse 25 is really sad! His sons did not listen to his rebuke—because it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.
Verse 25 is contrasted with verse 26.
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.
Samuel continues to grow up—he is becoming a young man (growing in stature).
But Samuel is also growing in favor with God—he continued to become more pleasing to God!
And he continued to become more pleasing to men.
Being a Priest of Yahweh was a serious deal. To help us understand how big a deal the priesthood really was, and how serious it was to betray the calling God has a man come and prophesy to Eli.
Think about that for a minute. God sends “a man of God” to a man, Eli, who should have been “a man of God” but wasn’t.
The Man of God’s Message
The Man of God’s Message
Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? I chose your father out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your father’s house all the offerings made with fire by the Israelites.
A History Lesson
A History Lesson
God chose the line of Aaron to be His priests—before they ever came out of Egypt.
God picked the Levites over all the other tribes of Israel.
As Priests they preform duties before Yahweh:
—Go up to God’s altar.
—Burn incense before God.
—Wear an ephod in God’s presence.
God provided for their needs by giving them the meat from certain kinds of offerings!
How Did the Priests (Eli) Respond?
How Did the Priests (Eli) Respond?
Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
God wants to know why Eli “scorns” or tramples on the sacrifices that God prescribed.
God wants to know why Eli’s sons are more important that He is.
God knows this is true because Eli has been fattening himself on the choicest parts of the sacrifice—the parts that were supposed to belong to God.
God’s Plan
God’s Plan
“Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and your father’s house would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your family line and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, in your family line there will never be an old man. Every one of you that I do not cut off from my altar will be spared only to blind your eyes with tears and to grieve your heart, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
God made a promise that the Levites would ALWAYS serve in God’s house. “Far be it from me. . .” “May it never be. . .”
God honors those who honor Him. But those who dishonor Him will be disdained—He will curse.
So the time is coming when God will cut Eli’s strength and the strength of the Levites (Lit. cut off your arm). So much that there will not be a old man in the line.
Even though good will be done in Eli’s family line—they still won’t be an old man in the group (everyone is going to die young).
The priestly line will experience trouble from God, while Israel will still experience the goodness of God.
Those priests that God does not remove from His service will still struggle
With eyes blinded by tears.
A grieving heart.
And their descendants will die in the prime of life.
What about Hophni and Phinehas?
What about Hophni and Phinehas?
“ ‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always. Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a crust of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.” ’ ”
A sign for Eli—Hophni and Phinehas will die on the same day.
God will raise up for Himself
—A faithful priest
—A priest who will act according to God’s heart and mind
—God will establish this priest’s house
—This priest will minister before God’s anointed one (the King) always.
—Everyone left in Eli’s family will beg this priest for any position that will help them eat.
So What?
So What?
Do you know the Lord as more than just your Savior? Do you know Him as your Lord? What about intimately?
We need to be sure we don’t use our “position” with the Lord, for ill gotten gain.
What do you value most?
Family?
Friends?
Money?
Fame?
Fortune?
Or do you value your relationship with God the most?
