God's Faithfulness in the Midst of Faithlessness - 1 Samuel 2:11-36

So the leadership goes, so the church goes.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard someone make a comment to me along those lines, and of course, it’s absolutely true! Because when the leadership of the church begins to abandon the gospel of Jesus Christ, it’s only a matter of time before the entire church abandons the gospel.

We all know horror stories where pastors or church leaders have openly questioned the Word of God, or key doctrines of the faith which ultimately have led a church astray.

But there’s another version to this as well which is leadership in egregious sin can easily destroy a church as well.

Which is exactly what we see in this passage isn’t it? So the leadership goes, so the church goes.

As we just read, Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas cared far more about themselves than they did the living God. And on one hand, that’s not totally unusual. In fact, that’s the default position of most people! To only think of themselves and never turn their thoughts towards the Almighty.

After all, Hophni and Phinehas were the ministers of the Old Testament church. They were in charge of leading God’s people in worship, which under their leadership, had become an utter disgrace. The weighty task of leading God’s people in worship had become for them an opportunity to feed their sinful desires.

So the leadership goes, so the church goes.

Our passage this morning highlights the corruption, evil, and utter disregard for the Lord that was taking place in Israel.

And of course, this passage highlights the leadership vacuum in Israel, and how corruption, immorality, and a disregard for the Lord flourished.

We see several things from this passage: First we see corrupted worship (vv. 11-21), second we see God’s anger kindled (vv. 22-25), and yet, even in the midst of corruption and evil you and I can rest that God is still at work (vv. 26-36).

Corrupted worship (vv. 12-21):

Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phenias were priests. And it seems that they were priests because they were all descendants from the first High Priest in Israel: Aaron.

The priests were responsible for making sure specific rituals in connection with the sacrifices were done properly. Which was important because it was how God prescribed for his people to worship him in this period of redemptive history. So the priest's primary responsibility was to lead God’s people in worship.

My family just finished reading through the book of Leviticus, which is a great book of the Bible to read as you prepare to go to bed. I’m being facetious of course, all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable, but whenever I’ve read through the book of Leviticus, I’m always struck by the level of detail that went into preparing sacrifices in such a way that was pleasing to the Lord. For example, they had a lot to do with the blood of every sacrifice.

And one of the key elements of any sacrifice was that when you burned it on the altar, the fat, which was considered the best part, was supposed to be burned up as a sacrifice to the Lord. Burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings all had to have the fat burned on the altar.

And from there, a portion of the sacrifice would go to the priests, in case you’re wondering Leviticus 7 tells us that they would receive the breast and the right leg which was their provision, and then what was left over would provide a great family feast.

But the fat being burned was frankly the most important part of any offering because it symbolized that the offering was dedicated to Lord. The fat being burned on the altar is what made the sacrifice an act of worship!

You can probably imagine the scene described in verses 12-17. A godly family is settling down to enjoy, what would have been a rare, great meal, when out of nowhere, here comes Hophni and Phinehas’ servant with his infamous three-pronged fork.

Apparently the breast and the right leg didn’t satisfy their appetite, because they wanted more. And so he’d stab the fork into the cauldron where a family would boil their meat, and whatever the fork drew up the servant would take back to Hophni and Phinehas.

They were taking from the people more than their allotted share! They were straight up stealing from the people but they would take what they wanted from them under the threat of violence. That’s certainly what the servant was implying when he’d say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.”

The corruption of the priests was on full display.

Stealing is wrong, threatening people is wrong, but the greatest wrong is what’s described in verses 15-16.

“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.”

Hopefully you can see the problem: not only were they taking more than what was allotted by force, they were also taking the Lord’s portion.

They weren’t just stealing from people, they were stealing from God.

Stealing from God’s people isn’t particularly new. It might look a little different but it still happens to this day. Prosperity preachers effectively steal money from those who often have the least to give.

But for Hophni and Phinehas stealing from the Lord was their warm up act. That was just the beginning, because we learn in verse 22 that they're engaging in sexual sin in the tabernacle as well!

“[They were laying] with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.”

These women they were laying with were likely responsible for cleaning and caring for the tabernacle. And of course, these women should have been treated with the utmost respect and honor, but instead they were being treated shamefully by Hophni and Phinehas.

And they were engaging in sexual sin in the most sacred place in all of Israel. The tabernacle was where the presence of the Lord dwelt.

They were taking the Lord’s portion of offerings and converting God’s tabernacle into a pagan temple!

Hophni and Phinehas were ministers who did not care about the worship of the Lord. In fact, they had disdain for God’s worship.

Again, this sort of thing still happens today. Ministers steal from the sheep and engage in sexual immorality which will often lead to a church’s utter destruction.

And we’re told the answer for all of this in verse 12: “They did not know the Lord.” Hophni and Phinehas had rejected the Lord of hosts. And their rejection of God corrupted his worship. How can you genuinely worship when you know the ones leading you in worship are knee deep in sins of the most egregious sort? How do faithless men lead a faithful people?

Because even in the midst of the corrupted worship there were still faithful people. Which is why Elkanah and Hannah continue to stand out! They’re the exact opposite of Hophni and Phinehas.

We already know that Elkanah and Hannah were sinners just like the rest of us. However, they were committed to the Lord and giving him the worship that he rightly deserves.

Look at verse 19:

“19 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. 20 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.

21 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters.”

Elkanah and Hannah would go up to worship the Lord every year. Even Eli recognized their faithfulness and pronounced the Lord’s blessing upon Hannah and the Lord continued to bless Hannah, who had been barren, with even more children: three sons and two daughters. And of course, Hannah would drop off little robes for Samuel every year which were undoubtedly bathed in prayer.

You know it’s easy to at times think that you're like Elkanah and Hannah. One of the few who have remained faithful to the Lord as things continue to break down all around you.

But the reality is, even when the church seems to be crumbling around us, there are still those who have not bowed the knee to Baal or kissed his idol.

We’re never alone are we? There’s always a remnant. There is always a faithful few.

God’s anger kindled (vv. 22-25)

Eli for the most part seems as if he too, is a faithful man in Israel. He comes across as a man of great piety, but even the High Priest Eli is deeply flawed. He’s aloof. He has no idea what’s going on, which is a serious sin of omission, and it’s that sin in particular that made him a weak father and a poor leader.

In case you’re wondering, my son Eli is not named after this Eli. My son’s real name is Elijah. Over the past few years, I’ve had a few people come up to me and say, you know, Eli from the Bible wasn’t necessarily a great guy. I have to tell them that, “yes, I know that, he’s not named after the 1 Samuel Eli, he’s named after the great prophet, Elijah, the guy who was taken up in a chariot of fire. He’s named after that guy. But it’s really a shame that this Eli casts such a dark shadow over such a great name.

And the reason Eli isn’t known as a great character in the Bible is because of how he handles his sons. Look at verses 23-24. Eli hears about what Hophni and Phinehas have been up to and asks, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.”

You read that and immediately, think, Eli, where have you been? You’re the High Priest! Your sons are under your leadership! They essentially work for you! How do you have no idea what’s going on?

He doesn’t even discover it himself. He has to learn what they’re doing from the people. And once he does hear about it, he gives a gentle rebuke. Hophni and Phinehas are taking the Lord’s portions of sacrifices and engaging in sexual sin in the most sacred place in all of Israel and all Eli says is, “it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.” Eli understood their sins to be a direct assault and offense against God… but what does he do?

He doesn’t remove them from the priesthood. It appears that Eli effectively does nothing. He doesn’t even give them a slap on the wrist because there’s no consequences.

I think it’s safe to assume that this was the way Eli had always handled his sons! He had turned a blind eye toward their sinful practices for years. After all, Hophni and Phinehas didn’t just wake up one day and take the Lord’s portion and start sleeping with women in the tabernacle. You have to work your way up to that level of heinousness.

And it’s only after he gets a report from others that he confronts his sons! He should have been diligently watching and supervising his sons, from the time they were little boys until they were grown men. He should have been guiding them, leading them as a father should. But somewhere along the way Eli stopped monitoring their conduct and began to let things slide and sweep them under the carpet.

The short and sweet explanation is Eli failed as a father because he didn’t discipline his sons. Proverbs 13:24 says, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”

Isn’t that interesting? According to Proverbs 13, discipline is love and a lack of discipline is hatred for your children. Which is the opposite of what we normally think, right? Many parents believe that the loving and gracious thing to do for their children is to always let things slide.

I’m probably not in any position to dole out parenting advice, because I feel like I’m often the one in need of parenting advice!

Proverbs 13:24 is exactly right - parents who refuse to discipline their children don’t care about them. But one thing that I try to communicate to our kids after discipline is that we discipline them because we love them. We care too much to idly stand by while sinful patterns and behaviors take root in their lives. That is, our God-given responsibility as parents!

We all know this to be anecdotally true! Kids who were free range and did whatever they wanted whenever they wanted because their parents weren’t involved in their lives are often the ones who made poor life choices.

Discipline is a toll by which moms and dads express their love for their children. A lack of discipline screams indifference for your children, which is hatred for them.

Hebrews 12 even tells us that even God disciplines those whom he loves.

Hebrews 12:5-6 says, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

He later goes on to say, “11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

The discipline of parents’ is supposed to reflect God's loving discipline.

And here’s the other irony of children who lack discipline: they don’t respect their parents. I guess the only thing worse that Eli could have done is learned about his sons’ behaviors and said nothing. But the ship appears to have sailed with his sons because everything their father says goes in one ear and out the next. They have no respect for him. Eli’s always been all talk and no action. So they simply ignore him.

Even when parents fail, children still have a responsibility to take to heart what they say! But Hophni and Phinehas ignore Eli and are nothing but textbook fifth commandment violators.

They didn’t honor their father. Remember what is said at the end of the fifth commandment? “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

Keeping the fifth commandment isn’t necessarily promising you’ll live to 100 years old, as much as it’s promising children who take to heart the things that they’re parents are told will find success in life. A fruitful, productive, God-glorifying life generally begins with taking to heart the instructions of your parents.

Kids, teenagers, and young adults I hope you’re listening. Your parents aren’t perfect people. They’re certainly not sinless. But they absolutely want what’s best for you. So the advice, instruction, and correction that they give you is, contrary to what you might believe, is to help you. If you’re willing to take that to heart, then you will be blessed by that.

You don’t want to be like Hophni and Phinehas. Look at the somber statement in verse 25: “But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.”

They wouldn’t listen to their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. It was God’s will to put Hophni and Phinehas to death. It might sound shocking that God willed to put Hophni and Phinehas to death, but remember, he put two other priests to death for failing to worship him in an appropriate manner.

Remember how God struck down Nadab and Abihu for offering to Him strange fire? How much worse are the actions of Hophni and Phinehas? Because not only had Hophni and Phinehas rejected the wisdom of their father, they had rejected God himself.

Dale Ralph Davis offers this word of caution to all of us in light of Hophni and Phinehas: “Someone can remain so firm in his rebellion that God will confirm him in it, so much so that he will remain utterly deaf to and unmoved by any warnings of judgment or pleas for repentance.”

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 1 that, “God [gives people] up to dishonorable passions.”

It’s like holding a toy boat against the current in a river and letting it go. It wants to flow downstream so you just let it go.

Hophni and Phinehas are solely responsible for their sin, but of course, God is working through it all to accomplish His sovereign will. They wanted to pursue sin so God let them. Which is a tragedy because Hophni and Phinehas were, for all intents and purposes, raised in the church! They were always around the worship of the one true God and those who were committed to Him, and yet, they had turned their hearts from him.

Isn’t this a tremendous warning for all of us this morning?

The reality is, the further you walk away from God, the more indifferent, apathetic, and flippant towards the living God, the easier it becomes to outright reject him! It’s not something that happens overnight, it’s a slow abandonment that happens over time - sort of like Hophni and Phinehas.

God is at work (vv. 26-36)

In many ways, what we read in this passage is discouraging, isn’t it? The worship in Israel is falling apart. Eli, the High Priest is a weak, ineffective not only among God’s people but in his own home. Hophni and Phinehas are treating the people of Israel terribly and committing heinous sins in the tabernacle.

You can’t help but think that Hophni and Phinehas put a wet blanket on worship altogether. Godly people had to dread going to worship because they’d have to deal with Hophni and Phinehas. Talk about having a reason to skip church!

But we know that God is still at work, and we know for a fact that God is still at work because this nameless prophet appears on the scene and makes this long speech against Eli and his sons.

The nameless prophet begins by telling Eli that God has rejected his house. Verse 27, “Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh?”

As I said earlier the priesthood began with Aaron who was with Moses when he confronted Pharaoh in Egypt. Eli was a descendant of Aaron’s which is why he was the High Priest in Israel.

God had given tremendous privileges to the priests. It was a privilege to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ephod.

But the heart of God’s judgment against Eli is revealed in verse 29: “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?”

The commentator Dale Ralph Davis summarized the prophet’s point well in his commentary. He writes, “... the man of God rebukes the sin of sweet reasonableness, the willingness to tolerate sin, to allow God’s honor to take a back seat, to prefer “my boys” to “my God.” For Eli, blood was thicker than fidelity [to God.]”

There’s a temptation among families to ignore, pass over, or even reject God’s standards because of my boys, my sister, my brother, my cousin. But by doing that you’re aligning yourself in the exact same way that Eli did! Suddenly your love for family heavily outweighs your love for God.

And it’s for this reason, God is going to rip the priesthood from the house of Eli. Later King Saul will command Doeg the Edomite to kill the priests which was a partial fulfillment of this prophecy. Because he killed many of Eli’s descendants who continued to serve as priests, which is why this nameless prophet said, “all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.”

The final fulfillment of these words is when Eli’s descendant, Abiathar is banished from the priesthood and Zadok is elevated to High Priest by Solomon.

That’s the long term fulfillment of this prophet’s words, but there is certainly a short term fulfillment as well. Throughout this passage, hints have been dropped that God is cooking something up in the background.

Verse 11: “And the boy [Samuel] was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.”

Verse 18: “Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.”

Verse 21: “And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.”

The Lord offers a few words of hope in verse 35, doesn’t he? “And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.”

And of course, we do have an eternal high priest! Jesus Christ, the anointed messiah has offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross to satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God, and he continues to make intercession for us.

But as we reflect on this passage, I think it’s important for all of us to realize that even when things are going terribly wrong, when the worship is a farce, when the leadership is in utter disarray, God is still at work!

It’s quite easy to get discouraged when you look out at the world and everything seems to be falling apart. In fact, it’s easy to wonder, “where is God?”

He’s at work in ways we may not see. Which is a helpful reminder for all of us. A growing walk with Christ often takes place not in ways that are seen, but in ways that are unseen through a commitment to God’s word and prayer. That’s exactly how little Samuel was preparing for God to use him. Nothing flashy. Just the ordinary basics of the faith.

May each of us continue to grow in the presence of the Lord. Let’s pray together.