2020.02.26 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Samuel 2:11-18

Read 1 Samuel 2:11-18

Questions from the Scripture text: Where did Elkanah go (1 Samuel 2:11)? Who stayed behind to do what? What was the moral condition of Eli’s sons (1 Samuel 2:12a)? Why (verse 12b)? What did the sons do to get more meat, of their choice, before they were supposed to (1 Samuel 2:13-14)? What, in specific, did they take, that was supposed to belong entirely to God (1 Samuel 2:15)? What would they do if someone wanted to offer the sacrifice the right way (1 Samuel 2:16)? What does 1 Samuel 2:17 say about their sin? Besides greediness for meat, what were they doing? Who else was ministering before the Lord (1 Samuel 2:18)? What priestly garment was he already wearing?

This passage sets us up to expect Samuel to replace the sons of Eli. The “not knowing the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:12) and “very great sin before the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:17) of the sons of Eli are very carefully sandwiched between Samuel “serving the LORD” in 1 Samuel 2:11 and 1 Samuel 2:18.

And this is clinched by the final detail that Samuel is wearing a linen ephod—a priestly garment, even though he is a child (not yet eligible for service—Levites couldn’t even enter until age 25, according to Numbers 8:24, or carry anything until age 30, according to Numbers 4:3, Numbers 4:23, Numbers 4:30). Furthermore, he is not a Levite at all, but an Ephraimite.

But there is a qualification for priests that is much greater than right age or right family. Holiness. The godliness of his parents, and the care that Hannah has put into training him, has been used of God to produce holiness in Samuel. We’ll learn in the next chapter that Eli did not rebuke his sons (1 Samuel 3:13).

How unholy were the sons of Eli? They despised the holiness of God, taking for themselves the consecrated parts of the sacrifices that were only for God (1 Samuel 2:15). They despised the holiest of the people, threatening those who wanted to keep God’s Word (1 Samuel 2:16).

How very different is our Lord Jesus Christ! So great is His regard for God’s holiness and God’s people, that He gave Himself a sacrifice to vindicate the holiness of God while redeeming them from their sin! His priesthood is forever and ever, and it has the most essential characteristic of all—His own perfect holiness.

God always works in history consistently with His character, and especially unto the praise of Jesus as the perfect display of His character! Praise God for Jesus Christ, our great High Priest.

How holy is Jesus? How does that help those who are His? Does that include you?

Suggested Songs: ARP110B “The Lord Has Spoken” or TPH277 “Before the Throne of God Above”