Tuesday, February 19, 2013

huge contrast with Samuel

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
18 But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 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. 20 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[c] the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
22 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. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God[d] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.
26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.

Samuel was under this priest named Eli. Though Samuel was not the son of Eli, he served the Lord well. Even though they are the priest's sons, they sin blatantly in the house of God. They sinned by obeying the rules set out by God for offerings. They took meat that was not meant for them and they slept with women. How is that Godly? They may look Godly, serving in the house of God, being the priest's children... But they are not. That's why God said that everyone are the same, sinners. To God we are the same, we are all sinners. SO, we all need Jesus Christ's  salvation. See that the priest's children paid for their sin by death. Today, out sins are paid for by Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God and he paid for all our sins through death. We really need to thank Him for that. Without Him we would really see God's judgement acting in real time right before us. Samuel who did not sin and followed the rules set out by God, his family was rewarded. 

God exalts the weak and humble and strikes the wicked and proud. Today we don't have to rely on our own strength to go through life, but rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength. 

Today, sin is still prevalent,Godly men can still fall to sin. But what the rest should do is not to condemn them but to help them get through it. Because everyone is a sinner, we have the nature to sin. God have given the grace to us when we sinned. So He will give it to them too.

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