God honors those who fear Him

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:10–21)

This event took place while Samuel was still a boy. I can’t imagine having the courage to tell the high priest what God told him, but he did. Eli knew his error with his sons and his reply indicates he’d learned his lesson. Nevertheless, this man seemed to accept his fate.

One commentary says that if a believer fails and yet repents from his sin, forgiveness is there, but so might be a dreaded consequence. Eli submitted to what seems good to God. I’m not sure I’d have the courage to do that either. He lost every good thing he had. 

However, the law indicates that sin can be deliberate and with awareness, or unintentional. The OT says: “Then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there.” (Numbers 35:11) Since this provision was made for what we now call manslaughter, this indicates God looks at the heart as much as He sees the deed. Did Eli repent? Or did he simply accept this consequence of failing to discipline his sons? A verse from Solomon’s proverbs says:

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent. (Proverbs 21:27)

As a Christian with knowledge of God's love and mercy, this kindness tends to be our focus, yet even the NT says these things: 

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, (Philippians 2:12)
Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. (Colossians 3:22)
As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. (1 Timothy 5:20)
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)

Eli sinned by giving his sons no rebuke for ignoring God rather than giving Him respect, honor, reverence — and paid the price.

Jesus, honoring You is not only right, but logical. I can say, with thousands of angels, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)

Jesus is Worthy . . .

 

READ 1 Samuel 1–4

This morning I’m having trouble concentrating. A while after we moved here, our next door neighbor decided to rent his house and move south. They had not yet moved into a new home when his wife was hit by a bus and died. The next people to live in their home here were renters. They stayed for several years and we enjoyed getting to know them. Last year they also moved south, but not as far. Last week, while vacationing in a US city, he was randomly attacked and killed.

Two things stand out in my memories. B and his wife C were always concerned that they bothered us with their love for loud music, so one day we told them to crank it up and come over. The sound was faint in our garage and not heard at all in our home. This created a neighborly bond.

Another bond was created during a condo association meeting when this man said to one of the other owners, “I’m a God-fearing man. Are you a God-fearing woman?” She was shocked but we were pleased to hear that he had some sort of spiritual understanding. Now he is gone, suddenly and tragically. Devastating for his wife and even my emotions are all over the place.

Trying to focus on today’s reading, the first part that strikes me is this line: “Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.” (1 Samuel 2:12) Eli was an elderly priest. His sons were supposed to function in the same capacity but they were without a relationship with God and sinful in their ‘ministry’ in the work of the priesthood. Eli rebuked them but didn’t stop them, “but they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.”

Years prior, a childless woman named Hannah prayed for a son. Eli heard her and encouraged her that God would hear her. He did and Samuel was born. Before that, Hannah vowed to give him to the Lord’s service and God also responded when she took him to Eli. Samuel “continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.” (2:24–26)

At this point in the story, I thought of B again, a “God-fearing man” unlike Eli’s sons and even unlike Eli who was more concerned for them than honoring the Lord.

The rest of the reading is about Samuel hearing God calling him at a time when “the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” Did our neighbor sense that lack of vision in the life of the woman he asked if she feared God? Perhaps. We are living in a time when God is seldom mentioned or honored in the lives of many. Random killings have become a regular headline. In many issues, goodness is distained and evil is regarded as good. Like Eli’s sons, many have no knowledge of God. Doing our own thing is selfish and usually leads hurting others.

God told Samuel that He would deal with Eli’s household. Before that happened, the Scriptures say that “Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” (3:19–21)

Then the enemies of Israel came, took the sacred Ark from Eli’s place of service and killed his two sons. When this old man heard the news, he also died.

I don’t take this to mean that B died because God was angry with him. I’ve no idea why this happened. It could be that this awful incident was the way the Lord took B home. However, I do know that this ancient family perished because they mocked God in hypocrisy and God replaced them with Samuel who proved to be a far more faithful servant.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I know death is not the end. However, crossing from life here to life with God in eternity involves death. That said, I’d rather die in my sleep than be stabbed in the street, but that is not my decision. Paul wrote about his hope that he would never be ashamed in his life as a Christian but he would be full of courage and honor Christ in his body, “whether by life or by death” because for him, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20–21). Losing someone that we knew in such a violent and sudden way is pushing me to think of the importance of having that same attitude of living for Christ, not fearing death but realizing the importance of always being a God-fearing, God-honoring woman.