Year 2 Day 186

Year 2 Day 186


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 2:22-25


Message - Alan Burke


It’s amazing what I hear on the grapevine, sometimes the grapevine is useful but other times I wonder. There is a world of difference though between someone coming to you to tell you that your uncle has been taken to the Royal or the City and someone coming to tell you what your uncle was up to the other day. Even though we may not want to hear it, some times its pretty clear that everyone knows and what ever it is, is the worst kept secret ever. Here were told how Eli heard what his sons were up to, remember they were worthless men (12), their sin was very great in the sight of the Lord (17), they were treating the offerings and the worship of the Lord with contempt. Even though the Lord God had laid out in his word how he was to be worshiped and He has done it for a very good reason, they did not care. 


How on earth did they end up like this? How on earth did were they allowed to continue doing this? It wasn’t that only every man did what was right in their own eyes but also those who were to lead the people of God, the priests they also did what was right in their own eyes. But as we come to verse 22, even though Eli is very old somewhere around 90 (in 4:15 he is 98) Eli was hearing from all the people and Eli went to speak to his sons (23). Imagine the heartbreak on hearing and observing what is sons were doing, while the boy Samuel, the son of the pilgrim who came year after year was faithfully serving. His sons had turned the temple into a den of iniquity, it was a place where sin was committed rather than confessed. That first day all those years ago he looked into the eyes of his sons as any new parents does would have seemed like a long time ago, with the thoughts running about Eli’s head blaming himself, wishing he could do it all over again. 


Eli challenges their behaviour, but they would not listen, he tried to help them but they placed themselves beyond his help. To his sons he is no longer see a father who protects and guides but an old man whose time is nearly up and all that Eli had would be theirs. There might have been a time when Eil’s words to his sons would have made a difference but that time has long past, his speech is a reminder to the depths which they have sunk and the abuse of their position. He warned them but they would not listen, he trie to help but they did not heed his warning. 


What we are told in verse 25 is frightful, because of their actions, Lord had brought his judgement upon them, a perfectly just judgement, because of their persistent rebellion had decided to put them to death. Here we learn that someone can remain so firm in their rebellion that God will confirm him in it, he will give the sinner over to the desires of their heart. So that they will be utterly deaf to and unmoved by any warning of judgement or the plea for repentance. It should make us tremble before a God who can justly make sinners deaf to the very call to repentance. 


God left them to their own devices, they had made their choices and they were doomed. Sinners should know that when they disregard the truth of God for long enough he will have them up, leaving them to their own devices and they await the just judgement of God. Yet for all who believe, who receive the Lord Jesus Christ, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ho were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. Know this confident hope of salvation in Jesus in what you face (Jn 1:12-13). 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q 69 What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?
The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto. (Acts 16:28, Gen. 9:6)
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