1Sa 2:14 | KingComments | STEP | Samuel is always called “boy”. This indicates the contrast with the adults around him. It also indicates that God begins something new with what is not deemed in the world. He hides His plans “from [the] wise and intelligent” and reveals “them to infants” ( ). The Spirit shows the development of the child Samuel into an adult man and servant in a religious and at the same time wicked environment. That can only be God’s work. Samuel is formed in the hidden. He does not serve Eli before the LORD’s face, but he serves the LORD under Eli’s supervision. He may even be dependent in his very young years on the care of the women with whom Eli’s sons sleep. Eli’s sons are “worthless men” or “men of Belial”, that is, they have nothing in common with Christ ( ). In these two priests we see how external presence with God, without knowing Him, results in the worst deviation from Him. A holiness that is only external is the worst unholiness. Eli’s sons act as if there is no God. Their behavior caused men to despise the offering of the LORD and to no longer take heed of God’s precepts. God has provided in the law for priests to receive their share of the peace offering ( ). However, Eli’s sons are not satisfied with this. They do not care about that. Not only do they take much more than they are entitled to, but they also take it even before God has received His share. It is a display of power and an expression of iniquity and arrogance of the coarsest kind. Today we see this happening when the church takes away of the people belonging to God’s people what God is entitled to. We see it in church leaders who enrich themselves at the expense of the church people. In such a situation, people are needed who give God His part again as the first Rightsholder. Do we take the best for ourselves and should God settle for the leftovers? Someone of the people who comes to sacrifice knows the law and speaks to these corrupt priests about it. He points out that the fat must first be sacrificed ( ). The priest’s servant does not care about this. He was given his command by the priest, and he follows it closely. That also gives him the most benefit. He even threatens with violence if the offeror does not give what the priest demands. This performance gives a picture of the service to God that is considered a very great sin. The representatives of God present Him as a violent, greedy God. The result is that people no longer take the sacrifice seriously. Here we can learn the lesson that a misrepresentation of Who God is will lead to a despising of the Lord Jesus and His work.

‏ 1 Samuel 2:14

Samuel and the Sons of Eli

Samuel is always called “boy”. This indicates the contrast with the adults around him. It also indicates that God begins something new with what is not deemed in the world. He hides His plans “from [the] wise and intelligent” and reveals “them to infants” (Mt 11:25).

The Spirit shows the development of the child Samuel into an adult man and servant in a religious and at the same time wicked environment. That can only be God’s work. Samuel is formed in the hidden. He does not serve Eli before the LORD’s face, but he serves the LORD under Eli’s supervision. He may even be dependent in his very young years on the care of the women with whom Eli’s sons sleep.

Eli’s sons are “worthless men” or “men of Belial”, that is, they have nothing in common with Christ (2Cor 6:15a). In these two priests we see how external presence with God, without knowing Him, results in the worst deviation from Him. A holiness that is only external is the worst unholiness. Eli’s sons act as if there is no God. Their behavior caused men to despise the offering of the LORD and to no longer take heed of God’s precepts.

God has provided in the law for priests to receive their share of the peace offering (Lev 7:34). However, Eli’s sons are not satisfied with this. They do not care about that. Not only do they take much more than they are entitled to, but they also take it even before God has received His share. It is a display of power and an expression of iniquity and arrogance of the coarsest kind.

Today we see this happening when the church takes away of the people belonging to God’s people what God is entitled to. We see it in church leaders who enrich themselves at the expense of the church people. In such a situation, people are needed who give God His part again as the first Rightsholder. Do we take the best for ourselves and should God settle for the leftovers?

Someone of the people who comes to sacrifice knows the law and speaks to these corrupt priests about it. He points out that the fat must first be sacrificed (Lev 3:3-5 ; 16). The priest’s servant does not care about this. He was given his command by the priest, and he follows it closely. That also gives him the most benefit. He even threatens with violence if the offeror does not give what the priest demands.

This performance gives a picture of the service to God that is considered a very great sin. The representatives of God present Him as a violent, greedy God. The result is that people no longer take the sacrifice seriously. Here we can learn the lesson that a misrepresentation of Who God is will lead to a despising of the Lord Jesus and His work.