Hophni & Phinehas Part III

Hello 

Today’s study is on Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli.  These two boys were priests in the temple and according to 1 Samuel 2:12-ff it teaches us that Eli’s sons were wicked men and they had no regard for God.  They would take the offerings from the people that were designed to be sacrificed to the Lord for personal gain and they would have sex with women who served at the entrance to the “tent of meeting.”  Eli was very old and when he heard how his boys was defiling the “house of God” he rebuked them, but the text says that they did not listen.   All the while, we hear of God doing a new thing.  

The text goes on to teach us that in the midst of two priests who were defiant and had no regard for God, there was another young boy by the name of Samuel who was being raised up to be a prophet who the scriptures teach that “his words would not fall to the ground.” 

In other words, Samuel would grow up to be so in tune with God that whatever he said would come to pass.  His heart would be turned totally to the things of God and God’s people.  Ohhhhh  I love God.  Sometimes you can look around and be disappointed with people who claimed they “speak for God” and all the while, God is raising up a remnant that will not “bow down” and will stand for “righteousness” and “truth.”  

Okay, back to the story.   The bible teaches us that the following was the punishment issued by God for their behavior.   

“Therefore The Lord  the God of Israel declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before Me for ever’; but now The Lord declares: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming, when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity which shall be bestowed upon Israel; and there shall not be an old man in your house for ever. The man of you whom I shall not cut off from My altar shall be spared to weep out his eyes and grieve his heart; and all the increase of your house shall die by the sword of men. And this which shall befall your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.” (1 Samuel 2:30-34 RSV) 

Well, just as the text says, they did die on the same day.   Tomorrow , we will begin our study of how the monarchy comes to be with the birth narrative of Samuel.  

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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