“Sin in God’s House”

1 Samuel 3

10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

11 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.

12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

13 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.

14 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.”

We find here in this text the result of sin in God’s house. Eli had not stopped his sinning sons even though he knew what they were up to. And so, God’s wrath was revealed upon Eli and his sons. Eli, when he heard this prophecy given through the boy, Samuel, simply resigned himself to his fate instead of seeking God in true repentance.

There was a long history of the two sons of Eli being involved in sins of greed and lust. Eli had warned them in a soft `gentleman’ manner instead of properly dealing with their wickedness.

How different was the repentance of David! When he heard Nathan’s story of the lamb killed by the rich man he was furious and demanded to know who the man was so that he should die. Nathan replied, “You are the man!”. At that, David crumbled and humbled himself before God. He stopped defending himself and he confessed his sin just as it was. He found mercy from the Lord.

Eli, however, did not seek God’s mercy in repentance. No wonder God said that no sacrifice could cover their sins!

A while later every word of this prophecy came into fulfillment. The sons of Eli continued in the service of the temple as priests instead of being dealt with by their father. You parents, do you allow your children to continue with their sin, blatantly and to the destruction of your family and many others? Despite the false confidence of the Israelite army when Hophni and Phineas arrived with the Ark, their were routed and the Ark was captured. (God was able to take care of His glory, as we read in the rest of the story.) However, Eli and his two sons died, as God had warned. Many other Israelites also died.

So it is when sin is allowed in God’s house. Let’s learn from this and not follow in Eli’s footsteps.