You Honor Your Sons Above Me

The sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD. The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. . . . Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 1 Samuel 2:12-14, 22, ESV

IT WAS A TRAGIC SCENE. Eli was the high priest serving in the Tabernacle. This was the tent in which God had come down to dwell among his people, the place where God’s people went to have their sin dealt with. Eli had two sons serving with him. They lived at the one place on earth where it would seem impossible to avoid a life-altering encounter with the living God. And yet we read that they “did not know the LORD.” Their appetites for rich food and illicit sex —rather than an appetite for God —dominated their lives.

It’s not just the sinful passions and patterns of these two sons we see in this scene. We also see a brokenhearted, confused, perhaps even embarrassed, but ultimately complacent father. Eli knew what they were doing —taking the best portions of the sacrificed meat for themselves and seducing women. He knew their actions were an offense to God and a disservice to the people of God, but he didn’t act. He didn’t immediately plead with them to repent. Finally, the Lord sent a man to Eli who spoke for God, asking, “Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?” (verse 29, ESV, emphasis added). This reveals how the Lord saw Eli’s complacency. Eli honored his sons above God. Sadly, he feared the wrath or rejection of his own sons more than he feared God.

Lord, please save ________ from growing up in the church without truly knowing you. Help ________ to value your sacrifice for sin and to fear abusing it. And give me the courage to not merely complain about sinful behavior, but to confront it, rebuke it, and do what is right to restrain it. I never want to honor my children above you! May you be honored in our home and in our hearts. May we truly know you so that we will long to please you.