Tag: eli’s sons

A Plan That Backfired (1 Samuel 4:1-22)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Transporting the Ark of the Covenant, Cathedral of Sainte-Marie, Auch, France

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”

When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”

So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.

Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?”

The man hurried over to Eli,who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see. He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.”

Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”

The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.

His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” (New International Version)

It was a really bad day. Yet, it wasn’t a day disconnected from other days. This particular day had been coming for quite some time.

The Philistines and the Israelites were continually going at each other. They had been enemies for a long time. But the Philistines were only the surface problem. The real issue had been building ever since Eli and his sons Hophni and Phineas were the priests in Israel.

They were tasked with the sacred responsibility of caring for the Tabernacle – the tent which housed the Ark of the Covenant – and attending to the people’s worship and sacrifices. But they had been terribly irresponsible in their work. As biblical readers, we are meant to feel the building tension of inevitable divine intervention of judgment against the injustice that was happening.

In one of the many military battles which took place against the Philistines, the Israelites suffered loss. So, someone had the bright idea of perhaps getting God involved. No one perceived, however, the involvement the Lord was planning. God was ready to deal with the wickedness in Israel.

The Ark of the Covenant was brought from Shiloh to the front lines. This, of course, meant that the persons who handled sacred objects, Hophni and Phineas, would have to be the ones who bring it. We sense as readers that in spite of the Ark’s symbolism of God’s presence with the Israelites, this move isn’t going to end well for Israel.

The story is leading us to an important point: Faithfulness to the invisible God is much more important and powerful than a visible sacred object. The Ark of the Covenant is a symbol of what is right and just; it is not a supernatural talisman to ward off a bad and stressful situation.

Many in Israel were faithful to the Lord. Israel’s leaders, however, were not. In an age old story that has kept repeating itself up to the present time, the people keep supporting a bad government which does not serve the common good of all persons; it only serves itself.

What is interesting here is that God neither fights against the Philistines, nor the Israelites. The Lord simply didn’t show up. God was absent and did not help Israel. The divine intervention turned out to be no intervention at all.

The entire Ark of the Covenant plan completely backfired. The Philistines, understanding the brevity of the situation, were emboldened to fight like never before – thus bringing devastation on the battlefield to Israel. The narrator takes note to let us know the impact this has on the old priest Eli, his two sons, and the rest of that family.

Superstition will get us nowhere – especially when we are looking for solutions to problems we created for ourselves by ignoring righteousness and justice. The hard work of doing what is right cannot be substituted with magic.

There is big difference between believing in God and becoming superstitious and wanting easy solutions to complex problems. God is not, cannot, and will not be contained in a box – even if it’s the Ark of the Covenant.

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all people may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Wear the Right Clothes (1 Samuel 2:18-21)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Hannah fits Samuel with a priestly robe, by Unknown artist

But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. (New International Version)

Hannah had to deal with infertility, a rival who taunted her mercilessly, and the societal shame of it all. But the God who is rich in mercy heard Hannah’s prayer at the Tabernacle in Shiloh. She was given a son, Samuel.

And when he was old enough – about 3 or 4 years of age – Hannah and her husband Elkanah presented Samuel to Eli the priest at the Tabernacle. She had vowed to do so if the Lord granted her a son. Hannah made good on that promise.

It turns out that the small boy Samuel was head-and-shoulders above the adult priests. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phineas, were no good, too small for the office of priest they occupied. Their service to God was anything but that. They served themselves, especially the two sons.

Eli’s adult children blatantly engaged in sacrilege, aggressively grabbing whatever they wanted from the sacred space of the Tabernacle. They made a mockery of the Lord’s instructions regarding sacrifices and worship in that holy place. The two of them cursed others (which would come back on them soon enough).

In contrast, the boy Samuel was a blessed child. His dear mother Hannah would make him a new priestly robe year after year as he served faithfully. His growing stature, and the need for clothing which suited him, were a light shining in the darkness of two sons who were outfitted in priestly garb that didn’t spiritually fit them at all.

The thing about our clothes is that they can either be an expression of who we truly are; or they can be a covering which hides the true identity. The story makes it plain that Samuel had a beautifully handcrafted robe which suited him perfectly. But Hophni and Phineas inherited priestly threads that seemed like ill-fitting hand-me-downs.

All of us are either revealing who we really are for all to see with unabashed authenticity, or we are concealing ourselves behind a disingenuous false façade, so that our true self is obscured and hidden in the shadows.

We are embodied people living on a physical earth. Our clothes aren’t just mere coverings of the body; they are a material means of communicating important immaterial aspects of ourselves and the world. The elaborate garb of the priest has significance, and ought not to be taken lightly.

In the case of Eli’s sons, they used their clothing to fleece incoming worshipers who were making genuine animal sacrifices to God. The priestly outfits themselves were not the problem; at issue was two people committing sacrilege against the Lord, and injustice toward the Lord’s people.

Material things neither contaminate nor purify a person; the heart does that. We just need to ensure that material objects like clothing are set apart for specific and good purposes. Those clothes ought to be congruent with the person and the task at hand. And clothing ought never to demean or deceive ourselves or others.

Although we aren’t told what sort of clothing Hannah wore, I’m sure that everything she wore spoke to her humility before others, devotion to God, and spirit of doing what is right and just. The Lord gave her clothes fitted for a mother by blessing Hannah with even more children. I can imagine that the biblical writers had women like her in mind when they wrote some of their words:

I want women to enhance their appearance with clothing that is modest and sensible, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive clothes. They should make themselves attractive by doing good, which is appropriate for women who claim to honor God. (1 Timothy 2:9-10, CEB)

It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God. (1 Peter 3:3-4, ERV)

For all of us, we are encouraged to wear actual and metaphorical clothing that is consistent with what is good:

Right living was my clothing. Fairness was my robe and turban. (Job 29:14, ERV)

Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. (Romans 13:13-14, NLT)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Galatians 3:12, NIV)

The boy Samuel lived up to the priestly clothes he was wearing; they fit him like a hand in a glove. But the adults who should have known better, Eli and his sons, dressed down their priestly garments and demeaned the office of priest for the people they should have been serving.

It is high time to dress appropriately and clothe ourselves with Christ, so that the very life of Jesus may flow powerfully in us and through us, to the glory of God. Amen.

The Contrast of Good and Bad (1 Samuel 2:11-17)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Top picture: Eli’s sons commit sacrilege; Bottom picture: Hannah and Elkanah bring the boy Samuel to the tabernacle; by William de Brailes, c.1230 C.E.

Elkanah and Hannah went back home to Ramah, but the boy Samuel stayed to help Eli serve the Lord.

Eli’s sons were priests, but they were dishonest and refused to obey the Lord. So, while people were boiling the meat from their sacrifices, these priests would send over a servant with a large, three-pronged fork. The servant would stick the fork into the cooking pot, and whatever meat came out on the fork was taken back to Eli’s two sons. That was how they treated every Israelite who came to offer sacrifices in Shiloh. Sometimes, when people were offering sacrifices, the servant would come over, even before the fat had been cut off and sacrificed to the Lord.

Then the servant would tell them, “The priest doesn’t want his meat boiled! Give him some raw meat that he can roast!”

Usually the people answered, “Take what you want. But first, let us sacrifice the fat to the Lord.”

“No,” the servant would reply. “If you don’t give it to me now, I’ll take it by force.”

Eli’s sons did not show any respect for the sacrifices that the people offered. This was a terrible sin, and it made the Lord very angry. (Contemporary English Version)

Stories in the Old Testament of the Bible typically have two or more contrasting characters within them. One of the characters is good and the other not so much. The narrative is set up without having to tell us who is good and who is bad because the unfolding story makes it patently obvious.

This method of contrast is meant for us to look at the narrative and say to ourselves that we don’t want to go down the bad path but to walk in the good way of helpful obedient service.

In today’s story, we clearly see that, in the case of Eli’s sons, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Old Eli the priest is a contrast to the boy priest-in-residence Samuel.

Eli had many faults, especially when it came to dealing with his sons, who were also priests. Eli seems to have continually had an issue with not listening very well – which ended in making a mess of things.

His sons took the casualness to an entirely new level of bad. They were not only worthless but also interfered in the people’s sincere worship of God. The sons were more than simply incompetent; they were also downright evil.

The Law made it clear how the priests and their portion of the sacrificial animals was to occur. There were detailed instructions on the importance of what part of the animal the priests received; and that the sacrifice needed to have the fat boiled off before it was given to the priest. (Leviticus 7:30-36)

But Eli’s sons took whatever they wanted, and did whatever they wanted, with calloused impunity. They disregarded divine instructions. If they wanted to roast their meat, they did. If they decided to have a different part of the animal, they took it from the worshiper. The sons did not care about anyone, and especially about God. They were bullies of the worst kind.

When sincere worshipers tried to stop the insanity of the priests’ blatant neglect, the servant of the priests threatened them. Although Eli himself did not do this detestable practice, we are meant to see in the narrative that he is an absent father and grossly negligent as a priest.

That entire incompetent and insensitive situation raised the ire of a holy God. It would not end well for Eli and his sons. That particular branch of the Levite priesthood was completely eradicated by the direct judgment of the Lord.

The contrast between Eli and Samuel – both serving as priests – has an unexpected twist. Whereas one would reasonably expect Eli to be the good mentor because of his age and experience, it turns out that the much younger Samuel is the actual mentor to the good and right life of priesthood. Eli needed to take his cues from a child. But, alas, he did not.

Hannah presenting Samuel to Eli, by John Flaxman, 1783

Many adults seem to think that children have nothing to teach them. We who are the big people believe we’re the teachers, leaders, and mentors. Yet, in the kingdom of God, age hasn’t got much to do with it. In fact, generally speaking, children are closer and wiser to knowing how God’s kingdom works, often better than the adults do.

In many respects, I am more like an eight year old boy than the actual father and grandfather that I am. I consider that a good thing. It serves me well in living the spiritual life. And as a boy in an adult body, I say we need to take children more seriously. How can we do that?

Listen carefully. Listen with the intent to understand and learn. The best way of talking to a child is listening to them. Hear both what they’re saying and not saying. Jesus insisted that we must become like little children before we can enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2-5)

Since we are to become like children, there’s no reason not to do your very best in getting on a child’s level and hearing what they have to say. After all, they’re the experts on being kids. The young Samuel is our model: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

Validate a child’s emotions, especially their fears. In truth, kids are some of the bravest souls on the planet. They typically have no real hang-ups on connecting with other people, whereas many adults have a lot of anxieties and fears concerning other people.

So, when a child is afraid of something, it’s wise to take notice. They have a special radar to reality that most adults lost a long time ago. I’ll bet the children of the community knew the score of Eli and his sons well before the adults caught on to it.

Observe children’s artworks. For those interested in learning from a child, their drawings with crayons say a lot; their sand sculptures and garbage art speak loads to us if we observe and take notice. Kids are communicating their worldview and how they make sense of things.

Art is about understanding life and the human spirit, connecting to the past and other cultures, and expressing emotions. Becoming open to what children create is a pathway to the divine and to what is important in this world. Eli’s sons removed the art and craft of priesthood; they made it a mere exchange of goods and services. And God was not happy with this arrangement. It took away something significant about connecting with the Lord.

By contrasting the way of Samuel with the way of Eli and his sons, we begin to see the wide chasm between a one-dimensional bullying approach to being a priest, with a multi-dimensional, beautiful, and authentic expression of priesthood that embodies the conduit between heaven and earth.

How will you go about living your life? What does the way you do things say about God?

Holy God, infuse in us your ability to remain present to your people. Help us to be there for the people who need us – for the young, the old, the needy, and the brokenhearted. Enflame our hearts with a spirit of service and obedience. And enable us to be open and ready to love. Amen.