Eli was the High Priest at Shiloh ministering to the people during Samuel's time. Shiloh was where the Tent of Meeting was situated and often where the entire assembly of Israel gathered.
Now Eli had two sons who were also priests, but had not the fear of God in their hearts. They went around treating God's offering with contempt (1 Sam 2:12-17) and sleeping around with the women serving at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting (1 Sam 2:22-25) and the bible said that the sins of these young men were very great in God's sight (1 Sam 2:17).
As a father, Eli had to be responsible for the behavior of his two sons. As High Priest, Eli should have made ensured that the offerings of God were handled in the right way. Eli, however, did nothing to rectify the situation.
As high priest, Eli would have stood out among his fellow Levites in his earlier years to have attained such position. Scriptures showed the he was discerning of God's ways when he instructed Samuel on how to hear from God (1 Sam 3:1-19).
The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. (1 Sam 3:1)
However, we need to understand that Sin (and not dealing with Sin) quenches the Holy Spirit in us, no matter how anointed anyone has been. Eli by now would have experienced tremendous dryness in his spirit. The scripture above reveals that he had lost the ability to speak God's word (Logos or Rhema) into Isreal.
Note that the prophecy upon the house of Eli (1 Sam 2:27-36) was given before Samuel began ministering at the Tent of Meeting. God was giving Eli a chance (and seemingly years as Samuel grew up) to repent, yet Eli did nothing in response to this.
Had Eli repented before God after he was prophecised upon, God would have relented and not bring about the Judgement as he did to Eli and his Two sons and Eli could probably still be ministering before the Lord as High Priest.
If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. (Jeremiah 18:7-8)
As a father, Eli had to be responsible for the behavior of his two sons. As High Priest, Eli should have made ensured that the offerings of God were handled in the right way. Eli, however, did nothing to rectify the situation.
As high priest, Eli would have stood out among his fellow Levites in his earlier years to have attained such position. Scriptures showed the he was discerning of God's ways when he instructed Samuel on how to hear from God (1 Sam 3:1-19).
The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. (1 Sam 3:1)
However, we need to understand that Sin (and not dealing with Sin) quenches the Holy Spirit in us, no matter how anointed anyone has been. Eli by now would have experienced tremendous dryness in his spirit. The scripture above reveals that he had lost the ability to speak God's word (Logos or Rhema) into Isreal.
Note that the prophecy upon the house of Eli (1 Sam 2:27-36) was given before Samuel began ministering at the Tent of Meeting. God was giving Eli a chance (and seemingly years as Samuel grew up) to repent, yet Eli did nothing in response to this.
Had Eli repented before God after he was prophecised upon, God would have relented and not bring about the Judgement as he did to Eli and his Two sons and Eli could probably still be ministering before the Lord as High Priest.
If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. (Jeremiah 18:7-8)
Samuel on the other hand was faithful, obedient and constantly seeked God through His word.
The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. (2 Sam 3:19-21)
As we stay faithful to God and His calling, keeping His ways and honouring Him first, He will exalt us above all others. There is nothing to hide, because all men will see and recognise the anointing that is upon us. Yet, on the other end of the spectrum, when we lose God's Spirit, that too cannot be hidden. For in time to come, God will withhold his blessings and anointing from us and even replace us from the establishments that he has allowed us to possess.
In summary, Eli:
- Had not been a faithful in the things that God has called him (Bad Stewardship)
- Allowed Sin to prosper in His time (Procrastination)
- Was unrepentant before the Lord (Hardened Heart)
Samuel, on the other hand was:
- Faithful in ministering God's word
- Had the fear of God above the fear of men (by speaking boldly to Eli, hiding nothing)
- Seeked God constantly through His word
Get right with God today and continue to seek the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)
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