1 Samuel 1-4
ISRAEL had long provoked the Most High. Time after time had they fallen under the power of the enemy, and again and again had the God of Jacob delivered them. But they rebelled still; and a universal turning away from God specially marks the last days of Eli, though one and another are in the secret of the Lord, and appear as solitary witnesses of the truth amidst the thousands of Israel.
Religious ceremonies, however, were still observed, sacrifices were often offered, and the Aaronic order and office of priesthood also still had a place. But the days of the long-suffering of Jehovah were nearer to a close than many imagined: for no forms of religion, even though of divine institution, are acceptable to God, further than they are connected with subjection of heart to Him. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 15:2323But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; (Romans 15:23)). Where the form of godliness is upheld, and the power thereof denied, God must turn away from it, as He also commands us (2 Tim. 3:55Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:5)).
There is nothing in this sad and solemn narrative to lead us to suppose that Eli was in any respect, as a son of Aaron, naturally disqualified for the office of Priest, or that he was wanting in the regular observance of the forms and ceremonies connected with his office, or that he was guilty of any outward act of flagrant evil. He judged Israel forty years, and therefore must have had much experience as a ruler of the house of God; and we find he was ready to rebuke drunkenness, or to give a benediction, as circumstances appeared to call for either. But with all this, how stood his own heart with God? What was his behavior in his family? and what were his principles of action towards the people among whom he officially acted as the servant of God? Healthful inquiries! and needful too concerning ourselves, if we would have a just estimate and measure of our own hearts and ways.
A great discovery was made, when the Lord searched Eli. It was found that he did not guard the sacrifice. It was handled with rude and unclean hands, to suit the lawless appetites of the sons of Belial; and he did not hinder them. This was indeed a sorrowful disclosure, and betrayed great distance of heart from God; for all spiritual comfort and strength depend upon our estimate of GOD’S SACRIFICE, as one has written,
‘What think you of Christ? is the test
To try both your state and your scheme,’ &c.
And I would ask, how can holiness be developed, if that sacrifice, which presents to the soul the love and glory of Jehovah, be not reverenced and guarded with jealous watchfulness? Can peace, communion, or acceptable service be found, where the heart is careless of what is precious to God? Assuredly not; for the flesh and blood of the “Lamb without spot” is the sole source of all spiritual life and power. A knowledge of manifested sin, and some readiness to rebuke it in others may exist, but the conscience cannot rightly be affected by it, if GOD’S SACRIFICE be thought little of.
It was the sacrifice in Eli’s day that was the touchstone, even as the cross of the Son of God is now. Everything depends on what our thoughts are of that cross. The suffering, death, shedding of blood, and burning of the fat of the guiltless victim, presented no attraction to revolted Israel. They knew no better use of it than for carnal gratification; and even Eli had his conscience so little exercised, as to the spiritual character of the feast which was daily presented on the altar, that he contented himself with the bare mention of the notoriously wicked course of his sons, instead of frowning upon them (ch. 3:13, margin) and exercising the godly discipline which such abominations called for. “His sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” He felt it was for present ease to let things have their course, and was content to do so, rather than faithfully oppose and withstand the desires and purposes of those evil workers. And how could it be otherwise, if the eye were closed to the glory and beauty of the sacrifice? Had he believingly traced, in the sufferings and death of the offerings, their great antitype―God manifest in the flesh―he could not but have keenly felt the dishonor done to God, and would doubtless also have gathered up strength to fight against and subdue his natural flesh and bone. How vividly does this little history bring before us the need of a deep, experimental, heartfelt acquaintance with the sacrifice of the Son of God, to enable us to fight the good fight of faith, and overcome the adversary, even in the home circle!
Such conduct, however, cannot be passed over by Him who says, “He that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Accordingly, “a man of God” is stirred up to meet Eli with words of solemn rebuke, and awful threatening, and especially because of GOD’S SACRIFICE and God’s offering being so despised. But the censure is unheeded. Neither Eli nor Israel appear either abased or alarmed: and no mention is made of individual or united humiliation or confession. The Lord’s rebuke to the unhumbled heart is like a gust of wind that has passed over the unyielding rock; for being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, it remains unmoved, unimpressed, unbroken. The tremendous rebuke and threatening of God, however, again vibrate on the ear of the aged priest, through the lips of the child Samuel, but again with apparently little effect. The heathen Ninevites might surely reprove such impenitence. Ah! Israel’s priest little knew that the Lord loveth judgment, and that if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged.
But the Ark was to be guarded as well as the Sacrifice. No one in Israel had access to it but the high priest, and he only once a year; and no one had liberty to pack it up in the holy cloths, when the camp removed, but Aaron or his sons; and no one was permitted to bear it but the Kohathites, who were commanded not to touch any holy thing on penalty of death (Num. 4:5-155And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: 6And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. 7And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: 8And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. 9And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 10And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar. 11And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: 12And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar: 13And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 14And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it. 15And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 4:5‑15)). But secret faults unjudged will sooner or later merge into presumptuous sins. Eli had not made the holy preservation of the Sacrifice a matter of conscience, and therefore the mercy-seat and cherubim of glory had little place in his affections.
Revolted and self-willed Israel, instead of mourning at home (as they will by and by), their wives apart and their families apart (Zech. 12.), presumptuously “go out against the Philistines to battle,” and Eli does not condemn their course. But though the people have turned away from God, they are still professedly religious, but make a shadow their refuge, instead of Jehovah, in time of trouble. And the sons of Belial, who had trampled upon the work of atonement unrestrained, now fearlessly indulge their sacrilegious desires. They handle the Ark of the covenant with defiled and guilty hands, tear it from its accustomed resting-place, and rudely expose it to the unbelieving gam of the provokers of Jehovah.
Ask not how this unprecedented outrage was met by Eli; for unfaithfulness as to ourselves must ever be accompanied with unfaithfulness to others; and if ungodliness is unrestrained at home, how can holiness be contended for amongst the ranks of the thousands of Israel? The same false charity that could be silent at dishonor to God touching His Sacrifice, can now without rebuke, see the precious Ark sacrilegiously abused: while the conscience, blunted as to family rule and behavior, can easily accommodate itself to public position and conduct. I cannot help thinking that, in the mind of the Spirit, there is an intentional connection in this narrative between family and public witness for God; and that both are dependent on the estimate formed of God’s own Sacrifice.
Eli, however, could not now occupy his accustomed place in the temple; and the feeble patriarch, trembling for the Ark of God, sat by the wayside watching. But having refused to judge himself, he must now be judged; and so also must his wicked sons, and backslidden Israel. The result was, Eli was visited with sudden death, his two sons killed, Israel smitten before their enemies, and the precious Ark of the covenant taken by the uncircumcised enemies of the Lord. It is indeed an awful story; but if it serve to stir us up to regard God’s Sacrifice with more holy reverence and fear, and to beget in us watchfulness against the workings of the untrue charity of nature, it will not be without profit to our souls. Let us never forget these statutes of the Lord, “Them that Honor Me, I will Honor; and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”