“That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head. 13 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. 14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man hurried over to Eli, 15 who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see. 16 He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.” Eli asked, “What happened, my son?” 17 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.” 18 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[b] Israel forty years.” 1 Samuel 4.12-18
Some stories seem almost impossible to believe. The story of Eli, his death, the death of his sons, the capture of the Ark of God, and the defeat of 40,000 Israelites is almost too much to comprehend. How could all of this happen in one day? And to a better man than Eli? (That last part was a joke.)
I’m sure Eli started off as faithful, but his tolerance of the evil committed by his sons in the tabernacle of the Lord, and their taking advantage of the sacrificial offerings, was simply too much. He disrespected the Lord, and as the leader of the people’s faith, he brought shame upon the entire nation.
The events that unfold—and there is more to come—reflect a people who have turned away from God. The death of this once-faithful priest, Eli, suggests the heart of a nation that once loved God.
Speaking of loving God, He is a jealous God. We can’t “sort of” love Him and “sort of” love other things. We can’t worship Him while also worshipping what we love, desire, or want. We must be fully committed to the Lord. We serve a Lord who is alive and active. You may not see Him, but you can feel Him. His Word reveals who He is and what He is doing. The world in which God is moving is spiritual, and what we see with our own eyes is only half of the picture. The eternal Kingdom of God is among us, around us, and within us.
Unlike Eli, let’s set our hearts on God’s Kingdom. Let’s put aside the temporary and focus on what is eternal. Let us seek to love a God who requires and desires our love in return. A jealous God who loves, protects, and defends is a God I want to follow.
This is a new day in the Lord! It happens to be Labor Day, a day when we strive to work and to will. Let this day be a day in which we strive after the Lord, to love Him and to make His love known to all.
“O Lord God, you are faithful and just. We deserve every bit of justice you bring our way. We are not without guilt; we are in need of your love and desperate for your blessing. Come now, Holy Spirit, draw us to yourself. Guide us, inspire us, and fill us with your Spirit. I love you, Lord, and praise your name, for you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen.