“Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” 16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.” 17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.” 1 Samuel 2.12-17
When I read this final verse, noting that Eli’s sons were “treating the Lord’s offering with contempt,” I think about the phrase “in contempt of court.”
According to one source, “in contempt of court” is defined as:
1) An act that is disrespectful to the court, and
2) An act that obstructs or tends to obstruct the proper administration of justice.
Eli’s sons were certainly acting disrespectfully and obstructing the proper administration of justice—not to a court of law, but to God Himself.
My next question is how? How could the sons of the priest be so evil as to treat the Lord’s offering with contempt? They treated it as if it were something they were owed, something intended for them, rather than belonging to the Lord. How could they, who were often in God’s presence and had a father who was faithful, be so selfish and sinful?
We see this repeated throughout Scripture. King David’s sons were not godly men. It’s often the case in Scripture that the children do not follow in the footsteps of their parents.
How can we learn from this lesson and avoid being in contempt of the Lord, His offering, and what He has provided to us? And what should we do about those who are doing evil in the eyes of the Lord?
First, everything we have comes from God. We are owed nothing. All our gains, possessions, and successes are because of Him and are due to Him. Second, those who are evil can be rebuked, corrected, and redeemed. Yet, each person must choose their own path forward. The path God provides is by far the best, but not everyone will choose to submit their will to the Father. Pride will keep many from seeking, knowing, and loving the Lord.
Today, I pray for mercy for all those who have not yet said yes to Jesus and received His love and forgiveness. I pray that God will use us to bless His name and help bring many people to faith. Let us help turn their contempt for Christ into praise for the Father so that all might know abundant life today and eternal life to come.
“O Lord God, we are sinful people! We rebel against your law; we reject your love. Help us now, O Lord God, by the power of your Holy Spirit, to awaken to the power of your grace. Help us find salvation through Jesus. I pray, God, that you might open the eyes of all who have turned away from you. Draw all people to yourself by your grace and through your Spirit. For you are good, and your love endures forever.” Amen