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A MAN OF GOD SPEAKS TO ELI

I Samuel 2:27-36

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline section

 

i.                    CHOSEN OF GOD (I Sam. 2:27-28)

ii.                  CORRUPTION OF THE SACRIFICES (I Sam. 2:29)

iii.                CUT OFF BY GOD (I Sam. 2:30-33)

iv.                CONFIRMATION BY DEATH (I Sam. 2:34)

v.                  COMMITMENT TO A FAITHFUL PRIEST (I Sam. 2:35-36)

 

2.      What is “a man of God”? (I Sam. 2:27)

 

And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?

 

A.    A man of God was a prophet of God. 

 

B.      The first time we read of this title is in Judges 13:6.

 

Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible:  but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name.

 

C.     Note the words of the man of God:  “Thus saith the Lord…”

1.      The man of God’s responsibility was to be a spokesman for God.

2.      He could reveal the past, the present, and the future.

 

3.      About whom is the man of God speaking in I Samuel 2:27-28?

 

…Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?  And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me?  And did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire unto the children of Israel?

 

A.    Eli was a descendant of Ithamar, Aaron’s youngest son.  Thus, Aaron would be considered Eli’s father.

 

B.      Aaron was specifically called of God to minister as “the priest” unto the Lord (Exo. 28:1).

 

And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

 

C.     This was a very special appointment with both significant responsibilities and abundant blessings.

1.      Responsibilities:

a.      To offer upon mine altar

b.      To burn incense

c.       To wear an ephod before me

2.      Blessing:  “And did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire unto the children of Israel?” (Num. 18:9)

 

This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire:  every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.

 

NOTE:  The very blessing God gave them, they corrupted and caused God’s wrath to come upon them.

 

4.      Define:  kick (I Sam. 2:29)

 

Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering…

 

A.    Definition:

1.      Strong (1163):  to trample down, despise

2.      BDB:  to kick at

 

B.      God has set divine boundaries upon man.  Sometime, however, man does not want to conform to those boundaries.  Thus, he kicks in order to break down the divine fences (See Jer. 5:5).

 

…but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

 

5.      What was the transgression of Eli and his sons mentioned in I Samuel 2:29?

 

…which I have commanded in my habitation; and honorest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

 

A.    Eli’s sons took the best of all the offerings from the children of Israel.

 

B.      Instead of properly disciplining his sons, Eli allowed their transgression and made himself “fat” with the chiefest offerings as well.

 

C.     Because he refused to discipline his sons, and because he took part in their sins, he honored his sons above God.

 

6.      T – F    God had said Eli’s house should walk before him forever. (I Sam. 2:30)

 

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father should walk before me forever…

 

A.    True

 

B.      Exodus 29:9; 40:15; Num. 25:10-13

 

And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his son, and put bonnets on them:  and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute:  and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

 

 

 

 

7.      Why didn’t God keep this promise to Eli” (I Sam. 2:30)

 

…but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

 

A.    God states a divine law that He has always followed

 

B.      Jeremiah 18:9-10

 

And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;  if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit  them.

 

8.      T – F    God was going to cut off Eli’s house from the high priesthood.  (I Sam. 2:31)

 

Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house forever.

 

A.    False

 

B.      The Lord said that He was going to “cut off thine arm.”  This indicated that He would cut off the strength, power, and influence of the individual and his family.

 

C.     No longer would any man from Eli’s household live long and wield a powerful influence over the nation of Israel.

 

9.      What does the phrase, “there shall not be an old man in thine house” mean? (I Sam. 2:31, 32)

 

…that there shall not be an old man in thine house.  And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel:  and there shall not be an old man in thine house forever.

 

A.    One of the ways for a man to be of influence in the position of high priest was to live a long life in the position.

 

B.      This was no longer going to occur.  The high priests would now die in the flower of their age.

 

10.  What does the statement:  “And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation” mean? (I Sam. 2:32)

 

And thou shalt see and enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel…

 

A.    The position of the high priest would manifest great wealth to those who held the position.  This wealth, however, would be an enemy to the habitation of God.  That is, it would bring sin and iniquity into the courts of the Lord.

 

B.      I Timothy 6:9-10

 

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil:  which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

11.  Who would “consume” Eli’s eyes and “grieve” his heart? (I Sam. 2:33)

 

And the man of thine, who I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart:  and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

 

A.    The priesthood would continue through Eli’s lineage, but those who occupied the position would not do so with honor and faithfulness.

 

B.      It would be a sad thing to look upon and it would bring grief to the heart.  What should have been a blessing to a family was turned into a curse.

 

12.  What sign was given to Eli that would confirm the prophet’s words? (I Sam. 2:34)

 

And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

 

A.    The two oldest sons of Eli would die on the same say.

 

B.      God specifically calls them by name, Hophni and Phinehas.

 

13.  Who did the Lord promise to raise up? (I Sam. 2:35)

 

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind:  and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed forever.

 

A.    This appears to be a dual prophecy.  It was fulfilled the first time when Zadok became the high priest (II Sam. 15:24, 35; 17:15; 19:12; 20:25). 

1.      Solomon cast Abiathar out of the priesthood fulfilling the words of the man of God (I Kings 2:27).

 

So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord; that he might fulfill the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

 

2.      Zadok continued in this position into the days of Solomon who erected the temple of God in Jerusalem.

 

B.      There is also a prediction of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ. 

 

14.  What would he do that would prove he was faithful?  (I Sam. 2:35)

 

A.    The Lord said that he “shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind.”

 

B.      LESSON:   This is the way in which all individuals are rendered faithful, that is, by doing the will of God.

 

15.  What did the Lord mean when he said:  “I will build him a sure house?” (I Sam. 2:35)

 

A.    Some see a sure house” as referring to his lineage of priests. 

 

B.      The messianic aspect of this prophecy could refer to the Christ being appointed as the high priest over the “sure house,” the church.

 

16.  Who would this faithful priest walk before forever? (I Sam. 2:35)

 

A.    “…and he shall walk before mine anointed forever.”

 

B.      In the days of Zadok, he would walk before Solomon.

 

C.     Jesus would fulfill both positions as high priest and King.

 

17.  What two things would those in Eli’s house do before this new high priest in order to obtain bread? (I Sam. 2:36)

 

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

 

A.    They would beg for bread.

 

B.      They would beg to be placed into the position of a priest so they could have bread to eat.

 

C.     Point:  “They formerly pampered themselves, and fed to the full on the Lord’s sacrifices; and now they are reduced to a morsel of bread. They fed themselves without fear; and now they have cleanness of teeth in all their dwellings. They wasted the Lord’s heritage, and now they beg their bread!” (Clarke, e-sword).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOD CALLS SAMUEL

I Samuel 3:1-10

Victor M. Eskew

 

Homework

 

1.      Outline section:

 

i.                    I Samuel 3:1

ii.                  I Samuel 3:2-8a

iii.                I Samuel 2:8b-9

iv.                I Samuel 2:10

 

2.      What was Samuel doing before Eli? (I Sam. 3:1)

 

 

3.      Define:  ministered (I Sam. 3:1)

 

 

4.      What is the meaning of the words:  “And the word of God was precious in those days; there was no open vision” (I Sam. 3:1)

 

 

 

5.      What is verse 2 describing? (I Sam. 3:2)

 

 

 

6.      T – F    The lamp of God in the holy place was supposed to go out. (I Sam. 3:3)

 

 

7.      What do the words, “ere the lamp of God went out” refer to? (I Sam. 3:3)

 

 

 

8.      When God called Samuel, what did God say to him? (I Sam. 3:4)

 

 

9.      How did Samuel respond? (I Sam. 3:4)

 

 

10.  Who did Samuel think had called him? (I Sam. 3:5)

 

 

11.  How many times did God call Samuel, and he mistook the call as coming from Eli? (I Sam. 3:4, 6, 8)

 

 

12.  Explain I Samuel 3:7

 

 

 

13.  After the third time, who did Eli perceive had called Samuel? (I Sam. 3:8)

 

 

 

14.  Define:  perceive (I Sam. 3:8)

 

 

 

15.  If the call came to Samuel again, how did Eli tell Samuel to answer?  (I Sam. 3:9)

 

 

 

16.  Define:  servant (I Sam. 3:9)

 

 

 

17.  T – F    God called Samuel the fourth time.  (I Sam. 3:10)

 

 

18.   How did Samuel respond?  (I Sam. 3:10)