Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD. The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.
There are many stories in God’s Word about people like the two sons of the priest, Eli. These two, however, are legendary among those stories. There were many reasons why these two men were rejected by God and eventually die in a battle against the arch-rival of the nation of Israel, the Philistines. Despite being priest they were known for sleeping with the women who did service in the Temple:
1 Samuel 2:22-23 (ESV)
Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.
In the very above passage, however, we read that they also profaned the Temple worship. When the people of Israel offered animals in worship it was not just a worship to God, but it was also to provide food for the priestly line and family. But there were procedures for that to happen. These men, like their father, were gluttons. They had no restraint in the need for food or their relationships with women. In fact, their lack of restraint is why God is going to discipline them:
1 Samuel 3:11-13 (ESV)
Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them.
Not only did their father not restrain them. He also participated in this food grab during the worship times. God rebukes Eli for his participation:
1 Samuel 2:29 (ESV)
Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’
Those who do not know the Lord are the ones who dishonor the Lord. God will eventually have Eli’s two sons killed in the battle against the Philistines. When Eli hears of their death he dies, as well. How?
1 Samuel 4:18 (ESV)
As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
Their lack of restraint caused all their deaths. Their lack of restraint was caused because they did not know the Lord!
Solomon said it this way:
Proverbs 29:18 (ESV)
Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,
but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Without knowing God and having a word from the Lord (something these men were supposed to be doing) there is no restraint.
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