Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Review

Started this new Series in 1 Samuel-Prophets, Priests and Kings

Hannah, and Elkanah were devoted to the Lord.

Hannah Prayed, and made a vow

Eli the priest was a contrast not devoted tot he Lord.

Showing us leadership in Israel was in trouble.

God granted Hannah’s request, and she gave birth to a son Samuel

Hannah’s Prayer

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

Eli’s Wicked Sons

Now, we meet the sons of this corrupt priest Eli, and our passage this morning starts at 1 Samuel chapter 2, verse 12.

The original language is Sons of Belial, or picture it as a son of the devil.

Eli calls Hannah a daughter of Belial

1 Sam

This idea of whose son you were, was carried over into the New Testament.

It reminds us when Jesus encountered the Priests in his day.

When Jesus encountered the Pharisees, he called them sons of the devil.

John 3:31-44

In ancient Israel you became a priest based on your family line.

That is why Eli, and his sons were serving, it is all there in genealogies.

But what Jesus is saying, is although you may have this bloodline, that is no gaurantee of whose son you are.

That is determined by who you know, and Eli’s sons did not know the Lord

They did not Know the Lord

The text also says that El’s Sons did not know the Lord, Pharaoh was one who did not know the Lord.

They did not Know the Lord

How is it that a Priest does Not Know The Lord?

Jesus quoted from the prophet Isaiah in the book of Matthew and he said

Mal 2:

It is a heart issue.

People go through the motions, but their hearts are not dedicated to the Lord.

They do the things they are supposed to do, but they really don’t know the Lord or Love the Lord.

And no one is immune to that.

If the priests aren’t immune who would be.

This is very sad, yet see it everyday.

Seminaries, denominational leaders, preachers.

The sin of Eli’s sons

1 Sam 2:

To understand the sin they committed, we should know that God had made a provision for the priests to get paid, it was in the Book of Leviticus, it is just that Hophni and Phinehas didn’t follow that.

Lev

Eli’s sons would have gotten meat, they just wanted more.

Because they didn’t know the Lord, they were unsatisfied in what he provided for them.

Because they did not know the Lord they believed that their provision was on their own, so they had to grab what they could.

The Word of God gave them a method for their provision, but for them it was unsatisfactory.

Sometimes, the people EVEN knew that something was wrong and they brought it up to Hophni and Phinehas.

But the problem was they did not act with humility, when confronted.

Because they did not know the Lord, hey did not repent and turn back to the Lord, instead they reacted with anger.

Sometimes people even told them it was wrong and it didn’t seem to matter to Hophni and Phinehas, they took it by force.

Sometimes people even told them it was wrong and it didn’t seem to matter to Hophni and Phinehas, they took it by force.

it was wrong and it didn’t seem to matter to Hophni and Phinehas, they took it by force.

Didn’t seem to matter to Hophni and Phinehas.

1 Sam

This did not sit well with the Lord

They were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.

In some translations, the sense is that El’s sons were not treating the offering as sacred and holy to the Lord they were treating it with contempt.

However, as we look at ancient Hebrew sources, there is a sense that the phrase “they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt” refers to the worshippers.

Thus giving a sense that the people who were bringing the offering were no longer brining it with a good and pure heart, but were perhaps dreading bringing the offering to the Lord.

I think that translation makes the most sense for two reasons.

The first is that it was read that way in the older manuscripts that exist, and secondly because it seems to support this overarching idea present in the Book of Judges, and here in Samuel, that as go the leaders, so go the people.

Lastly, we seem to see that today.

Our greed as individuals has consequences in God’s Community.

Take by Force.

How many times have you heard this phrase out of people’s mouths “The Church is just after your Money?” Yet, we really rarely hear people say about The American Society, that they are always looking for money”

Think about it like this.

I don’t really ever hear people say”The American Society, they are always looking for money” Right?

Why is that?

Because people have a certain level of trust that American Cancer Society leaders are moving forward with a vision to cure cancer, which they view as a good thing.

Why is that?

Why is the Church criticized for soliciting donations, when a charitable organization who sole purpose is to solicit donations not criticized?

I believe it is because people have a level of trust that American Cancer Society leaders are moving forward with a vision to cure cancer, and as of yet there has not been a public failing and evidence of corruption in the leadership.

As long as we are proceeding along with God’s goals and His kingdom in mind.

God will supply for his people to be able do his will.

The problem comes in where there is a disconnect with that.

The church, on the other hand, has in many cases had public evidence of corruption.

As prosperity preachers have spent the offerings of the congregants intended for the Lord’s work lavishly on themselves.

This has created an atmosphere of distrust of the leaders of the church.

Sometimes, it does not even have to be as drastic as the prosperity preacher, it can occur to a lesser degree in other churches as well.

If the leadership of the church, is perceived as not seeking after the Lord’s vision for the church, if they are perceived as not using the Lord’s offering for furthering God’s kingdom, but rather using it for their own agenda, the worshippers will be giving treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.

As long as we are proceeding along with God’s goals and His kingdom in mind.

God will supply for his people to be able do his will.

The problem comes in where there is a disconnect with that.

So, can we preach on money, and not further this awful stereotype?

Yes we can as along as the church has measure of trust in the leadership.

If the church trusts that the leadership is using the Lord’s offering to further the Lord’s kingdom, to further the Lord’s vision, then we can trust that the Lord will provide for His church in the measure he sees fit to further His kingdom.

When the leaders do not know the Lord, when there is this disconnect that is occuring, as we are seeing here in Israel, it is easy to think that this is occuring outside of the Lord’s control, but this is not the case.

God still has his hand on his people.

God is still working things out to further His kingdom as he sees fit.

WHen people say the Church is only looking for money it is becasue they percieve that the leadership is not using the offerings for a God given vision for the advancement of the kingdom of God, and they distrust the leadership, and they are trying to hold back the money for themselves as well.

Let’s look at what is going here, again in detail, then expand it into our lives.

The boy Samuel, was the faithful offering of the dedicated and faithful Elkanah and Hannah, and God is going to use that in a mighty way.

The contrast is apparent here.

The unfaithful, those that do not know the Lord, are using the offering for themselves, and are causing contempt within the Lord’s people and the offerings, and the faithful’s offerings are being used of the Lord to further the kingdom and provide hope, and the faithful are being blessed for it as well.

1 sam 2.20

I would like to take a moment to see what this looks like.

One family from our community recently went through a very complicated medical situation, and the medical bills were insurmountable.

I would like to take a moment to see what this looks like

People are bringing their offerings to the priests.

The priests do not know the Lord, their hearts are filed with sin, so instead of relying on the Lord to provide for them they take the Lord’s portion for themselves.

Today, in our country the medical insurance industry is changing rapidly, and there are alternative programs like medical sharing cooperatives available to help with medical bills.

This family was a member of one of those.