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Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Eli's Sons Disrespect the Holy Offering, Intermediate - I, Lesson - 14

INTERMEDIATE

AGE: 12 - 13 YEARS

STANDARD/GRADE: VII & VIII

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LESSON – 14

ELI’S SONS DISRESPECT THE HOLY OFFERING

Eli, the High Priest

Eli was one of the Judges of Israel. He was also a High Priest of the Tabernacle of God at Shiloh. Eli had two sons Hophni and Phinehas, who were also priests serving at the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a special tent, where the Israelites went to worship God. The Holy Bible says that the sons of Eli, who were priests themselves did not know the Lord. They did not obey God’s commandments and were doing things that angered God. One day a little boy was brought by his mother to the Tabernacle at Shiloh. He was left in the care of Eli, the High Priest to serve the Lord. His name was Samuel. He feared God and obeyed His commandments. He was well-loved by the people of Israel. On the other hand, Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas were called the “Sons of Belial” which meant wicked individuals, because they continued to sin against God and harassed the people who came to worship God in the Tabernacle.

Worship at the Tabernacle

The people of Israel brought animals to be sacrificed as a part of worship. The animals were sacrificed, and then the fat of the offering was burned as the Lord’s portion of the sacrifice. The remaining portion of the offering became the property of the priests, and they were allowed to share it with members of their families. In this way the priesthood was supported by the Lord during their time of service. God also allowed various grades of offerings depending on the financial situation of the individual. People could bring a male ox or bull, a male sheep or goat, a turtle dove or pigeon depending on their ability. This indicated God’s mercy and showed that “With God it is not the gift that counts but the intent of the giver’s heart”. 

Tabernacle in the wilderness, Illustration from Holman Bible (1890)

Eli’s wicked sons

However, Eli’s sons disrespected God and His holy offering. Hophni and Phinehas wanted the best portion of the offering for themselves. They wanted raw meat along with the fat instead of boiled meat and they insisted on getting their share before the parts dedicated to God were burned on the altar. Hophni and Phinehas compelled the priest’s servant to extort the best portions of meat from the person offering the sacrifice. 

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

If the person refused to hand over the desired portions of meat, the sons of Eli made the servant to take the meat by force. This made the worshippers to detest bringing offerings to the Lord. Even though, the Israelites wanted to offer sacrifices and worship the Lord, the behaviour of Eli’s sons was a hindrance to them. The Lord was displeased and angered by the sinful behavior of Eli’s sons and was ready to punish them.

God warns through a Prophet

Instead of being a good example, the family of the High Priest had corrupted the worship of God at the Tabernacle. Eli, the High Priest was old and weak. When he came to know about the wrongdoings of his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, he warned them, but did not discipline them enough to stop their behaviour. God sent a prophet to caution Eli. God reminded Eli how he had chosen the sons of Aaron to be priests, to serve at the altar, to burn the incense, and to wear the ephod. God had also given them the right to keep a share of the sacrifices burnt on the altar. God questioned Eli and his sons, why they greed after the sacrifices and offerings that had to be offered at the altar. Eli honoured his sons more than God by letting them usurp the best parts of all the sacrifices the Israelites wanted to offer God. God’s message was clear to Eli, “I will honour those who honour me, and I will treat with contempt those who despise me.” God’s warning was severe. Both his sons Hophni and Phinehas are going to be punished. God also let Eli know that, He will choose a new priest who will be faithful and do everything God asks him to do.

God speaks through Samuel

Another warning message was conveyed to Eli through Samuel also. The Lord told Samuel that He was ready to punish Eli’s family and a very shocking thing was going to happen. The next morning, Samuel told Eli everything what God had spoken. Eli knew that the Lord was righteous and just. He told Samuel, “He is the Lord; Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”

Moody Publishers / FreeBibleimages.org.

Eli’s sons Punished

Sometime after that, the Philistines came against Israel and killed about 4,000 men. When the elders of Israel heard about it, they decided to take the Ark of God from the Tabernacle and take it to the battle ground to help them in their battle. Hophni and Phinehas, who were the priests in the Tabernacle did not know the Lord or His commandments and they went along with the elder’s plans. 

The Ark of God manifested the holy presence of God and hence it had to stay in the “Most Holy Place” of the Tabernacle. God was not happy with the Ark of God being taken to the battle ground. That day Philistines won the battle against the Israelites and Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas were killed in the battlefield as warned by God. 

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Worship, Sacrifices & Offerings in the New Testament

In the Old Testament period, the main function of the priests, i.e., the descendants of Aaron was to carry out the worship of God through the offering of sacrifices. But in the New Testament all Christians are called to be priests to offer spiritual sacrifices unto God (1 Pet. 2:5).

In the Old Testament all the sacrificial offerings that were presented could be divided into two main categories

1.      Sin offerings which were offered for moral offenses,

2.     Thank offerings which were offered to express gratitude for God's goodness and blessing.

Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament sin offerings through his death once and for all (Heb. 9:11-14; 10:1-14); Hence we need not offer any bird or animal as a sin offering to God ever again in the New Testament. But as Christians who have been delivered from sin through His sacrifice from the requirements of the law and received eternal life, we have the privilege to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. There are many spiritual sacrifices and offerings mentioned in the New Testament such as

ü  Physical body presented as Holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1,2)

ü  Prayer (Revelations 5:8; 8:3)

ü  Faith (Philippians 2:17)

ü  Praise & Thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15)

ü  Offerings (Philippians 4:18)

ü  Charity and Doing Good Works (Hebrews 13:16) 

Worshipping in Spirit and Truth

Giving a sacrifice involves permanently laying on the altar or giving away something that has value to the giver, and hence involves giving up something that we would rather keep for ourselves. The central idea of sacrifice is therefore “surrender”. When our self-will and its desires are surrendered to the will of God, it dethrones “self” and enthrones “God”, as the ruler of our life. But if we live self-oriented and self-indulgent lives, then our worship will be like Cain’s offering, a mere drudgery and worthless.

A popular opinion of our time is that it does not matter how we worship God, as long as we receive some uplifting feeling or positive experience out of it. However, the scriptures reveal that since the beginning of time, and in every age, God has been very particular about what He has accepted as worship. Worship is not about us, our feelings or our experiences, it is all about God who is worthy of our worship. Our soaking and delightful experiences, uplifting feelings, deliverances are all the byproducts of our worship, and not the main objective of our worship. The main objective of our worship is glorifying God for who He is, because He is worthy of our worship. Worship should not be done according to the interests or convenience of the worshipper, but according to the mandate and directive of the one who receives our worship. Worship is not a platform to garner attention or to display talents but it is a spiritual service which ought to reflect the holiness, the divine nature and the immutable characteristics of God as revealed in the Holy Bible. To offer the best worship, sacrifice and offerings to God, we have to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we can truly appreciate God for who He is, and also for what He has done.

Bible Reference: I Samuel 2, 3, 4

Memory Verse: Ecclesiastes 5:1, 2

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ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY

I. Give one- word answers:

1. Hophni and Phinehas were called the “Sons of ………….”

2. Hophni and Phinehas wanted raw meat along with the ………….   

3. God’s prophet warned Eli that God was going to take away ………………… from Eli’s family.

4. The Ark of God had to stay in the “……………………”    

II. Give short answers:

1.     Who was Eli?  .....................................

2.    Why were Hophni and Phinehas called the “sons of Belial?

.....................................................

3.    What was burned as the Lord’s portion of the sacrifice? ………………………..

4.    What was the caution given by the prophet to Eli? ............................... 

III. Give brief answers:

1. Write about the worship pattern, sacrifices and offerings in the New Testament and how it differs from the Old Testament worship.




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