God’s Renewing Word of Promise
Introduction
1 Samuel 2:27-36: A prophet comes to Eli with a message from the LORD. Eli is told that no one in his family will ever live to old age. God will choose a priest who will be faithful and obey the LORD.
Scripture Reading
The Prophecy against Eli’s Family
27A prophet came to Eli with this message from the Lord: “When your ancestor Aaron and his family were slaves of the king of Egypt, I revealed myself to Aaron. 28 From all the tribes of Israel I chose his family to be my priests, to serve at the altar, to burn the incense, and to wear the ephod to consult me. And I gave them the right to keep a share of the sacrifices burned on the altar. 29Why, then, do you look with greed at the sacrifices and offerings which I require from my people? Why, Eli, do you honor your sons more than me by letting them fatten themselves on the best parts of all the sacrifices my people offer to me? 30I, the Lord God of Israel, promised in the past that your family and your clan would serve me as priests for all time. But now I say that I won’t have it any longer! Instead, I will honor those who honor me, and I will treat with contempt those who despise me. 31Listen, the time is coming when I will kill all the young men in your family and your clan, so that no man in your family will live to be old. 32You will be troubled and look with envy on all the blessings I will give to the other people of Israel, but no one in your family will ever again live to old age. 33Yet I will keep one of your descendants alive, and he will serve me as priest. But he will become blind and lose all hope, and all your other descendants will die a violent death. 34 When your two sons Hophni and Phinehas both die on the same day, this will show you that everything I have said will come true. 35I will choose a priest who will be faithful to me and do everything I want him to. I will give him descendants, who will always serve in the presence of my chosen king. 36Any of your descendants who survive will have to go to that priest and ask him for money and food, and beg to be allowed to help the priests, in order to have something to eat.”
Today’s Key Verse: 1 Samuel 2:35a
[The LORD said:] “I will choose a priest who will be faithful to me and do everything I want him to.”
Reflect
Reread verses 30-32. What had God promised Eli? What will God do now? Reread verses 33-36. How does the prophet describe the one descendant of Eli? How does he describe the priest who will be chosen by God? What will Eli learn after his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, die on the same day (verse 34)? Why does the prophet tell Eli that he honors his sons more than he honors the LORD (verse 29)? In what ways will you honor God today?
Pray
Sovereign God, may my words and actions this day bring glory and honor to you. Teach me to heed your voice and obey your commands. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
1 Samuel 3:1-21: The LORD appears to Samuel.