The situation in that day

Eli was raising Samuel because of the promise Hannah made to God.

There was much wickedness in the temple where Samuel was.

Hannah was fulfilling the vow she made to the LORD by leaving Samuel in the temple with Eli, who had not raised his own sons according to the Word of God.

God took care of Samuel, and God will also take care of our children when we as parents must put them into dangerous places.

It is not good to put our children in dangerous places, but it is okay to trust God when there is no other way.

It is interesting to note that Samuel was not saved when God first spoke to him.

I. I Samuel 3:13 – Eli did not restrain his sons.

A. I Samuel 2:13-17 is the first mention of what the sons of Eli did and Eli did not restrain them.

1. They perverted the Lord’s offering of peace with threats of breaking that peace if they did not get their way.

2. They disregarded the peace of God and the person giving the peace offering when they put their selfish interests ahead of God’s clear commands.

3. It is interesting to note that I Samuel 3:23-25 make no mention of specific rebukes by Eli, only very general rebukes.

B. Proverbs 22:15 - Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

1. When a parent loves a child, they will chasten them.

2. Proverbs 13:24 – He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

3. Hebrews 12 - God loves us, therefore he chastens us.

4. Proverbs 29:15 - The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

5. A parent that has a good vision of what God expects of their child will discipline them, pointing them toward that end.

6. Eli had no vision of the future for his sons, or he had a wrong vision.

C. I Samuel 3:17 – Expanded problems – the sins of the sons caused the people of God to despise the offering of the Lord.

1. It seems this was the peace offering – which was divided into three parts: 1/3 to the priest, 1/3 to the giver of the sacrifice, and 1/3 was burnt to the Lord.

a. Leviticus 3 gives the explanation of how God expected a peace offering to be given to him.

b. Leviticus 7:11-34 gives the instructions of dividing the peace offering among the priests, the giver of the peace offering and the LORD.

2. The fat always belongs to the LORD.

a. Leviticus 3:16 - …all the fat is the LORD’S. (Verse 1 reveals this offering is a peace offering.)

b. Leviticus 7:23-25 - …Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. Verse 24 - …ye shall in no wise eat of it. Verse 25 - …even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.

c. Leviticus 7:31 - …And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar…

d. Leviticus 7:33 – The sons of Aaron, which offer the fat, shall have the right shoulder.

3. The people became disgusted with the peace offering of God.

4. The sons of Eli had a good witness before them of the peace of God, and the gospel message, but they rejected them both.

II. I Samuel 2:29 – Eli honourest his sons above God.

A. Samuel was like Saul when God anointed David to be king.

1. I Samuel 18:1-4 – Jonathan was very content to serve God under David.

2. I Samuel 20:30-31 – Saul did not accept God’s anointing of David, and did everything he could to kill David, thus ensuring Jonathan’s succession to the throne of God.

B. How did Eli honor his sons over God?

1. Eli rejected his special calling of God while in Egypt to be a priest unto God.

2. Eli counted the wearing of the ephod of God as a little thing: not very important.

3. Eli kicked at the sacrifice and the offering of God, which he commanded when he let his sons do things with their part of the peace offering that God did not command.

4. The peace offering became a way to get wealth for Eli’s sons instead of true worship of God.

III. I Samuel 2:12 – Religion was reduced to only the external.

A. Eli’s sons were worshippers of Beliah, ye they retained their position as priest of the most high God.

B. Their sins were open to all the people, who began to despise the worship of God.

1. I Samuel 2:22-24 – The sons of Eli committed adultery with the women at the door of the tabernacle.

2. They did not listen to the rebuke of Eli, but Eli did not rebuke them very sternly.

3. Eli had the power to stop their rebellion, or remove them from the priesthood, but he did not.