SAMUEL: Worthless Sons

Chapter 2 begins with Hannah’s prayer of praising to the God who sees, hears, cares, and remembers. Her exultation reminds us that God’s always worthy of praise, regardless of circumstance. The story turns to the environment that little Samuel is growing up in, where the sons of Eli are spiritual leaders who don’t know the Lord. They treat their duties, the altar, and the Lord with contempt. They steal from the sacrifices, sleep with women servants, and refuse to listen to the warnings of their father. This is a stark contrast to little Samuel, serving the Lord in a little ephod made each year by his faithful mother Hannah. The passage closes with an unnamed prophet who confronts Eli, and tells him that his family line will be cut off from serving as priests, and that his sons will die on the same day. The simple truth here is that there are always consequences for sin. There is a promise of a better priest however, one who will faithfully serve God and his anointed forever. This prophecy has an immediate fulfillment in Zadok, but also points to Jesus the true and better son and priest. This chapter is also heavy with a warning that God guards the faithful and cuts off the wicked. When we harden our hearts and pursue wickedness, instead of listening and being faithful to God, at some point God gives us over to our sin.