Consequences Will Come: 1 Samuel 2:22-26
God will hold us accountable for our choices and actions. This thought terrified me as a child. I know I’m not perfect. Even as a five-year-old, I knew my sins. I knew my rebellion. I knew I was largely powerless against it, but I still knew it. Fortunately, God forgives. But His forgiveness doesn’t imply we aren’t going to be held accountable, too.
The sons of Eli continued to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. A close reading of the opening verse indicates the presence of two distinct categories of sin. There is the sin against all Israel – probably a reference to the theft of meat from the general sacrifices – and the sexual relations with the women serving in the temple. We don’t know what exactly these women were doing in the temple, but we do know the sons of Eli exploited their presence and position as leverage to satisfy their own desires.
Eli’s reaction to the sins of his sons speaks volumes about the family dynamics. Eli possesses enough intelligence to comprehend the depravity within the actions of his sons. Eli knows what they are doing is wrong. He even has the strength to talk to them, making sure they’ve heard how wrong it is. What isn’t present is enough relationship to make any noticeable change in behavior. Eli talks to his sons, but they do not listen.
Of course, if Eli is growing old, his sons are adults. Adults are not easily changed if they don’t want change. Adults are accustomed to making their own choices. Eli certainly cannot force his sons to want to behave better. Eli’s sons need to choose God and follow His ways in their own heart. That’s what it means to be an adult.
On the other hand, Eli is the high priest. While he cannot control the hearts of his sons, he can control their access to the temple. Eli could have shut them out, blocking their participation in the sacrifices and cutting off their access to the choice meat and possession of the fat belonging to God. Eli may not have the power to control behavior, but he does have the power to control access.
Once more, Eli cannot be mustered to care. His sons won’t change by talking; they are adults deep in the throes of their sinfulness. His sons will only change with consequences. This is an issue with the generational system. Because the role of the high priest is passed on through birth, Eli may not believe he can cut off his sons.
God is willing to bring consequences, which is why Samuel was brought into the storyline in the first place. This is the lesson for these verses. Eli won’t challenge his sons with consequences, so God will. Because Eli does not put his sons into a place to deal with their sin, God will. God will hold us accountable for our choices and actions.
