FAITH CAPSULE: With God no excuse is excusable when God is despised.
1 Samuel 2:22-36
The bible recorded the evil activities of Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli. It was recorded that the sons of Eli were corrupt and did not know the Lord. 1 Samuel 2: 12-17 documented how they despised the word of God in Shiloh to all the Israelites. 1 Samuel 2:17 specifically mentioned, “…the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men abhorred the offering of the Lord.” The evil act of not knowing God by the sons of Eli (Hophni and Phinehas) was also counted against Eli.
Are you paying attention if you are dishonoring God?
Is your children’s dishonoring of God that will count against you or our household?
As regard to honoring and dishonoring, 1 Samuel 2:30 recorded God’s reaction to Eli’s house because of Hophni and Phinehas evil, “Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” The Sons of Eli reduced Eli to the curse of disobeying God’s word. The sin of Eli was the cause of his sons’ in Shiloh to all the Israelites. Eli warned his sons of divine judgement (1 Samuel 2:25) but the sons did not take to Eli’s warning.
Are you engaging serious measures more than giving mouth warning to your children to avoid consequences of dishonoring (despising) God?
Honoring God is to be taken very serious and it cannot be violated by any of the household. Eli should have engaged more than mouth warming to correct the sin of his sons to avoid consequences of violating God. Eli recorded everything right for God but was not enough to avoid destruction of his household. God clearly stated to Samuel about the sin of Eli in 1 Samuel 3:13-14, “For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” Sons of Eli were warned by Eli but not restrained of their evil acts. The sons made the house hold to pay the consequence of their evil act.
With God no excuse is excusable when God is despised. Proverbs 13:13 buttressed it, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” As a fear of God, spare no excuse for children to violate God. Eli’s warning for Hophni and Phinehas was short but not counted as an excuse for him to be spared by God.
Prayer for today: Ask God to cause you to hear and obey accordingly and not be a victim of violation of His word.