Lesson 072

Eli And His Wicked Sons 1 Samuel 2:12-36 MEMORY VERSE 1 S AMUEL 2:30 “For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteem ed.”

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Enough paper plates to have two for each child in your class, glue, tongue depressors and markers or crayons.

Bags made up before class having small prizes (stickers, erasers, pencils, etc.) and a basket to hold all the bags.

ATTENTION GRABBER!

Gold Star As you begin your class time give these instructions to the children in your class. Have each child’s name written on the chalk or whiteboard in columns. Explain to the children that you are going to encourage the children to “tell on” each other. The catch is that they can only report to the teacher the GOOD things they observe in others.

Have the children look for examples of serving others throughout the class time. Maybe it is an act of kindness, or serving the teacher by being exceptionally quiet. Allow the children to point out examples to you as well as noticing a few yourself. When they tell you or you see someone doing the right thing praise them aloud by saying something like, “Great Sam!” Then put a star (chalk or dry erase) beside his or her name.

Explain that how we serve others is very important to the Lord. It’s not enough to just serve others, but we need to do it in the right way; in love, etc. Good deeds flow out of a heart that is right with the Lord. That is what we will be learning about in our lesson today. At the end of the class you may refer back to some of the lessons learned from those you caught doing something good. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

LESSON TIME! Elkanah and Hannah brought Samuel to Eli the priest to be raised by him in the ways of the Lord. When his parents went back home, Eli began Samuel's training. Samuel then "grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men" (vs. 26).

Now although Eli trained Samuel in the ways of the Lord and to be a godly man, he seemed to have failed in that same area with his own two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. In a time when it was said, “In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 21:25), even the priestly sons of Eli were corrupted by the world.

In today’s lesson we will learn about Eli’s two sons and how they disobeyed God. They didn’t care about their responsibility to serve God and His people. We learn a valuable lesson about serving the Lord’s people. He is very concerned about serving them in the right way. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

1 S AM U EL 2:12-17 N o w t h e s o n s o f El i w e r e c o r r u p t ; t h e y d i d n o t k n o w t h e L OR D .

An d t h e p r i e s t s ' c u s t o m w i t h t h e p e o p l e w as t h at w h e n an y m an o f f e r e d a s ac r i f i c e , t h e p r i e s t 's s e r v an t w o u l d c o m e w i t h a t h r e e -p r o n ge d f l e s h h o o k i n h i s h an d w h i l e t h e m e at w as bo i l i n g.

T h e n h e w o u l d t h r u s t i t i n t o t h e p an , o r k e t t l e , o r c al d r o n , o r p o t ; an d t h e p r i e s t w o u l d t ak e f o r h i m s e l f al l t h at t h e f l e s h h o o k br o u gh t u p . S o t h e y d i d i n S h i l o h t o al l t h e I s r ae l i t e s w h o c am e t h e r e . Al s o , be f o r e t h e y bu r n e d t h e f at , t h e p r i e s t 's s e r v an t w o u l d c o m e an d s ay t o t h e m an w h o s ac r i f i c e d , " G i v e m e at f o r r o as t i n g t o t h e p r i e s t , f o r h e w i l l n o t t ak e bo i l e d m e at f r o m y o u , bu t r aw ."

An d i f t h e m an s ai d t o h i m , " T h e y s h o u l d r e al l y bu r n t h e f at f i r s t ; t h e n y o u m ay t ak e as m u c h as y o u r h e ar t d e s i r e s ," h e w o u l d t h e n an s w e r h i m , " N o , bu t y o u m u s t gi v e i t n o w ; an d i f n o t , I w i l l t ak e i t by f o r c e ."

T h e r e f o r e t h e s i n o f t h e y o u n g m e n w as v e r y gr e at be f o r e t h e L OR D , f o r m e n abh o r r e d t h e o f f e r i n g o f t h e L OR D .

Eli’s sons were called “sons of Belial,” or worthless men. Why? They did not know the Lord. We see that walking with the Lord is truly a choice. Even if our parents are saved and train us in the Lord, we see that we still have a choice to either walk with Jesus or away from Him.

Eli's sons turned their back on their father's God. What is the result in their lives? They misused the offerings of the Lord, and turned it into a way to get something for themselves. They didn’t care about the people that they were supposed to serve. They just took advantage of them so they could get more things for themselves. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

Here’s how they took advantage of God’s people. God told his people to bring sacrifices to Him in a certain way. They were to remove the fat from the meat and burn it separately and then the priests were to receive a portion of the meat for themselves and their families. This was how God provided for the priests and their families. But what happened here was that before the fat portions of the meat sacrifice had been placed in the altar-fire for the Lord, the priest's servant came and demanded that they be given meat from the sacrifice. They would put a big hook into the meat and take more than they were supposed to. And if anyone complained they would take it from the people by force.

What they were doing was against God’s law and was the same thing as robbing God and His people. Their actions were so bad that people didn’t want to come and sacrifice to the Lord any more. They hated it. Coming to sacrifice to the Lord was a picture of what God has provided for us in forgiveness of sin through Jesus. It had become something completely opposite with Eli’s sons. People felt that to go and sacrifice to the Lord would only mean that they would be robbed. This was a terrible thing in the eyes of the Lord. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

This is so important because if we say we know the Lord and serve Him, but treat other people in a bad way then those people may not want anything to do with the Lord. The word “minister” means servant so whether a priest in Old Testament days, or a pastor, a teacher or a Christian our lives need to be about serving others so others will be attracted to Him and not pointed away from Him. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

1 S AM U EL 2:18-21 B u t S am u e l m i n i s t e r e d be f o r e t h e L OR D , e v e n as a c h i l d , w e ar i n g a l i n e n e p h o d .

M o r e o v e r h i s m o t h e r u s e d t o m ak e h i m a l i t t l e r o be , an d br i n g i t t o h i m y e ar by y e ar w h e n s h e c am e u p w i t h h e r h u s ban d t o o f f e r t h e y e ar l y s ac r i f i c e .

An d El i w o u l d bl e s s El k an ah an d h i s w i f e , an d s ay , " T h e L OR D gi v e y o u d e s c e n d an t s f r o m t h i s w o m an f o r t h e l o an t h at w as gi v e n t o t h e L OR D ." T h e n t h e y w o u l d go t o t h e i r o w n h o m e .

An d t h e L OR D v i s i t e d Han n ah , s o t h at s h e c o n c e i v e d an d bo r e t h r e e s o n s an d t w o d au gh t e r s . M e an w h i l e t h e c h i l d S am u e l gr e w be f o r e t h e L OR D .

Here in the midst of this sad story comes the mention of Samuel’s devotion to the Lord. He served as a boy before the Lord next to Eli’s evil sons. Samuel values the priestly clothes he wears while Eli’s sons have no regard for it whatsoever. Even when there are those who refuse to obey the Lord, God always has those who are faithful and desire to serve Him with all of their hearts. Samuel continued to grow in the Lord and was being prepared for a very special service to the Lord.

What is the Lord preparing you for? He is working in your life right now in order to prepare you for His special purpose. What we need to do, especially while we are still children like Samuel, is to decide to follow Jesus all of the days of our life. Learn everything you can about the Lord and the Bible. Love and respect the things of the Lord and His people. You will find a life of blessing awaits you if you commit your life to following Him.

Though Samuel’s mother had given Samuel to the Lord, she still was his mother and came to visit him each year bringing with her the clothes she made for him. Eli blessed his parents for having given up the boy to the Lord. Eli’s blessing of Hannah was fulfilled in that she had five more children! When we give our most precious things to the Lord, He always gives back to us more than we can ever imagine.

1 S AM U EL 2:22-26 N o w El i w as v e r y o l d ; an d h e h e ar d e v e r y t h i n g h i s s o n s d i d t o al l I s r ae l , an d h o w t h e y l ay w i t h t h e w o m e n w h o as s e m bl e d at t h e d o o r o f t h e t abe r n ac l e o f m e e t i n g.

S o h e s ai d t o t h e m , " Wh y d o y o u d o s u c h t h i n gs ? Fo r I h e ar o f y o u r e v i l d e al i n gs f r o m al l t h e p e o p l e .

" N o , m y s o n s ! Fo r i t i s n o t a go o d r e p o r t t h at I h e ar . Y o u m ak e t h e L o r d 's p e o p l e t r an s gr e s s .

" I f o n e m an s i n s agai n s t an o t h e r , G o d w i l l j u d ge h i m . B u t i f a m an s i n s agai n s t t h e L OR D , w h o w i l l i n t e r c e d e f o r h i m ?" N e v e r t h e l e s s t h e y d i d n o t h e e d t h e v o i c e o f t h e i r f at h e r , be c au s e t h e L OR D d e s i r e d t o k i l l t h e m .

An d t h e c h i l d S am u e l gr e w i n s t at u r e , an d i n f av o r bo t h w i t h t h e L OR D an d m e n .

Here we see Eli’s treatment of his sons. He is old now and his children are grown. He rebukes his sons with very hard warnings because of their sins. Unfortunately they wouldn’t listen to him. They just continued to get worse. They began treat the women who would come to the tabernacle in a very bad way. They had no regard for God’s word or what He said was the proper way to serve God’s people. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

But it is also unfortunate that Eli, with the infirmities of his old age, did nothing further to prevent these horrible things from happening. The only action he took was to say to his sons, “Why do you according to sayings, which I hear, sayings about you which are evil, of this whole people?” He only talked to them, but never did anything about removing them from office or making them stop. He should have been working in their lives, disciplining them many years earlier. All the people that came to Shiloh saw and heard all the wicked things they were doing. It became very well known. In verse 25 we see they refused to listen to this warning for “the Lord would slay them.” Their father’s reproof made no impression on them because they were already given up to the judgment of a hardened heart.

How important it is for us to listen to our parents and to those in authority over us. Had Eli’s sons only listened to him, even at this time and changed, God’s judgment would not have had to come upon them.

Samuel’s heart was soft to the Lord. And we see Samuel continuing to grow in stature and favor with God and man. He will be used greatly by God because his heart is soft towards Him. That is what happens in our lives when we have a soft heart to Jesus – He blesses us and will use us.

What Face? Sometimes we can be so nice to God while we are praying. We will smile and use good manners while we talk to Him. But then we turn to other people and are rude or act like we don’t care. This craft will help us to remember to serve with the right attitude towards others.

Get two paper plates for each child. On one plate draw a happy face and on the other draw a grouchy face. Have the children color the faces if they like and then glue them back to back. Insert a tongue depressor at the bottom of the faces.

Next come up with 5 or 6 statements about serving others; some with the right attitude and some with a bad attitude. Have the children hold up the face that reflects the attitude of the service that you are describing. Remind the children about how important it is to serve the Lord and His people in the right way. 1 S AM U EL 2:27-36 T h e n a m an o f G o d c am e t o El i an d s ai d t o h i m , " T h u s s ay s t h e L OR D : 'D i d I n o t c l e ar l y r e v e al M y s e l f t o t h e h o u s e o f y o u r f at h e r w h e n t h e y w e r e i n Egy p t i n Ph ar ao h 's h o u s e ?

'D i d I n o t c h o o s e h i m o u t o f al l t h e t r i be s o f I s r ae l t o be M y p r i e s t , t o o f f e r u p o n M y al t ar , t o bu r n i n c e n s e , an d t o w e ar an e p h o d be f o r e M e ? An d d i d I n o t gi v e t o t h e h o u s e o f y o u r f at h e r al l t h e o f f e r i n gs o f t h e c h i l d r e n o f I s r ae l m ad e by f i r e ?

'Wh y d o y o u k i c k at M y s ac r i f i c e an d M y o f f e r i n g w h i c h I h av e c o m m an d e d i n M y d w e l l i n g p l ac e , an d h o n o r y o u r s o n s m o r e t h an M e , t o m ak e y o u r s e l v e s f at w i t h t h e be s t o f al l t h e o f f e r i n gs o f I s r ae l M y p e o p l e ?'

" T h e r e f o r e t h e L OR D G o d o f I s r ae l s ay s : 'I s ai d i n d e e d t h at y o u r h o u s e an d t h e h o u s e o f y o u r f at h e r w o u l d w al k be f o r e M e f o r e v e r .' B u t n o w t h e L OR D s ay s : 'Far be i t f r o m M e ; f o r t h o s e w h o h o n o r M e I w i l l h o n o r , an d t h o s e w h o d e s p i s e M e s h al l be l i gh t l y e s t e e m e d .

'B e h o l d , t h e d ay s ar e c o m i n g t h at I w i l l c u t o f f y o u r ar m an d t h e ar m o f y o u r f at h e r 's h o u s e , s o t h at t h e r e w i l l n o t be an o l d m an i n y o u r h o u s e .

'An d y o u w i l l s e e an e n e m y i n M y d w e l l i n g p l ac e , d e s p i t e al l t h e go o d w h i c h G o d d o e s f o r I s r ae l . An d t h e r e s h al l n o t be an o l d m an i n y o u r h o u s e f o r e v e r .

'B u t an y o f y o u r m e n w h o m I d o n o t c u t o f f f r o m M y al t ar s h al l c o n s u m e y o u r e y e s an d gr i e v e y o u r h e ar t . An d al l t h e d e s c e n d an t s o f y o u r h o u s e s h al l d i e i n t h e f l o w e r o f t h e i r age .

'N o w t h i s s h al l be a s i gn t o y o u t h at w i l l c o m e u p o n y o u r t w o s o n s , o n Ho p h n i an d Ph i n e h as : i n o n e d ay t h e y s h al l d i e , bo t h o f t h e m .

'T h e n I w i l l r ai s e u p f o r M y s e l f a f ai t h f u l p r i e s t w h o s h al l d o ac c o r d i n g t o w h at i s i n M y h e ar t an d i n M y m i n d . I w i l l bu i l d h i m a s u r e h o u s e , an d h e s h al l w al k be f o r e M y an o i n t e d f o r e v e r .

'An d i t s h al l c o m e t o p as s t h at e v e r y o n e w h o i s l e f t i n y o u r h o u s e w i l l c o m e an d bo w d o w n t o h i m f o r a p i e c e o f s i l v e r an d a m o r s e l o f br e ad , an d s ay , " Pl e as e , p u t m e i n o n e o f t h e p r i e s t l y p o s i t i o n s , t h at I m ay e at a p i e c e o f br e ad ." ' "

Before the Lord judged Eli’s house He sent a prophet to Eli. The purpose was to announce as a warning to Eli and his family about the judgment coming upon them. God was about to judge Eli’s sons because of everything that they were doing.

In order to prick Eli’s own conscience he pointed out to him the grace manifested in the choice of this father’s house (the house of Aaron). He also showed the terrible way that Eli’s sons had abused that privilege. The choice of the family of Aaron was still there, but disgrace would come upon those that hated the Lord.

It is a privilege to be chosen by God to serve Him. That is why we can never take it lightly. Whenever the Lord calls us to serve Him in any way, we can’t serve ourselves. His purpose for all of our lives is that we would love Him with all our hearts and serve others. If we take advantage of our brothers and sisters instead of serving them in the right way, this greatly displeases the Lord. God wants us to serve others in the right way. The prophet went on to explain that the strength of Eli’s house would be broken; and all the members of his house would die early deaths. They were not however to be removed entirely from service at the altar (verses 31-34). But the Lord would raise up a faithful priest and cause him to walk before His anointed, and from him all that were left of the house of Eli would be obliged to beg for their bread (verses 35-36).

The fulfillment of the faithful priest came in Zadok, of the family of Eleazar, also from the line of Aaron. He became the high priest in the beginning of Solomon’s reign (several years after this). He was faithful in serving the Lord properly; and then all of the high priests came from his line as long as the priesthood continued.

The evil and sin of those who minister, though it will destroy them, cannot destroy the ministry. God’s work will never fail because of a lack of hands to carry it on. What a sad story of two young men who would not listen to their father, for they were destroyed. What a sad story of a father who could not control his sons. And what an encouraging story of a young man who was given to the Lord in service and stood as a bright light shining in the darkness. May our lives always shine wherever we are, to the glory of God. God wants us to serve others in the right way.

An Opportunity to Serve Others Make individual prize bags for each child. Put whatever you want into the bags but keep the amount of items small. Place all of the bags in a basket.

At the end of your class refer back to the opening activity. Some children will have more stars than others. We learned today that it is important to serve God in the right way. One of the ways we serve the Lord is by looking out for the interests of others rather than ourselves (Philippians 2:3,4). Let each child get one bag from the basket and “serve it” to another child. Allow all of the children a chance to serve. They must all wait for everyone to be served before they open their bags.

Remind the children that they have served “rightly” by serving others and by waiting for others before they begin.

PRAYER Lead the children in a prayer of commitment to serve the Lord and His people in the right way. Also pray and ask the Lord to help with being obedient to the Lord and to parents. If there are any children who have not yet responded to the gospel, give them opportunity to do so.