Our perception of God
enables us to regulate our behavior and conduct in life. So, in the first
chapters of 1 Samuel, we can see how Hannah’s perception of God empowered her
to trust God and build a God-honouring, God-pleasing life. Hophni and Phinehas,
on the other hand, with a warped perception of God, abused their position and
brought disgrace to their God. Meanwhile, nothing escaped the sight of the
all-knowing God. Fully apprised of every situation, He sent a prophet with a
message for Eli, revealing what was going to happen to his family. The house of
Eli had disappointed God and He could not allow them to destroy the nation of
Israel which He had chosen to be His special people. God revealed
to Eli His original intention when He chose and appointed Aaron His forefather
and his family to the priesthood. How the message was crafted showed how
disappointed God was with Eli and his family. Since they had spurned the
privilege, denigrated and dishonored their calling, God had other plans. He was
going to raise up an anointed priest, who would walk before Him.
In these verses, we
learn several lessons. Firstly, we can see that the effectiveness of one’s
ministry is determined by one’s faithfulness. Whether in life, in ministry or
in calling, our effectiveness rest in being faithful to God. Not only that, but it
will also determine the length we are given to serve Him. Hence, we must not
treat lightly the commission God had entrusted to us. To give anything less
than a hundred percent commitment is not a worthy commitment to the tasks
entrusted to us. Secondly, we must not test the patience of God. While He is
patient, He will not condone our flippancy. He expects us to bring our best and
be responsible for executing the work He had called us to fulfill.
Thirdly, we also need
to know that God’s plan can never be sabotaged. No one can ever thwart God’s
plan. No one can prevent Him from bringing His plan to fruition. Even though
Eli and his family had failed him, it did not frustrate His plan. He would
raise up a priest who would walk before Him faithfully. We know that Samuel was
the priest that He had raised. But this is also a prophecy foretelling the
coming of Jesus Christ, the High priest of our faith. Hence Hebrews 7:26-27,
referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, said, “For it was fitting for us to have
such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from
sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like
those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins
and then for the sins of the people, because of this He did once
for all when He offered up Himself.” Praise God for Jesus Christ, our
faithful eternal High Priest!
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