Dangling Sword
Posted on October 1st, 2026 by RedeemedIf someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede?" But Eli's sons wouldn't listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put them to death.
- 1 Samuel 2:25 NLT
Eli was of the tribe of Levi whom God has chosen to stand before him as priest, and serve at His Altar.
He had sons that were to also be priest in his stead after he is passed on for he was old and great in age.
The sons of Eli were described as men who had no fear of the LORD and because of this they had no regard or respect for God.
They also disdained the order of the sacrifices and would demand to be allowed to take their portion of the sacrifices the people brought to offer to the LORD.
They were so nonchalant and disrespectful to God and the ordinance of the temple to the extent that they slept with the women who worked at the entrance to the Tent of the Lord.
They demanded to be served raw meat even before the fat of the animal was burnt of the sacrifices of the people and so treated with contempt the ordinances of the temple.
The Lord was very angry with Eli and his children and it was clear it won't be long before His judgement fell on the house of Eli.
It was at a time such as this when Eli's children who were supposed to take over from him had made themselves contemptible to the Lord that Samuel was born.
He grew up in the house of Eli, and yet he feared God and had respect for the things of God, one wonder therefore how Eli's sons turned out to be what they were.
Eli was told what his sons were up to and he warned them of the dangerous path they were towing, but his sons paid no attention to him. If they had no regard for God, it was obvious they would have none for their father either.
The Lord was very angry not just with Eli's children but with Eli himself for the Lord said;
'Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’
— 1 Samuel 2:29
It was clear the Lord held Eli responsible for the conduct of his children and so the sword of God was going to fall not only on the sons of Eli but on Eli himself and his generation for ever!
(1 Samuel 2:29-32).
This was a very scary development, something that could have been totally avoided if only the sons of Eli had known and kept to their place in the ordinance of the order of the Temple.
Eli had earlier warned his sons in the opening verse that it's better to have quarrel with man and run to God for help than have issues with God with no one to run to for rescue.
He was simply advising his sons that God's act of judgement are terrible such that none can save when He has determined to judge.
God sent His servant to Eli with the verdict passed on him, his sons and generations after him yet unborn! (1 Samuel 2:27-36).
Just going through the words spoken by the Lord against Eli and his family sends the shivers down my spine.
Its a very fearful thing to witness the judgement of God on the one who serves at the Altar because they are dealing directly with God. It most times transcends into generations forever.
Also when they are pleasing to God and God choose to bless, the blessings transcends into generations yet unborn!
Lets be very careful in our services to God. It is proper we recognise that the people we work with belong to God, know our place in the scheme of things and then stay within where God has given us.
Eli and his two sons died as God had pronounced, his daughter inlaw passed on as well as she gave birth to a son, and the Ark of the Convenant was taken by the enemies of God's people. All these happened as a result of sin and judgement coming upon the land.
Now the enemy of God’s people rejoiced that they took the Ark of the Convenant but they were soon to discover that they had made a very grave mistake because it brought judgement to their land instantly.
Their gods were judged first and then the judgement began to spread through Ashdod and its territories. God struck them with great afflictions. His hand was heavy on them.
The men of the city gathered and brainstorm on what to do with the Ark because they could tell the Ark was the reason for their troubles.
They decided to pass the Ark over to Gath after the leaders came together and decided on that course of action.
When the Ark of the Convenant was brought to Gath, the Lord’s hand was heavy against the city and its people. They experienced such afflictions both old and young such that they had to hold an emergency meeting to move the Ark out of their city to Ekron but the people of Ekron cried out in protest,
“They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”
— 1 Samuel 5:10b
The people of Ekron experience such affliction when the Ark was brought into their city such that the men who did not die were struck with tumors and their cry went up to heaven.
They came together, called all the lords of the Philistines and their decision was,
“Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.”
— 1 Samuel 5:11b
After they had decided on sending the Ark to where it belonged, they had to also know how to send it so it would be well with them.
They consulted with their priests and diviners, and they were advised to send it away properly so it will be well with them and they would experience healing. Hear what their priests and diviners told them:
“If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.”
— 1 Samuel 6:3.
Their land and leaders were under God's judgement and the gift offerings they were to offer must also represent every one of them and their leaders. (1 Samuel 6:4-9 GNB).
The leaders did as they were advised, took two cows and hitched them to the wagon, place the Ark of the Convenant on the wagon, put their offerings on the wagon and started off the cow on their way to Beth Shemesh.
The cows headed straight to Beth Shemesh without turning to the right or the left and stopped at the field of a man called Joshua!
Isreal was harvesting when they lifted up their eyes and behold the Ark of the Convenant!
They sure were glad and they took the cows and offered them as burnt offerings to the living God.
The leaders had followed the cows to see where it would go, and they watched as the cows went straight to where it belonged and the people rejoicing and offered sacrifices with the cows, the gift offerings from the leaders who had taken the Ark in error.
They saw all these and return home. God fought His own battles.
Now, Scriptures told us that the Lord killed seventy men of Beth Shemesh because they looked inside the Ark!
They became afraid of the LORD, and looked for where to send the Ark to for they said,
, “Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God? Where can we send him to get him away from us?”
- 1 Samuel 6:20 GNB.
They decided on sending the Ark to Kiriath with the message that the Ark has been returned by the Philistines but tactically held back what they had suffered as a result of some of them looking into the Ark! That part they did not mention.
They said,
“The Philistines have returned the Lord's Covenant Box. Come down and fetch it.”
- 1 Samuel 6:21.
The men of Kiriath-jearim came not knowing what the men of Beth Shemesh had suffered as a result of their own errors in looking into the Ark, and took it to the house of Abinadab on the hill side.
They did the right thing by consecrating Eleazer the son of Abinadab to minister to the Lord.
— 1 Samuel 7:1.
The LORD is God, and by His actions we know He is the LORD.
God said there must be a distinction between His things and that which is not. There must be a clear line between the two.
We don't need to experience His judgement before we acknowledge Him and give Him the honour that is rightly His.
God bless as we endeavour to know and stay within whatever place God has called us to minister to Him.
Shalom!
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