A WORD FOR TODAY, October 14, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, October 14, 2025
“Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting. He said to them, ‘Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey. If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?’ Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them. 1 Samuel 2:22-25, WEB
I read a story about a pilot who ran into trouble. He was near his destination, but a terrible storm was in his way. The closest airport in the opposite direction was farther, and he was running low on fuel. He made the decision to head into the storm and hope for the best. Unfortunately, it did not take long before he was engulfed in the gray of the storm. Everything around him was opaque; he found it impossible to determine up from down. Despite his instruments, he felt that he was going the wrong direction. He decided to follow his impressions; he was certain the instruments were faulty. He began to “fly by the seat of his pants,” but it didn’t go well. He soon crashed into a farm, a tragic end to a bad decision. He had an absolute standard he was supposed to use to stay safe as he flew, even in a terrible storm, but he decided to trust his feelings instead of his instruments. It did not go well.
We live in a confused world. On the one hand, we are taught that there are no absolutes, but we hold to our own absolutes without considering the possibility that we are wrong. In religion, in politics, even in our choice of which soda we prefer, and unfortunately, we hold those who disagree with us in contempt. “They aren’t Christian.” “They aren’t American.” “They are foolish for supporting that product.” These judgements are often based on matters that are considered adiaphora, which means ideas that are not essential to our faith. We choose to hold those in contempt for matters that do not truly matter. Sometimes, our contempt is taken to an extreme, and we respond with violence in word and action. It is acceptable to some to murder an opponent just because they disagree. We know this isn’t right, but in a world of absolutes, then my absolute must be accepted as the true ideal.
Eli was an old man, a complex figure in the scriptures. He was the high priest, a dedicated servant of God, but he was also flawed. Aren’t we all? He fulfilled his duties earnestly, serving for many years, consistently leading worship, offering sacrifices, leading prayers. His life testified to his faith and commitment. His heart was aligned with his vocation to serve God. However, he was also an imperfect man, misjudging the effects of his parenting on the future of God’s people. His sons were horrible priests, disgracing the family and the role into which they were born. They abused the people, stole the best offerings for their own satisfaction, exploiting the girls who served in the Temple. They were a disgrace, not only to Eli, but to God Himself.
Eli tried. He warned his sons that the rumors he was hearing about their actions dishonored God, but he did nothing to stop their misdeeds. They ignored his warnings, and God promised that Eli’s family would no longer lead the people of Israel in worship. His story is a story of judgment. Through Eli, we learn that God’s patience has limits. The one redeeming moment is that when God speaks to Samuel, Eli accepts the judgment. This doesn’t mean that God would change the outcome of the story: Eli’s sons would die, and Eli’s family line would end. In Eli’s story we see an absolute: God demands obedience and respect. He demands accountability. If God’s people do not listen to His voice, they will be judged. In today’s passage, Eli tells his sons that there is no intercession for those who sin against God.
Thankfully there is more to the story. Jesus Christ came to stand in our stead, to take on our accountability, to be obedient to God in ways we could never be. He is the absolute. It is interesting, however, that Jesus said, “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come.” He said this in the context of a healing that is known as a miracle that would be done only by the promised Messiah. Jesus spoke the truth, but the Pharisees refused to believe His words. They even claimed that His miracle was not by the power of God, but from demons. Rejecting God’s grace in and through Jesus Christ is rejecting God. The response of the Pharisees was a disgrace to the people of Israel and dishonored God.
In the verse from Samuel, we see that God hardened their hearts so they would not return to Him. Rejecting God’s grace comes from a hardened heart that is further hardened by God’s judgment. We who turn to God, trusting in Jesus, even when we are imperfect like Eli. This faith comes from God, by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is now an intercession for those who sin, for all sin is against God, the absolute Jesus, who stands in our stead, giving us the faith to believe and receive the salvation He offers by His grace.
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