Beware God's Honor!

Thesis:  God’s favor (honor) is not without its demands.

Setting:  Ancient Israel under leadership of prophets and chief priests, before institution of Monarchy.

Situation:  Eli is Chief Priest in Israel ministering with his sons Phinehas and Hophni.  The sons, as priests, are involved in sexual sins with the women of Israel at the very door of the Tabernacle.  Eli chided his sons for their actions but did not restrain them.

Warning:  An unnamed prophet appears on the scene, first telling of God’s grace in exalting Eli’s forefathers, principally Aaron, to exercise the functions of a priest before Him.  With this position came the right to partake of all the burnt offerings of the Children of Israel.  The prophet further spoke of the fact it was God’s intention this house should minister before the Lord forever.  Implicit is the understanding that Eli was accountable to both God and the people to restrain his sons, but would not. 

Because of such gross disobedience on the part of Eli and his sons, the unnamed prophet spoke this word from the Lord, “Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.  Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house (your lineage), so that there will not be an old man in your house” (I Samuel 2: 30b, 31).

Consequence:  Shortly afterward not only did Eli and his sons die as was prophesied, but the “Ark of the Covenant” was taken captive by the Philistines.

Ichabod:  As if to dramatize the terrible sequence of events above, Phinehas’ wife who had been pregnant delivered a son and called him “Ichabod”--“The glory of the Lord has departed from Israel.”

Commentary:  It is a fearful thing to know such anointing of God (honor) as to be “lifted up”.  From about 1948, corresponding with the declaration of Israel’s statehood, many healing and anointed ministries were lifted up.  Several of those remained faithful and became very notable:  Billy Graham, Derek Prince and Oral Roberts to name three.  It would serve no purpose to name others who fell by wayside, and for those who have any history in the Lord, you have known someone personally who “fell”.

God honors those who honor Him.  Don’t draw back from Him from fear of falling, rather acknowledge that, for the grace of God, you might also fall, but you do not have to.  One simply needs to be wise and keep pressing in to God.  The people need anointed leaders.  Will you not trust God to become one?