The House of Eli
I Samuel 2:12-25
Jeffery C. Russell
Salem Baptist Church 06/20/2010
Scene: Eli, the Chief Priest at Shiloh, walks into a therapists' office and pours his heart out to him. Spoken as a dramatic monologue.
A priest's work is never done. So I really don't have time to be here today. I know you are expensive- 400 Shekels an hour! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my wife. I've never been to a therapist before so I don't know how I'm supposed to act. I really don't know why I'm here. I got to get back to my work! Not that I'm complaining, mind you because I love the work that I do. I love working for God I would much rather do that than sleep and eat. But I haven't done a whole lot of eating or sleeping lately because of some problems that have crept up in the family. By the way my name is Eli- the local prophet and priest of Shiloh. I minister in the tabernacle and have been there all my life. I've seen a lot of things go on over the years and nothing really surprises me anymore. And yes we prophets have family problems, too- but nobody believes it or accepts this because they pay us not to have problems, which is really a very unrealistic situation. Its hard enough dealing with Israel's problems and the problems with the Philistines and problems with the Amalekites without adding family problems to the mix. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy this work, but sometimes it just gives me a headache, and often I don't know what to do about it but pray and hope that God will deal with it or that it will all go away by itself. At this stage in my life, I just want peace in my life!
I have to admit I haven't been the best father- but I feel like I've done the best I could. The whole time my boys were growing up I would try to plan to do things with them like take them fishing, play ball with them, take them and the whole family on vacation but there was always something more compelling I would have to attend to first. I didn't mean for this to happen, but somewhere along the way, my boys, Hophni and Phineas got the idea they really couldn't take me seriously- or God seriously, for that matter. I admit about all I've done for them is to teach them how to make good excuses. Most people don't understand the life of a prophet. They think you only work one day a week! On top of that, they also think you are rich whenever they come over to the tabernacle and they see all the sacrificial animals all lined up. I've done everything I could to keep things above board. But I don't need to explain things to you folks. Why, only a few days ago, I was about ready to leave the tabernacle, locking up and turning out the lights, when this woman is sitting there.
She's moving her mouth constantly, and talking in such a way I couldn't understand what she was saying. I know now that she was praying, but at the time I thought she was drunk! I'd seen so much of that with my sons Hophni and Phineas, and the women they would bring in here- I thought maybe she might have been one of their girlfriends. You shouldn't judge people by appearances, and was ashamed of myself that her this woman was praying for a baby and asked the Lord for one and if He gave her a son, she would dedicate him to God. God answered her prayer, and named the boy Samuel. When he was about 3 years old, she sent the little fellow to live with me to serve here in the tabernacle. I don't know why she would do that- everybody knew the terrible reputation my boys were starting to have in those days. Maybe I could do something with this boy that I couldn't with those two. They caused me such headaches, and people were always coming to me complaining about them- how they would steal from them, get their daughters drunk and run around with them. It was disgraceful. When I tried to say something to them, they would ignore me, or treat me disrespectfully. It was horrible. Until Samuel came along, I felt like such a failure. What in the world did I do to deserve all this? All I've ever wanted to do is to serve God.
I guess it's just all my fault I let things slide. I mean, its not like I never saw my kids. They were around the tabernacle and grew up around it since the time they were babies. But perhaps that was the problem- we were always there. You know what they say, "familiarity breeds contempt." Well, they sure grew up having contempt for what we did around there. I would be there at the tabernacle from sun-up to sundown, sorting out the sacrifices and listening to the people complain when I had to turn them down. Dealing with so many people was so tiring. We had to do every sacrifice in just the right way that God said to do it. It was very meticulous. If we disobeyed or cut corners it would be very possible that we could die. Years ago, when Moses' brother Aaron was in charge of the tabernacle, his boys Nadab and Abihu thought it would be fun to play around with the fire on the altar. They must have been bored, but they knew better. I'm not sure what they did, but it caused the fire to blaze way out of control, engulfing Nadab and Abihu in flames. There was barely anything left of them when they put the fire out.
All of us prophets and priests remembered that story. Poor Aaron, everybody criticized him for that but I know how it happened now. Aaron basically gave them no supervision, looked the other way when he needed to discipline them. I guess I let myself get caught up in the same thing and I didn't see it coming. I may sound like I'm making excuses, but nobody plans to let their children get out of control. And it doesn't get any easier as the children grow older. I found that out the year I was promoted to being chief priest of the Tabernacle. What an honor that was- something I for which I've dreamt all my life. But I didn't just dream it, I worked hard for it, putting in long hours and getting there before anyone one else and leaving only after everyone else did. My family, especially my sons, saw me less often. Their jobs were to help process the sacrifices and to make sure that the priests got their fair share, in fact they did their jobs too well- they learned every trick in the book, but not from me. For example, they would stick a big fork in the roasted meat and say things like, "the meat that stays on the fork belongs to us, and everything that gets left belongs to God!" At first I thought that was kind of clever, maybe a little funny. But they were serious. Oh why didn't I say anything to them about that?
When I found out about that, I was furious. At first I held back but then I spoke up and said something to Hophni and Phineas- not that it did a whole lot of good, but I said: "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the LORD's people. 25 If a man sins against another man, God [e] may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?"
Hofni and Phineas looked at me like I was crazy. They just ignored me, brushed me off. They weren't in fact the least bit apologetic for the things they had done. I trembled for them. I just know in my spirit that something bad is going to befall them. Its like someone once said, "Your chickens will one day come home to roost!" And they did, as we will soon see.
Meanwhile the little fellow Samuel continued to grow. He was a delight to have around and helped assuage the troubles with my unruly boys. He was also a smart little guy, and very perceptive. On top of that, he loved God and tried to do what was right. One night, after we were all in bed, little Samuel awakened me from my sleep. "Father Eli," he said, "Did you call for me?" I said, "No, my child- I did not. Go back to bed." An hour or so later, Samuel came back and asked, "Father Eli, did you call for me?" Again I said, no, please go back to bed. A third time, Samuel came back again and "I heard it again, a voice calling for me." This time I told him, "It may be God who is speaking to you. Next time answer by saying, "Speak Lord, for Your servant hears!" Samuel did just that. In fact he received a message from God that Samuel needed to deliver to me.
I remember the little fellow came up to me, with tears in his eyes. I asked, "What did the Lord tell you, my son?" I could tell little Samuel feared what he was going to say to me. As he struggled for the right words to say, I told him, "Out with it boy! If God has given you a word, you must never hold back on what He has instructed you to say. Little Samuel blurted out, "The Lord says you are going to die, you and your sons with you!" I said, "Samuel, He is the Lord, let him do what is best for him."
I can't believe that here I am, a man of God, a man people look to for help and answers, to live in such a way as to let my own family down. There was a time when everyone wanted to live in the House of Eli. Everyone envied us, everyone wanted to be us, everyone in Israel looked up to us- what in the world went wrong? Its not like I abused them or tried to hurt them. Its not like I drank alcohol or stayed out late with my friends. I never cheated on their mother or did the corrupt things that my sons now do. I took my devotion and commitment to God and His work very seriously. Maybe a little bit too seriously. Sure I was the one who got the promotions, the acclaim, the spotlight, the families who were not as ambitious as I seemed to be so much happier than we were. I thought it was my job to work hard to provide for my family. I let myself believe that I never had time to take vacations with the family, to attend the games my sons were in. But Hophni and Phineas always got the best of everything- I made sure of that. They had the best food, the best clothes, the best education, the best of everything this world had to offer. Only now do I realize that though I gave them everything they wanted, I did not give them what they most needed. Oh what I wouldn't give to be able to have the years back when my children were young- the things I would do differently!
I can see right now I will not have that chance. A great battle is coming. I hear that the Philistines are coming again, and this time they outnumber us two to one. Hophni and Phineas have taken out the Ark of the Covenant to stand before the army. I have a grandchild on the way. I don't have a good feeling about this. I wished that I had spoken to them before they left, but there is still so much to do. Well I've got to get going- so much to do…..
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