TUESDAY October 9, 2018
Sin in God’s Dwelling Place
“ ‘Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me,
to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings
of Israel My people?’ ”
1 Samuel 2:29
Notice, the man of God had delivered a serious rebuke to Eli the priest. He was guilty of honoring his sons above honoring God. Eli’s sons were ripping off the people and having sex with women inside the tabernacle. He did not put a stop to their wicked behavior, so he had become a part of the problem. Eli had become a respecter of persons, and the priesthood was corrupt because of this; he was as guilty as his sons.
Eli was the high priest of Shiloh, but his sons did not know the Lord. They were corrupt. This was a sad testimony for me to read in the Bible. As the high priest, Eli was busy with his ministry. Every day he was a man very involved with the lives of other people. He would light the seven oil lamps in the inner chamber––the Holy Place. He daily did the work of God, but sadly he never took the time for his home.
In Israel, the people would bring their meat sacrifices to the tabernacle, and only a designated portion could be kept for the priests to eat. However, Eli’s sons threatened the people and forcefully took what did not belong to them, from the people. The people’s free will offerings to God were stolen. Eli’s sons just took them. Before God it was a serious offense (Leviticus 17).
We cannot honor our children above the Lord. It is a parent’s duty to correct and minister to their children when they are misbehaving, especially if you are involved in ministry. Will you allow sin to be brought into the house of the Lord? As Christians, we are held to a higher standard of life. We need accountability and even church discipline.
The principle use of public discipline is not for the offender himself, but for the Church, It exceedingly tends to deter others from the like crimes, and so to keep the congregation and their worship pure...
~Richard Baxter~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!
