Samuel and Eli's Two Sons
We are going to have a story about Samuel. I am sure you know about how God spoke to Samuel when he was young, and how Samuel didn’t know that it was God who was speaking to him. You remember how Eli told him that the next time he heard the voice, he was to say, “Speak, Lord, your servant hears”? I’m sure you all know that story. But, you know, boys and girls, sometimes that is where we stop in that story about Samuel, and we don’t go on. What came next? What words did God say to Samuel?
Well, God said that He was angry with Eli’s two sons. Because they had done bad things they were not to take Eli’s place as priests in the Temple when he died. God also said that He was angry with Eli for not trying to stop them from doing wrong. Samuel was very sad when he heard this, and he didn’t know how he could tell Eli this bad news. In the morning, however, he did tell Eli.
How sad Eli was; but he said, “It is the Lord, let Him do what seems good to Him.” Eli knew that God is a righteous God who must punish sin, you see; and that is very sad news, boys and girls; indeed, that is very bad news.
Remember this though, boys and girls, the Bible also gives us very good news. That good news is that God can forgive our sins. He can forgive our sins, because Jesus came to suffer for the sins of men and women, and boys and girls. When we know that with all our heart, then we know that our sins are forgiven through Christ the Lord.
Let us remember the story of Samuel and the two wicked sons, and be determined to have God’s “good news” in our lives.
“Oh, give me Samuel’s ear,
The open ear, O Lord!
Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of Thy word:
Like him to answer at Thy call,
And to obey Thee first of all.”