The High Cost of Low Regard for God
There's always someone vying for your honor and attention outside of the Lord. It could be a friend, a spouse, a significant other or a relative. It could be your parent, guardian, children or grandkids. It could be the "you" YOU dream of being. And the normal sequence of life calls us at some point (and probably many) to sacrifice our commitment to God's purposes for the sake of them.
We see this clearly in the life of Eli. A prophet comes to this man to rebuke him for the lack of honor he showed to God in preference for his sons. While Hophni and Phineas were abusing their positions and fornicating at the altar, Eli was avoiding the conflict and allowing it to happen. God's firm warning comes:
1 Samuel 2:30–33 (ESV) Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.
We must first confess that God is worthy of eternal honor. He is our source. Notice the prophets rebuke first beings with where God brought the family of Eli and how God's grace in choosing them has been according to His will and not theirs. The point is clear, they are where they are because of God's doing. The privilege of working in His presence was something He GAVE, not something they achieved.
Yet they were taking their position as though they deserved more. They took the best of the offerings, the fat which was reserved for the Lord, for themselves. And they used the sacred worship space as a sexual playground for their own appetites. The prophet sums it up, "there will not be an old man in your house."
The word "honor" here is the Hebrew "Kavoud". It means weight. It refers to that person or thing in your life that carries the "weight" in your mind. Who's opinion carries weight with you? Who are you trying desperately to please? Consider that THIS is the true meaning of honoring God. It is not simply going to church or believing He is important. It is to consider His importance of utmost importance! To put His thoughts toward you above anyone else's.
Eli believed his son's happiness was most important. How many parents today do the same. And God tells Eli those sons will be lost to you and all that you've invested in will come to nothing. Is God being mean? Absolutely not! He is stating the facts. All other relationships will one day come to an end no matter our investment. Scripture says our lives are inevitably measured out by the honor we give to God.
The false idol of people's approval is rooted in the exact opposite of what we have in God. In God, we have His grace granting us His approval through His Work for us (in the New Covenant, the work of Jesus). The world's offering is based on us proving ourselves, living up to expectations or surpassing them and then always "raising our game" the next time around. Because people can be fickle and there are plenty of other pleasing options. Aim for the approval of people and you eventually miss it. Everyone goes out of style. Live in the approval of God and you will receive more of it.
We see this clearly in the life of Eli. A prophet comes to this man to rebuke him for the lack of honor he showed to God in preference for his sons. While Hophni and Phineas were abusing their positions and fornicating at the altar, Eli was avoiding the conflict and allowing it to happen. God's firm warning comes:
1 Samuel 2:30–33 (ESV) Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.
We must first confess that God is worthy of eternal honor. He is our source. Notice the prophets rebuke first beings with where God brought the family of Eli and how God's grace in choosing them has been according to His will and not theirs. The point is clear, they are where they are because of God's doing. The privilege of working in His presence was something He GAVE, not something they achieved.
Yet they were taking their position as though they deserved more. They took the best of the offerings, the fat which was reserved for the Lord, for themselves. And they used the sacred worship space as a sexual playground for their own appetites. The prophet sums it up, "there will not be an old man in your house."
The word "honor" here is the Hebrew "Kavoud". It means weight. It refers to that person or thing in your life that carries the "weight" in your mind. Who's opinion carries weight with you? Who are you trying desperately to please? Consider that THIS is the true meaning of honoring God. It is not simply going to church or believing He is important. It is to consider His importance of utmost importance! To put His thoughts toward you above anyone else's.
Eli believed his son's happiness was most important. How many parents today do the same. And God tells Eli those sons will be lost to you and all that you've invested in will come to nothing. Is God being mean? Absolutely not! He is stating the facts. All other relationships will one day come to an end no matter our investment. Scripture says our lives are inevitably measured out by the honor we give to God.
The false idol of people's approval is rooted in the exact opposite of what we have in God. In God, we have His grace granting us His approval through His Work for us (in the New Covenant, the work of Jesus). The world's offering is based on us proving ourselves, living up to expectations or surpassing them and then always "raising our game" the next time around. Because people can be fickle and there are plenty of other pleasing options. Aim for the approval of people and you eventually miss it. Everyone goes out of style. Live in the approval of God and you will receive more of it.
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