I was reading my Bible on my phone last night (Dec 17, 2019) when my reading plan jumped and went back over an area I had already read. When this happens I know the LORD wants to reveal something deeper that I missed the first time around. What leapt out was this:
1 Sam 2:12 – 12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.
So let’s unpack this verse, peradventure we identify areas that need to be repented of before it is too late.
1) Prophetically for 5780/2020, we know the House/Sons of Eli are going down and the House of Samuel is going up. The LORD was highlighting this verse to help us identify WHO will be affected in the shift.
2) Who or what are the Sons of Belial? According to the Strong’s Concordance, “Belial” in Hebrew (H1100) can be translated as worthlessness, worthless, good for nothing, unprofitable, base fellow, wicked, ruin, destruction. In the Greek, G955 is also worthless or wicked, and a name of Satan. So, another way to say this is the Sons of Satan. The religious Pharisees were called this by Jesus, laying a precedent that Satan’s children are capable of working inside the religious structures today also. (Jn 8:44)
Jn 8:44 – Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Scripture shows us that the sons of Belial:
– Are as thorns to be thrust away and burned with fire. (2 Sam 22:6-7; **Many prophets have said 2020 will be a year of fire)
– Have nothing to do with Christ. (2 Cor 6:15)
– Will lead you to go and worship other gods which you have not known (**Also a sign of a false prophet as per Deut 13:1-4). (Deut 13:13)
– Are into sexual immorality. (Judges 19:22)
– Are known to participate in drunkenness. (1 Sam 1:16)
– Will despise & mock God’s anointed leadership, refusing to follow nor honor them. (1 Sam 10:26-27)
– Are stubborn, full of folly, and refuse to listen to the counsel of others. (1 Sam 25:17,25)
– Are greedy, lacking in compassion, with an attitude of superiority. (1 Sam 30:22)
– Have no part in the House of David, nor its inheritance (which Jesus Christ is in the line of the King of David, and heaven is our inheritance). (2 Sam 20:1)
– Bear false witness against others. (1 Kings 21:10)
– Are vain men and flock around weak leaders. (2 Chron 13:7)
– Are equated with infidels (unfaithful, unbelievers) (2 Co 6:15)
3) The Sons of Eli / Belial knew NOT the LORD. That means that they didn’t have a personal, intimate relationship with the LORD that produces an outflow of obedience to God’s commandments. They lacked the Fear of the LORD. We know that those who do not KNOW Jesus, will be told to depart from him. That time of departure is coming, for the LORD does nothing without FIRST telling His prophets.
1 John 2:3-4 – And hereby we do know that we know him, IF we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Matt 7:21-23 – Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (lawlessness).
4) Other gleanings about the Sons of Eli.
– They worked as priests in the temple with their father Eli as the High Priest. (1 Sam 2:13-14)
– They abhorred the offering of the LORD by taking their portion of raw flesh BEFORE allowing the LORD to get His portion of the burnt fat and disobeying the ways outlined in the Law. (1 Sam 2:16-17)
– They had sex with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (1 Sam 2:22)
– They ignored the rebuke of their father, and their father passively allowed them to stay ministering in the priestly office despite knowing they had become unclean/defiled. (1 Sam 2:23-25)
– God himself hardened their hearts because of their unrepentant sin, because the LORD would slay them (with the aid of the Philistines). (1 Sam 2:25)
– Eli (and by extension his sons) ignored the prophetic warning to repent of the sins of disregarding the LORD’s sacrifice & offerings, honoring his sons above the LORD, and making themselves fat (prosperous) on the best of the people’s offerings. (1 Sam 2:29-30)
– They had no open vision (no spiritual sight). (1 Sam 3:1)
– They failed to keep the lamp well-tended with oil, which was at risk of going out in the temple. (1 SAM 3:3)
– They made themselves vile in the eyes of the LORD. (1 Sam 3:13)
– They were WITH the presence of the LORD (the ark of the covenant of God) but they were not protected BY it. (1 Sam 4:4, 11)
– Their sinful actions caused the glory of the LORD to depart from Israel. (1 Sam 4:21)
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