5TH BROKEN COMMANDMENT

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) The 10 Commandments were God's standard for right living. To obey them was to obey God. Yet throughout the Old Testament, we can see how each commandment was broken.

b) As you read the stories, notice the tragic consequences that occurred as a result of violating God's law.

1. 5th Commandment

a) The 10 Commandments said ...

i) ¹² “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12 NKJV)

b) Notable Violations

i) Eli's sons - Hophni & Phinehas
(Text: 1 Samuel 2:22-35)

@1. ²² Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. ²⁴ No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. ²⁵ If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them. ²⁶ And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men. ²⁷ Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? ²⁸ Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? ²⁹ 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?’ ³⁰ Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘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 that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. ³² And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever. ³³ But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. ³⁴ Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. ³⁵ Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever. ³⁶ And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.” (1 Samuel 2:22-36 NKJV)

2. What is the text all about?

a) Eli's sons knew better, but they continued to disobey God deliberately by cheating, seducing, and robbing the people. Therefore, God planned to kill them. Any sin is wrong, but sin carried out deliberately and deceitfully is the worst kind. When we sin out of ignorance, we deserve punishment. But when we sin intentionally, the consequences will be more severe. Don't ignore God's warnings about sin. Abandon sin before it becomes a way of life.

b) Does a loving God really will or want to put people to death? Consider the  situation in the tabernacle. A person made an offering in order to have his sin forgiven, and Eli's sons stole the offering and made a sham of the person's repentant attitude. God, in his love of Israel, could not permit this situation to continue. He allowed Eli's sons to die as a result of the boastful presumption. The took the ark into battle, thinking it would protect them. But God withdrew his protection and the wicked sons of Eli were killed.

c) Eli had a difficult time rearing his sons. He apparently did not take any strong disciplinary action with them when he became aware of their wrongdoing. But Eli was not just a father trying to handle his rebellious sons; he was the high priest ignoring the sins of priests under his  jurisdiction. As a result, the Lord took the necessary disciplinary actions that Eli would not.

d) Eli was guilty of honoring his sons above God by letting them continue their sinful ways. Is there a situation in your life , family, or work that you allow to continue even though you know it is wrong? Is so, you may become as guilty as those engaged in the wrong act.

e) God is just, and he accounts for all sin. Eli's sons had sinned by despising God, and Eli had sinned by not correcting them and thus their sin. As a religious leaders, they may have thought they would get away with it, or that God would ignore it, but God brought judgment.

f) If you are in a position of authority, don't rationalize away God's standards for right living. God expects leaders to lead fairly and to eliminate evil practices. God will not overlook those who justify their own sin.

g) For the fulfillment of this prediction (see 1 Kings 2:26-27).

@1. ²⁶ And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.” ²⁷ So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh. (1 Kings 2:26-27 NKJV)

h) This is where Solomon removed Abiathar from his position, thus ending Eli's line. The God raised up Zadok, a priest under David and then high priest under Solomon. Zadok's line was probably still in place as late as the days of Ezra.

i) "My anointed" refers to the king. God was saying that his faithful priest would serve his king forever.

j) God is looking for faithfulness. He doesn't need us in order to get his work done, but he wants us faithfully help him do it. Eli and his sons were not faithful, so God said he would choose someone else who was. When God has given you a job - in your family, church, community, or career - do it faithfully, or God may find someone else to do it in your place.

The End ...