Where Succession Fails (1 Samuel 2)

Does a list of succession automatically mean faithfulness to God? Do faithful people often come from outside artificial lines of succession? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 2.

Who weighs the actions of people and judges accordingly?

And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:1-3 NKJV)

Does God create a great reversal of fortunes based upon people’s life choices?

The bow of the mighty is now broken, and those who stumbled are now strong. Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away. The Lord gives both death and life; he brings some down to the grave but raises others up. The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up. (1 Samuel 2:4-7 NLT)

Does God raise up the poor and holy and put to silence the wicked?

He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s. He has set the world on them. He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength. Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.” (1 Samuel 2:8-10 WEB)

Should we be shocked if despicable conduct sometimes exists along with sacrifice?

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy served the Lord under Eli the priest. Now Eli’s sons were despicable men who didn’t know the Lord. This was how the priest was supposed to act with the people: Whenever anyone made a sacrifice, while the meat was boiling, the priest’s assistant would come with a three-pronged fork in hand. He would thrust it into the cauldron or the pot. Whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. This is how it was done for all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. But with Eli’s sons, even before the fat was burned, the priest’s assistant would come and say to the person offering the sacrifice, “Give the priest some meat to roast. He won’t accept boiled meat from you.” If anyone said, “Let the fat be burned off first, as usual, then take whatever you like for yourself,” the assistant would reply, “No, hand it over now. If not, I’ll take it by force.” The sin of these priestly assistants was very serious in the Lord’s sight because they were disrespecting the Lord’s own offering. (1 Samuel 2:11-17 CEB)

Can those outside the lines of succession be more faithful than those within? Did Samuel’s mother Hannah have more children?

The boy Samuel served the Lord and wore a special linen garment and the clothes his mother made for him. She brought new clothes every year, when she and her husband came to offer sacrifices at Shiloh. Eli always blessed Elkanah and his wife and said, “Samuel was born in answer to your prayers. Now you have given him to the Lord. I pray that the Lord will bless you with more children to take his place.” After Eli had blessed them, Elkanah and Hannah would return home. The Lord was kind to Hannah, and she had three more sons and two daughters. But Samuel grew up at the Lord's house in Shiloh. (1 Samuel 2:18-21 CEV)

Did Eli warn his sons about their despicable conduct? Was Samuel different?

Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. (1 Samuel 2:22-26 ESV)