Alright, join me if you would in the book of 1 Samuel chapter 2. And we spent quite a bit of time on that first section of scripture there in 1 Samuel chapter 2. My Bible had run down, so I had to charge it. 1 Samuel chapter 2, the first section of that was Hannah's prayer, and she shared a great deal in there, and as we've mentioned in the past, she didn't do that for public. It was a very private thing, but the Lord was pleased, the Holy Spirit was pleased to have Samuel record that prayer in our Bible so that we can enjoy the revelation that he, God, had given to Hannah, and we're thankful that every time he saves somebody, he gives that same revelation about God. So here we are, 1 Samuel 2, and we read down through and studied a little bit about down through verse 10, this prayer of Hannah's, and we're not gonna spend a lot of time on that, but the next verse, verse 11, we have kind of a conclusion to that for a time.

And Elkina went to Rama to his house, and the children did minister unto the child, Samuel did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest. So we have Samuel old enough to be left alone with Eli the priest. Now after just reading a wonderful prayer and having that great blessing given to us, we read in verse 13, an absolute change. We read in verse 13 here, there is a great difference. And as we look at this comparison between grace and false religion, there is great difference in what is recorded. In Hannah's prayer, it's always states, and we relish in that, the states about the sovereignty of God, God's way of salvation, grace and salvation, how gracious He is. And then in verse 12, we read this about the representatives of God's, God's covenant people and the religion that he gave them.

It says here, now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, and they knew not the Lord. Now sons of Belial means that they were without prophet. worthlessness could be attributed to them, wicked, ungodly, good for nothing, unprofitable. You'll find that those words are brought out with regard to these two men, these sons of Eli. They were unprofitable. They were sons of Belial. And that word sons of Belial or the word Belial is used several times in the Old Testament.

Now, the next thing that we notice in there is they knew not the Lord. Now, that's a really sad thing to have leaders of the religion that have no concept about God. Now, that is an issue about having sons of a pastor automatically set up to be the next pastor. That's a problem, because oftentimes they don't know the Lord. Well, I believe Eli was a representative of someone who did know the Lord, and yet his children.

And I've mentioned this in the past a number of times. I didn't know that there were any preachers that didn't have all their kids saved. Because I had grown up with that all my life. If the preacher didn't have their kids saved, they just were not a good preacher, and we probably should get someone else. Well, here we have that when God saved me, I found out that most of the preachers that I got acquainted with had kids that were not saved. And, you know, they trusted the Lord that if they're ever going to be saved, it's God's work. It's God's activity. It's not us pushing them or trying to promote a profession of faith out of them.

Well, here we have Eli had two sons or had these sons. They're sons of Belial, and they're really ornery people. They are ungodly people. And not only are they against God, they're against man. In this section here, we read that the dividing up of the meat to the priest was just part of what the law had. And there was a way of doing this and dividing it up.

The tribe of Levi didn't have any property. They had some towns. They were to be taken care of. Other people had their own meat. These people didn't. So there was a way of dealing with that. And it tells us here, the priest's custom with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came while the flesh was in seething with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand. Now, the prescribed way, the subscribed means was there and they put it down in there and when they got some meat on it, they took it out. That was it. He stuck it into the pan or the kettle or cauldron or pot All that the flesh hook brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh until all the Israelites that came thither. So this is how it was prescribed to be done. And it wasn't luck. God was in charge of the amount of meat they got.

Also, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came and said to the man that would sacrifice, give flesh to the roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. If any man said unto him, let him not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as their soul desired, then he would answer him, nay, but thou shalt give it me now, and if not, I will take it by force.

So, here's the kind of people we have that are there making, they're dressed as a priest. They have the ephod. They have the hat. They have all of the stuff that we read about in the book of Leviticus and the book of Exodus as they were dressed. They're here with every pretense of serving the Lord, and yet we find out that they did not serve the Lord. They're the sons of Belial.

You know, it reminds me of a passage over in the book of Matthew, chapter 7. Would you join me over in the book of Matthew, chapter 7, and there, verses 22 and 23? Once we get there, you're going to say, oh, I know that by heart. But here in Matthew, chapter 7, verse 22, Matthew, chapter 7, verse 22, we have this said by the Lord Jesus Christ in his personal ministry early on. We're doing chapter 7 of the book of Matthew, and it says, many shall say to me in that day, in that judgment day, when the Lord comes back and there's that day, You know, he never mentioned a thousand years. He never mentioned a rapture. He never mentioned pre-trib, post-trib or mid-trib. He just says when he comes back, there is going to be a judgment.

And we can read about that. We notice that over the book of Matthew, chapter 24. But here it says, Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, Have we not prophesied in thy name? Now he's talking mostly about preachers in this category. Have we not preached in your name? And in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. So we have the priest, we have Eli's sons in this group of people.

And this group of people extends from there, goes backwards to all those false priests throughout the Old Testament. goes forward to all the false priests and prophets that we have in the Old Testament, comes down to time in the New Testament era, the time that Christ was here upon the earth, and we find out that he says in that day, many of those preachers are gonna say, Lord, Lord, have we not done many wonderful things? Sunday, we're gonna be looking at some words that Saul of Tarsus said. Lord, what will you have me to do? But the Lord never intended that to be for his salvation. It's for his service. God saves, we serve then. All right. Now, and then will I profess unto them Well, they have this profession. Now he already knows who they are. They're already sifted out.

What does it tell us over the book of Matthew? Is it 24, 25? He's already said as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. So he already knows that. In a conversation just recently about God does not make goats into sheep. That's the evolutionary process. And that may be said by Preachers that don't know a thing about the gospel they sons of Belial is what they are But he never takes a goat and makes a sheep and he never has a sheep become a goat He separates the sheep from the goats, as a shepherd would do that. And on his right-hand side, he has those that are the sheep. On the left-hand side, he has those that are goats.

And this is what he says to them. Many shall say to me that day, then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. So, everything they have done is termed by Jesus Christ as iniquity. It's not a positive thing. And so, the ministry of Eli's sons, it was not a positive thing. It was iniquity. It was iniquity when they had their servants go gather the meat.

Now, let's go back over there to the book of 1 Samuel. Chapter 2 again and follow this out as we notice what what's going on here It's sad to say they were priests and they were dressed like priests It's sad to say they had correct answers to certain issues yet.

They knew not the Lord and That makes all the difference in the world. They knew not the Lord. What does that mean? He had not revealed himself to them and Why did the disciple says, why do you teach us in parables? And Jesus says, so that you can understand the kingdom of God, but it's not for them to understand.

So God is in charge of all of this. It tells us here going on in this chapter, in chapter two of 1 Samuel, verse 10, The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces. Oh, excuse me, that's her prayer. In verse 15, also before thy burnt fat, the priest servant came and said to the man, and it goes down here, we'll take it by force in verse 16. Wherefore, the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men abhorred the offering of the Lord. So it continues on in this, they abhorred the Lord, they abhorred the offering of the Lord, they abhorred the service of the Lord, but guess what? They were paid by this.

But Samuel ministered before the Lord being a child girded with linen ephod. We're going to jump over that for just a moment and we'll get down to verse 22. Now Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel and how they lay with the women that assemble at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So not only did they sin against God, they sinned against their family, their children in Israel.

And he said unto them, why do you such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all these people. "'Nay, my sons, for it is not good, "'no good report that I hear, "'yet make the Lord's people to trespass. "'If one man sin against another, "'the judge shall judge him. "'But if a man sin against the Lord, "'who shall entreat for him? "'Notwithstanding, they hearken not "'unto the voice of their father, "'and here's the reason why.'" Next phrase. because the Lord would slay them." Now, it's serious. The Lord spoke here in such a manner.

You know, I have questions about every pastor that ever came to the church that I grew up in. They were nice guys. They treated most of the kids pretty nicely. But when it came to the gospel, they had no idea what it was about. And all of them had an interest in getting the kids saved in a corner that they buttonholed them in.

It was sad. We find here that this sin that these sons of Belial committed was crimes against God and against men. And we may say we're better off than they are, but who makes us to differ? Why was Hannah such a blessed lady knew the gospel, shared that great prayer, and we turn right around, and in the word of God, we have these sons of Belial, and everybody back then was related. They were cousins, aunts and uncles. They were all family. Every Israelite was family member to other Israelites. And yet we have this going on. What was the problem? What made them to differ?

Well, turn with me, if you would, to the book of 1 Corinthians 4. First Corinthians chapter four, before Hannah could get too puffed up, before Eli could get too puffed up, before Samuel could get too puffed up, before you and I can get too puffed up and say, you know, we know better than Eli's sons. They were sons of Belial and Lord being our helper, we'll never be that. Well, if we don't know the gospel, If we're going to portray Christ as someone who's trying to get something done, then we have the same consequences facing us. Sons of Belial.

1 Corinthians chapter 4. If you'd look there with me, 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 4, and there in verse 7, we read these words. Paul, and it's amazing, after you read a little bit about what kind of guy he was. what happened to him in God saving him and how God used him to write the bulk of the New Testament as a secretary. Here he is. He had every, you know, people say he had every right to brag on himself. And yet he said, for who maketh he to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

So every spiritual blessing we have has been something God gave to us. So we can't go around boasting and saying, I'm better than those two sons or three sons of Eli, and I'm equal with Hannah. It's only because of the grace of God and Him giving us that, that makes all the difference. Who maketh thee the difference? The only difference between the sons of Belial and Hannah and you and I is God's grace.

You know, we've been spending some time there in the book of Romans chapter nine, that great statement about, let's go down and witness the potter for just a minute. And what if God willing, to create some for destruction. And then he might show grace and mercy to some others out of the same lump. And that's exactly what he's doing. He showed grace and mercy to Hannah. He showed grace and mercy to Hannah's husband. And he did not show grace and mercy to Eli's sons. He showed grace and mercy to Samuel. He showed grace and mercy to Eli.

And we can say, well, he wasn't a very good parent. Well, when it boils right down to it, how many good parents have we known? Boy, I made some terrible mistakes. I'm sad about it. I've gone to my kids and apologized, and most of it was because I didn't know any better. Lost people don't know any better. They just don't. All right.

When we look at this, we find that the Lord said, I'll slay them. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Proverbs 16. Proverbs 16. Now, the Bible is filled with verses similar to what we read over there, that the Lord would slay them. That was His intent. He was going to make them an example, just as we find those on the left-hand side, all the goats, are going to be an example of those without grace. So, here in the book of Proverbs chapter 16, we have this passage of Scripture, and I've read this to several preachers, and you know what they said? I don't believe that. Now, that's pretty blunt. I don't believe that. Well, I'm sorry. This is to be believed. The Lord hath made all things for himself. Yea, even the sons of Eli for the day of evil. Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. He's made all things for himself.

Now, we can simply say this. Figuring this out is above our pay grade, but we would never say, I don't believe it. How it works out for God's glory, I don't know. But it will, every bit of it. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Romans, chapter nine and verse 22. Romans chapter nine and verse 22. As we've been spending a little time there, we've noticed this verse of scripture. It needs to be brought out again and again.

What if God? Now, the apostle Paul is being used to write this. And at one time he hated everything about this subject. He hated the subject that God had made a choice. Here it says, what if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.

Now we can sit back, get up here in the stands, and look at this activity being played out, and we have over here, Eli and his sons, and what they are doing. And we have God over here, observing what's going on, and you know what? It took, what did we read there? much long-suffering that God would allow that to take place in front of His very being. The long-suffering of God to permit these things to take place, fitted for destruction.

The long-suffering, much long-suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. It is long-suffering. that god would permit that to take place and yet in the and it will be carried out that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had a four prepared to glory so he has much long-suffering all we have to do is go to the old testament and find out how much long-suffering god had with israel and finally he says this after generations after centuries He says, I regarded them not.

Now he never took his eyes off the church. He had his eyes on the church from eternity. He had a people chosen in Christ Jesus before the world began. He had his eyes on them. He had his eyes on them before Adam was ever created, before Adam ever sinned. He had his eyes on them and was blessing them and would keep them.

But the rest, he said, much long-suffering. How long-suffering was he with Pharaoh? How long did that all take to play out? All of those plagues that God brought upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, how long did that take? How long-suffering he was, to make a point.

So we find this with these sons of Belial, the sons of Eli. Eli's sons despised God. Cain despised God by what he did. The prophets of Baal despised God. It struck me as I was going through this, those prophets of Baal, by and large, they were Israelites. Who was it that came down there that time? We call it the test of the prophets of Baal.

It wasn't a test. There was no test about it. They were already defeated before they got started. But who were they? Were they outsiders that had come in? I think not. I think they were insiders that adopted that religion. And here they are, going through all of these sacrifices, trying to get this sacrifice to burn.

And God proved who he was. He was long-suffering to them. Put up with them. Put up with them from their birth, their education, their training about what to do with Baal and how to worship Baal. And here comes the time that they stand before a prophet of God. And once that is over with, God said, get rid of them now.

I want to meet him in person right now. And He did. He met them right now. They met before Him, and instantly, He judged them. Now, they're in jail. The time's coming when they'll be put in the penitentiary. Eternal. Now, it's not gonna change. The heat's not changing. All of the punishment's not changing. But there's gonna be a time when they will be put in everlasting fire.

All right, in 1 Peter, Chapter 2, 1 Peter 2. We read this, 1 Peter 2, there in the book of 1 Peter 2 and verse 8, we read this passage, a stone of stumbling. Now that is truly the Lord Jesus. He is a stone of stumbling. People have stumbled over Him from the very beginning. Cain stumbled over Him. Adam stumbled over Him. Here we go, stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, were unto also they were, and we have a word appointed. So they were appointed to this stumbling. Eli's sons were appointed to this stumbling. And when they died, and they're gonna die, God's gonna take them in a battle. When they died, they met him instantly. And when they met him, it was not absent from the body present with the Lord. It was not a positive thing.

All right, and then in the book of 2 Peter 2, 2 Peter 2, we read this, 2 Peter 2, and there in verse 9, I think, 2 Peter 2, let me get over there, 2 Peter 2, verse 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. Aren't you thankful? What makes us to differ? The delivering power of God, His restraining power, His love for His people, His great helmet, breastplate, sword, all that He gives us. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment, and to be punished. That's what he has to say. So they were there in this position, and God reserved them for the day of punishment.

Nadab and Abihu. Remember them? They brought strange fire. They had some sensors. I read that and I don't understand all I know about it. I don't know how big those sensors were. Did they look like a plate? Did they have ribs on them or edges on them? I don't know, but they put some stuff on there and used strange fire to get it to burn.

Now, it appears that if you were a true priest, you put that on there and God lit that. But they used their own fire to light that incense. And instantly, God killed them. You know, the interesting thing is the very next verse or two, it says, they carried them out in their coats that they were wearing. So it consumed them, but didn't bother the clothing that they were wearing. To me, that's a miracle. But God took care of that business, Nadab and Abihu. And you know what he told Aaron? Moses told Aaron, don't you weep. Don't you weep over this. Don't you weep over this.

So Nadab and Abihu, the grossest crimes is priests and prophets that lie to the people. That's the grossest crime that could be committed is priests and prophets that lie to the people, lie to God and lie about God. And we find that that is brought out throughout the scriptures. These two, these sons of Belial were liars. They lied about God. They lied about themselves. They didn't never come to the conclusion that they were a sinner before God. In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18, we read this. Deuteronomy chapter 18. In Deuteronomy chapter 18, there's instructions here about those who lie about God. Deuteronomy 18, 18. We have this passage of Scripture, Deuteronomy 18, 18.

It says, I will rise them up a prophet from among their brethren. Now, we know who that is because it's brought out in the New Testament. That's the Lord Jesus Christ. And my translator capitalized prophet. I think most of the translations do that. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Now look at this, and it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which I shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. Now, whether he's taken out of this world by other people or whether it's at the time, at the end, that is going to happen. God is going to take care of that.

So those that come to him, have we not done? Have we not done? These prophets that lied on God, lied about God, lied to the people, these are sons of Belial. How sad it is. to look back upon the days that I was in false religion and find out how much I was lied to and how much I lied when I was in the same thing. I'm so thankful that God in his mercy and grace came that he was long suffering to me He's long-suffering to usward. Not any of the usward should perish, but that all should come to repentance." How glorious is that?

All right, Jeremiah. Turn with me to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 5. The book of Jeremiah chapter 5, as we think about these happenings here in the book of 1 Samuel, these sons of Belial, these sons of Eli, that eventually, as God said, He was going to have them taken. He's going to have them killed. They're going to die in battle. And here we have this Jeremiah chapter 5. Jeremiah chapter 5, verse 30.

It shares this with us, Jeremiah chapter 5 and verse 30, it says, a wonderful and a horrible thing is committed in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely. The sons of Eli, Nadab and Abihu, Judas, all the other folks that have been bent on sharing a lie about God. The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. And what will ye do in the end thereof? How shall ye stand?" If you're in that situation, how shall you stand? So, how shall the sons of Belial, the sons of Eli stand? They shall not stand. Chapter 14 of the book of Jeremiah, would you turn there with me? Jeremiah chapter 14 verse 13. Now, we had a pastor there at New Pine Creek, and he was called to a bigger church. You know what that meant. I'm sure he told his wife, I'll go and pray about this and you pack.

You know what that rascally rabbit did? Now, I don't know how much it would be today, but he left a bill at the little country grocery store for $500. Didn't tell a soul. One of the men was in the store, and Mr. Butler said, is it my understanding that the pastor has left? And he said, yeah. And I said, what's wrong?

He says, well, here's his account book, and he owes me $500. Well, I wish we'd have went up there and got him by the neck and said, pay your bill. But the church took up an offering and paid that bill. That's a rascally rabbit. That's a thief. That's just a thief. But he was worse than that. He was a thief about the gospel. Oh, he tried every which way to get everybody converted.

All right. Here it tells us in the book of Jeremiah, 23, did I read 14, verse 13? Oh, verse 13. Then said I, ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say unto them, ye shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the Lord said unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name. I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them. They prophesy unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of naught and deceit of their heart.

And that's the sons of Belial, Eli's sons. That's Cain, Nadab and Abihu, Judas, and everyone else that has ever been in a position of responsibility in religion and took advantage of it. Here we have this coming out. Men shall arise speaking perverse things. Did you know that that's the Apostle Paul's words to the elders of Ephesus? From among you they will rise up. preaching perverse things. Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. That's what the Lord had to say.

In the book of Ezekiel chapter 13, would you turn there with me? Ezekiel chapter 13, we have many of these Old Testament prophets. God gave them a message to share with Israel, to share with Judah. that there's people taking authority upon themselves that don't know the first thing about the gospel. They're assuming they might be born They might have a father that is a priest or a prophet, and they're going to continue that line. Well, here in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 13, we read these words. Ezekiel 13, beginning with verse 1. Ezekiel 13, verse 1, And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy.

And say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord. It's the only hope. It's the word of the Lord. It's the only hope. Thus saith the Lord God, Woe unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. They've never seen anything.

Now that's one of the things that we're going to see over there with regard to Saul of Tarsus. There in just a very few short verses, Saul of Tarsus had more firsts in his life than he'd ever had before. First time he'd ever bowed. First time he'd ever been led. He was a proud man. All right, goes on to say, Thus saith the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit, that have seen nothing. O Israel, the prophets are like foxes in the desert.

Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither have made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith, and the Lord hath not seen them. And they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have you not seen a vain vision, and have you not spoken a lying divination? Whereas ye say, The Lord saith it, albeit I have not spoken Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, because ye have spoken vanities and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God. And my hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, that divine lies, that shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel, "'Ye shall know that I am the Lord God, "'because even because they have seduced my people, "'saying peace, and there was no peace, "'and one built up a wall, "'and others daubed it with untempered mortar.'" Someone came along and preached, and they came along and added garbage to it. It was an untempered wall. Jesus said during His time, in between the time that He went back to heaven and the time that He comes again, many false Christs, false Christs, and many false prophets shall come. It's God's grace to us to know something about His Word.

And you know, I can't help but think of that silver, the real silver dollar, and the sound that it makes. Now, I liked Ike, but his dollars don't ring. They go clunk. You have to go back to a silver dollar, and you get that real clear ring. that lets you know it's real.

That's about the gospel. There is a clear ring about it. Paul wrote and said, if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, how shall they know what to do? We go over to the Old Testament. We find out they were called to assembly on the Sabbath. They were called to assembly for this. They were called to war. by the sound of the trumpet.

They had had it practiced enough and the person who was blowing the trumpet knew enough about it that when he blew it, the people knew what to do. But if there's an uncertain sound given in the gospel, what shall people do? What was the driving force of the false prophet? What was the driving force behind the sons of Belial? It's one word. S-E-L-F. Self. And self is based upon S-I-N. Sin.

The priests, they teach for hire. Well, we're going to find out as we follow this out in the book of 1 Samuel chapter 2 and 3 and 4 that Eli's sons will actually die. And you know the news is so hard on Eli, he falls backwards and breaks his neck. And who's the next judge?

Samuel. Now, I've mentioned this, I have yet to find an ill word, one, about Samuel. Not one. Now when I find it, I'll share that with you. But if you find it, share it with me. But here we're gonna have Samuel take up the helm. All right, we're gonna stop there tonight, and we'll pick this up, Lord willing, at the next