Title: Broken Covenant / Topic: God's Promises

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 1; 1 Samuel 2; Psalm 66; 2 Corinthians 7

Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:29-30
29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?'
30 "Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.

Observation: God rebukes Eli for his sons' misdeeds. Their abuse of the priesthood has caused God to retract the covenant that He made with Levi. Because Eli does not deal with his sons decisively, God tells him that He is scorning the sacrifice and honoring his sons more than God. (True, Eli rebuked them for their actions, but he himself took no action against them. They continued to flaunt their evil while Eli did nothing.) Notice that in verse 30 God says that He is going back on the promise He made because of their failure to honor God. The phrase, "far be it from me," indicates that it is not at all God's nature to make unconditional promises. When He makes a promise, it is dependant upon the obedience of the one receiving the promise.

Application: We can break God's covenant and lose His promised blessing, including our salvation. "Far be it from me," God says, to keep a promise with anyone who is abusing people in the name of God or living a lie that brings dishonor to God. Those who intentionally and habitually dishonor God have no reason to think that they will get anything but judgment from the Lord.

Bottom line: Stay close to God, seeking Him with humility. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be a keeper of Your covenant. Empower me by Your Spirit to walk in humble obedience to You always.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.