Those words are written by Samuel. Chapter 3 starts off with those words to present the panorama and context to Samuel’s birth and presentation to the Tabernacle.

The first thing we notice in chapter 2 is that an unnamed prophet speaks to the spiritual leadership first. This denotes a context to the heading of this message. When God stops speaking to a nation and through a leadership God sends powerful prophetic voices to the leadership. When leaders serve themselves their authority is curtailed and their function no longer ministers to the people.

The priesthood of leaders is not mechanical nor self serving. God had made provision for His Priesthood via the Law of Moses, yet greed had taken over the house of Eli. His sons not only were greedy but also full of lust for women. Today where you see ministries operate in the sphere of mammon do not be surprised if you see also the unfaithfulness in marriage follow.

This is what makes the ” Word of the Lord rare”. When God’s people are not activated into study of God’s Word and hearing God on a personal level we know that leadership has become self seeking.

Eli receives a damning Word of death over his sons, and his house cut off from the Presence of the Lord. Eli was as corrupt as the sons in his tolerance. He had become complicit with their gross sin. Their sin in the Glory, despising God’s presence, both of greed and contempt, and prostitution. We may think that prostitution has a human element, however their prostitution was to the Lord in the sense that they were betraying their first love and entertaining other loves via their women. Their being “joined ” (Heb. Levi) was not enough!

How tragic! How tragic it is when being Joined to the Lord is no longer their first priority. Jesus rebuked the Church in Ephesus for this very posture. They risked their standing and today there is no Church in Ephesus. Jesus took their lamp stand. You cannot enjoy the benefits of covenant if your heart is elsewhere.

The priesthood in 1 Samuel 2 becomes corrupt that it is debased as a passport to eat bread. How many today have transformed Ascension gifts into a means to provide instead of believing that living for God in personal and daily obedience and service brings provision.

Samuel at age 12 brought the same word as the unnamed prophet. In 2020 children will be raised up to humble corrupt leadership. God did not let any word of Samuel fall to the ground. God promises this for prophets in 2020.

The year 2020 God is bringing a double edged sword into the Church to clear up the mess. Jesus entered and cleaned the temple twice in His ministry. Once in the beginning and at the end. This time the same zeal that ate Him up for God’s House will come upon His people. In Isaiah 2 God will establish His House of Prayer unto the nations.

It is always in the context of a corrupt leadership that God raises up prophets to bring judgement and bring true leadership that God appoints. As 2020 will be a year of the Word and the Spirit this will activate the prophetic and bring to birth a new prepared leadership. May we be ready.

Shalom!