“So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons
more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the
best offerings of my people Israel.”
1 Samuel 2:29
God had chosen Eli’s family to be HIS priests, to serve at HIS altar, sacrificing HIS offerings. So, no wonder God questioned Eli about allowing his sons to take whatever meat they wanted, rather than honoring the One to whom those offerings belonged.
The Israelites had been taught that all fat from offerings was the LORD’s, to be burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to Him. People were never to eat that fat, but obviously Eli and his sons disobeyed God’s command, because He said they all had become fat from the best offerings, offerings that belonged to HIM!
Even though one benefit of the priestly relationship with God was daily food allotment, God was asking, “Why would you selfishly try to take more than I have already given you? Why use OUR relationship to profit yourself? Why make yourself fat on MY food?”
I wonder…have I selfishly profited from my relationship with God? Without realizing it, have I eaten part of the offerings that I already gave Him…like using a little more of GOD’s time or spending HIS ten per cent of my treasures? If I keep on eating what belongs to GOD, I too may become fat, and that could be dangerous…
On the ranch where I grew up…the fattened animals got slaughtered!
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