When Eli was the high priest during the days when Samuel was yet a boy, his sons despised the offerings of the Lord. They did this through a practice of their own devising. The people who came to worship before the Lord brought wave offerings and peace offerings out of which the sons of Aaron were to receive the breast or the shoulder (Exodus 29:27-28; Leviticus 7:34), depending upon the type of offering made before the Lord. However, Hophni and Phinehas, Eli’s sons, sent their servants among the Israelites who had come to worship. Their servants would use a large three pronged fork to stick into the boiling pots, and whatever the fork brought out they took for themselves. When Eli’s sons desired raw flesh, their servants went to the Israelite worshipers and demanded it of them even before the fat was offered to the Lord (1Samuel 2:14-15). In this they not only showed they despised what the Lord had given them, but they caused all Israel to despise what was offered to the Lord (1Samuel 2:17).
The Lord sent a prophet to Eli and accused him of caring more for his sons than for God whom he claimed to serve. The prophet reminded Eli that the Lord had chosen his father, Aaron, to be his high priest out of all the men in all the tribes of Israel. He chose him while he was yet in Egypt. Moreover, he reminded Eli that the Lord had set aside certain portions of all the offerings for Aaron and his sons, but Hophni and Phinehas have despised the gift of the Lord. They chose their portion even before the Lord received his portion of the offering. Therefore, the prophet told Eli the Lord had rejected the priesthood of Aaron. It would not last forever, as it was supposed from the beginning. In the meantime, the Lord said he would honor only those who honor him, but those who despised him would be cursed (1Samuel 2:27-30).
With this, the prophet told Eli that the Lord would raise up for himself a faithful priest and for him a permanent house where in he would walk before the Lord’s anointed (1Samuel 2:35).
Many students of Scripture have wondered who this “faithful priest” was. Some have suppose it was Samuel, but although Samuel was indeed faithful to the Lord, he was a prophet and not a high priest. The high priests continued in their offices at the tabernacle all the days of Samuel. Moreover, Samuel’s sons were no more honorable than were the sons of Eli. Samuel could not have been the one of whom the prophet spoke.
Some have supposed the “faithful priest” was Zadok and his sons. While it is true that Zadok was faithful to David, coming to him in the days of Absalom with the ark of the covenant when David had to flee. Later when David was dying, it was Zadok who was faithful to David’s choice and anointed Solomon, while Abiathar celebrated with Adonijah, the people’s choice for king. Solomon even chose Zadok to be the sole high priest over Abiathar, and it was he who served as the high priest in Israel’s first permanent Temple at Jerusalem. Yet, this very Temple was destroyed and the sons of Zadok were found no more faithful to the Lord than were the sons of Eli. The prophet said they were greedy dogs with no understanding, running after their own way for gain (Isaiah 56:11). In the end the Lord would have preferred that the doors of the Temple were shut up and no offering were ever made upon its altar, because he took no pleasure in their worship (Malachi 1:10).
The sense of the words “faithful priest” in 1Samuel 2:35 is a faithful high priest and out his ministry would come faithful priests. This was a rejection of the whole priesthood of Aaron and not simply Eli’s family. Indeed types of fulfillment were played out in history in that Eli’s family line was replaced by Zadok’s family line for the high priesthood. Moreover, the temporary Tabernacle was replaced with a more permanent Temple. However, such allusions in history merely pointed to what would occur in the future, and the sure sign that this would occur was the death of both of Eli’s sons in a single day (1Samuel 2:34). It is not by coincidence that the only other time the words “faithful (High) Priest” are used together in Scripture is Hebrews 2:17 where it indicates Jesus is that “Faithful (High) Priest” prophesied long ago to Eli. This is the One who shared in our flesh, in our sufferings, showing he was not interested in his own gain, but in our welfare. This One was the Word become flesh and his name is Jesus. May all his people who love his coming praise the name of the Lord!
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