1 Samuel 2:34 English Standard Version (ESV) And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.

The answer to yesterday’s question is that they die together.

Those who do not know the Lord have contempt for the Lord’s offering and shall die because of it.

What is the Lord’s offering which has been held in contempt?

Hebrews 7:26-28 English Standard Version

²⁶ For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 10:5-7 English Standard Version

⁵ Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
⁶ in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
⁷ Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

Everything that warns mankind of the inevitable outcome for those who have contempt for the Lord’s sacrifice has been written in His Word. Eli did not see to it that his sons came to know the Lord and we see the results. We can learn from Eli’s mistake.

1 Samuel 2:12-17 English Standard Version

¹² Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord. ¹³ The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, ¹⁴ and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. ¹⁵ Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” ¹⁶ And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” ¹⁷ Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.

Read these passages with the intent to learn object lessons. Read them again if necessary.

What is the first object lesson?

They did not know the Lord and were therefore seen as worthless. That first thought was entered even before comments were made of their behavior. We should not expect those who do not know the Lord to have respect for our traditions. They have not learned the fear of the Lord, yet.

Why were these two men singled out?

They were serving as priests in Shiloh. Men without knowledge of God were allowed to perform priestly duties. Eli was warned twice about his sons and did nothing about it.

What happens to men who have contempt for the Lord’s offering?