Articles
Worthless Men
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Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord. (1 Sam. 2:12)
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The Hebrew phrase translated "corrupt" (NKJV) literally means "sons of Belial" or "sons of worthlessness." Other versions render this idiom "worthless men" (ESV), "scoundrels" (NIV), "evil men" (NCV), or "depraved creatures" (Moffatt). What made their corruption especially egregious was the fact that they were sons of the high priest Eli, serving as priests of God. They used their position to enrich themselves (v. 13-16), and lay with prostitutes at the very door of the tabernacle (v. 22). Their conduct was so shameless that the Israelites "abhorred the offering of the Lord" (v. 17). Religion was a joke, and nobody took it seriously.
Notice the explanation the author gives for their outrageous conduct: “They did not know the Lord.” In their official capacity they may have represented God before the people; but in their hearts God was an alien abstraction. They knew nothing of God or His character; consequently, their own character was perverse, and their depravity contaminated everything around them.
This story reinforces the connection between how we treat God and our value to society. To "know the Lord" means much more than simply acknowledging His existence. It means that we strive to reflect His goodness, His patience, His sense of justice and fair play. We respect the moral laws He has built into His cosmos, knowing that doing so--or failing to do so--has consequences. In a very real sense, what we think of God defines the kind of people we are.
People who do not know the Lord are not only more likely to be scoundrels, messing up their own lives, but their influence also has a ruinous effect on the society in which they live. The damage is especially severe if they claim to represent God in some fashion, but are making no effort to live up to His standards. Hypocrites are worthless to everyone.
What God is looking for are people who love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. These people are the salt of the earth, shining beacons of virtue who make the world a little brighter place for everyone around them. Even if others do not agree with their faith, their contributions to society are admired.
What is your value to society? Are you worthless? Or is God truly living in you?
--David
