Lesson 21: God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him

“Lesson 21: God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him,” Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 96

1. Introduction

a) Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel

i) Part of a continuing history of Israel

ii) Rule of judges to the final years of King David

b) Have previously studied three virtuous women

i) Ruth

ii) Naomi

iii) Hannah

c) The prophet Samuel was, of course, the miraculous son of Hannah, was one of the great prophets in the Old Testament

i) Begin his story today and will continue it through coming lessons

d) Theme for today's lesson

i) Reading 1 – 1 Samuel 2:30

30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

2. Sons of Eli

a) Pursuant to her pledge, when Samuel is weaned, Hannah brings him to Eli, a high priest and judge who had blessed her, to minister to Eli

i) READ – Hannah's words – 1 Samuel 1:27-28

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

b) There are problems in the House of the Lord at Shiloh

i) Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas were priests themselves

ii) Were corrupting the sacred temple ordinances

(1) Improperly taking temple offerings for themselves

(2) Seducing women assembled at the door of the tabernacle

iii) This was horrible behavior

(1) Only analog I could think of in our day would be if a counselor in the temple presidency was purposely changing temple ordinances and making improper approaches to women patrons.

iv) Consequences were bad

(1) READ 1 Samuel 2:17

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

(2) The son's behavior encouraged the people to commit transgressions themselves (1 Samuel 2:24)

c) Theme - God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him

i) One of the purposes of temple worship was and is to honor the Lord

ii) When Eli's sons improperly took temple offerings for themselves and propositioned women during the course of temple worship, were they honoring God?

iii) Who were they honoring?

(1) Satan

(a) Similarity between what Hophni and Phinehas were doing and what Satan told Cain to do when he made improper sacrifices

(i) Corrupting the temple ordinance

(2) The sons of Eli were also honoring themselves instead of their sacred responsibilities

iv) They were not honoring God nor were they honoring their father, Eli, the high priest

(1) Reminds us of Corianton, the son of Alma the Younger, and Corianton's abandonment of his missionary responsibilities to commit adultery.

d) Impact of righteous or unrighteous behavior on others

i) Reading 2 - President Spencer W. Kimball wrote: "One would have thought that all the pleadings and warnings the Lord has made through his prophets over the centuries would induce a high general level of righteousness. Unfortunately this is not so. Apparently it is easier for man to sin than to live a life of righteousness; therefore, greater effort needs to be put forth to avoid evil and conform our lives to the elevating principles of the gospel." (Miracle of Forgiveness, p135)

ii) Reading 3 - President Harold B. Lee said: "In almost every incident where a young man has been converted to the Church by our boys in military service, he has told us that he was drawn to the Church because of the clean, pure life of some Latter-day Saint boy with whom he was associated. This is a day of demonstration when we as Latter-day Saints by our lives will preach more the gospel of truth than by all the words that we may conjure up." (CR, Oct. 1945, p49)

iii) Reading 4 - Elder Neal A. Maxwell has written: "The natural man is actually at cross purposes with God's plans. The natural man really has different ends, seeks different outcomes, marches to different drummers. If unrepentant, such become 'carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them' (Mosiah 16:3)." (Men and Women of Christ, p8) "Heavenly power can be accessed only by those who are Christlike; it is a power whose continued availability is maintained by meekness along with the other virtues." (Meek and Lowly, p85)

3. Eli's Response to His Sons' Wickedness

a) Eli knows of his sons' behavior

i) Reading 5 – 1 Samuel 2:22-25

22 ¶ Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.

25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

b) Eli receives a visit from a divine messenger, identified only as "a man of God" This visitor is either Jehovah or a representative of Jehovah authorized to speak in the Lord's name (1 Samuel 2:27-36)

i) Visitor warns Eli of the consequences of his sons' actions

ii) Tells him that he will lose his position

iii) His sons will both die

iv) READ – 1 Samuel 2:29

29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

c) Eli's Response

i) Accusation - honourest thy sons above me

ii) READ – 1 Samuel 3:13

"his sons made themselves vile, and he [Eli] restrained them not."

iii) Eli has two responsibilities here

(1) High Priest

(2) Father

iv) He speaks to his sons, which is good, but does nothing else when they fail to change

v) Reading 6 – Brother Arthur M. Richardson wrote: "Like most rebellious, wicked sons they refused to take counsel from their father. However, Eli's responsibility did not end with counseling his sons. He had a further responsibility to protect the people from their depredations. This he failed to do. Rather, he allowed them to continue in their priestly office taking advantage of the people physically, spiritually, and morally." (Improvement Era, Sep 1955)

vi) If a bishop has knowledge that his priest-age son is behaving in such a way as to make him unworthy to bless the sacrament, what is the bishop's responsibility if he sees his son go up to the sacrament table?

d) ASK – What are some of the reasons that Eli honored his sons more than he honored God?

i) Fear of damaging his relationship with his sons

ii) He treated his relationship with his sons as more important than his relationship with God

(1) Ended up losing his sons and damaging his relationship with God

e) Coercion and Force

i) If Eli is too permissive, other parents are too coercive and strict (see King Lamoni's father - Alma 20:8-20)

ii) Forcing things to happen in the way they think they should

iii) Example – Premortal Battle in Heaven

(1) Heavenly Father would not impair our premortal agency to achieve what we certainly agree would have been a right or righteous outcome!

(2) Lucifer's rebellious plan to force us to obey was allowed only by our Father's commitment to the fundamental principle of agency (Moses 4:3)

f) Keys to Parental Persuasion

i) Reading 6 – Doctrine and Covenants 121:41-44

41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.

(1) Note – Verse 43 – Sharpness means precision and clarity, not anger or harsh words

ii) Example – Alma the Younger and Corianton

(1) Alma was clear about what Corianton was doing wrong and its effects on himself and others (reproving betimes with sharpness)

(2) Alma taught Corianton about the elements of true doctrine that would apply to his behavior (pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul)

(3) After finishing their discussion, Alma sent Corianton back out on his mission so his son could repent and find success (showing forth an increase of love, love unfeigned)

iii) Example – The Prodigal Son

iv) Reading 7 - President Joseph F. Smith said: "Fathers, if you wish your children to be taught in the principles of the gospel, if you wish them to love the truth and understand it, if you wish them to be obedient to and united to you, love them! and prove to them that you do love them by your every word or act to them. For your own sake, for the love that should exist between you and your boys—however wayward they might be... when you speak or talk to them, do it not in anger, do it not harshly, in a condemning spirit. Speak to them kindly; get down and weep with them if necessary and get them to feel tenderly toward you. Use no lash and no violence... approach them with reason, with persuasion and love unfeigned.... You can't force your boys, nor your girls into heaven. [But] You may force them to hell, by using harsh means in the efforts to make them good, when you yourselves are not as good as you should be" (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 316-17).

g) READ – 1 Samuel 2:35

35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

i) This will be Samuel

4. Samuel Honors the Lord

a) Reading 8 – 1 Samuel 3:1-10

1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

b) ASK – How do we recognize the voice of the Lord?

i) When we watch General Conference is our attitude, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth"?

ii) When the bishop gives us an assignment, is our response, "Here am I"?

iii) When we get a tiny little feeling to call or visit someone who is having a difficult time, is our response to go, telling the Lord in silent prayer "for Thou calledst me"

c) Reading 9 – Elder Neal A. Maxwell has written: "There is an attitudinal and behavioral bridge that we need to build in order for us to draw closer to Him, and thus be ready to return Home - cum laude or summa cum laude - to receive of His loving fulness, we must want to do this more than we want to do anything else. Otherwise, even if we avoid wickedness, our journey will end in the suburbs, somewhere short of the City of God." (Neal A. Maxwell, All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, p.4).

5. The Israelites honor the world

a) While Samuel was prophet, Israel was governed by judges, according to the instructions given by Moses

b) READ 1 Samuel 8:1-6

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 ¶ But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

i) Note – Samuel never made the mistake that Eli did in choosing his sons over the Lord

ii) The behavior of Samuel's sons was just a pretext for asking for a king

(1) Verse 5 - make us a king to judge us like all the nations

c) Israel already had a King – the Lord Jehovah

i) READ – the Lord's response to Samuel's prayer – 1 Samuel 8:7-9

7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

d) According to the Lord's commandments, Samuel told them all the bad things that kings would bring to them (1 Samuel 8:11-17):

i) There would be compulsory service to the nation (military and other duties).

ii) Taxes would be laden upon the people.

iii) The King would take of the lands and property of the people.

iv) Samuel issued a final warning, "And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day" (1 Samuel 8:18).

v) Similar to the warnings that Mosiah gave the Nephites when he recommended that they be governed by judges instead of a king.

e) The people responded to their prophet

i) READ 1 Samuel 8:19-20

19 ¶ Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

f) Reading 10 – Then-Elder Spencer W. Kimball wrote: "Samuel called the people together and explained to them that the people of the Lord should be different, with higher standards. 'We want to be like other peoples' they demanded. We do not want to be different'... Not so different are we today! We want the glamour and frothiness of the world, not always realizing the penalties of our folly... Others... indulge in their social drinking—'we must have a king like unto other nations.' Styles are created by the vulgar and the money-mad and run from one extreme to the other to date our present wardrobes and create business for merchants. We cannot be different. We would rather die than be 'not up to date.' If the dress is knee length, we must go a little above the knee. If shorts are short we must have the shortest... If bathing suits are skimpy, we must have the skimpiest. We must have a king like unto other nations. The Lord has said that he will have a peculiar people but we do not wish to be peculiar.... If intimate fondling is the pattern of the crowd, we will fondle. We must have a king like unto other nations.... When oh when, will the Latter-day Saints stand firm on their own feet, establish their own standards, follow proper patterns and live their own glorious lives in accordance with Gospel inspired patterns...Certainly good times and happy lives and clean fun are not dependant upon the glamorous, the pompous, the extremes" (Elder Spencer W. Kimball, "Like All the Nations," Church News, 15 October 1960, 14).

6. Conclusion