I have been reading through 1 Samuel and have been touched and inspired afresh by the lives of Hannah, Samuel, Jonathan and David. But I have also felt warned and challenged by the failings of Eli, his sons, Samuel's sons, and King Saul. These all disobeyed God in outright rebellion of a kind that affected God directly and personally.

This is best described by the way Eli himself addressed his sons: "If anyone sins against someone else, God can defend the one who is wrong; but who can defend someone who sins [directly] against the Lord?" Eli's sin was knowing that his sons, in their priestly duties, were speaking evil of God, treating the Lord's offerings with contempt, and even sleeping with the women who worked at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, yet taking not decisive action against it. A prophet came to Eli and said: "Why do you look with greed at the sacrifices and offerings which I require from my people? Why, Eli, do you honour your sons more than me by letting them fatten themselves on the best parts of all the sacrifices my people offer to me?" Then God repeated this through Samuel when he was only a young boy. "I have already told him that I am going to punish his family forever because his sons have spoken evil things against me. Eli knew they were doing this, but he did not stop them. So I solemnly declare to the family of Eli that no sacrifice or offering will ever be able to remove the consequences of this terrible sin."

Clearly, Eli was benefitting from the misdeeds of his sons and literally became very fat as a result (1Sm 4:18). He had lost his spiritual sharpness and totally misread Hannah's heart-rending tears; he wrongly rebuked her for drunkenness (1Sm 1:12-14). Procrastination – putting off until tomorrow what should be done today; especially when God has spoken to us about it – threatens to put out our spiritual fire and may never get done. A warning to us all, including myself.

When Samuel was too old to continue in his leadership role he made his own two sons judges in Israel. But they "did not follow their father's example; they were interested only in making money, so they accepted bribes and did not decide cases honestly. Then all the leaders of Israel met together, went to Samuel and said to him, 'Look, you are getting old and your sons don't follow your example. So then, appoint a king to rule over us'" (1Sm 8:3-5). Samuel's sons were only interested in making money. How sad and tragic is that; given how godly their father was?  They disqualified themselves from leadership due to their love of money. Samuel is not blamed for this or rebuked by God or by the people. It was their choice. Jesus said: "No-one can serve [belong to] two Masters … You cannot serve both God and money" (Mt 6:24). Money has the power to control. A person can "belong" to money. Quite a sobering thought.

We will look at the complex and baffling story of King Saul another day.