An Increasingly Beautiful Life 2
Bible passage: 1 Samuel 2:22-26
“Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 23. So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the LORD's people. 25. If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death. 26. And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men. "
Today’s scripture introduces two types of people who lived in the same era and served in the same temple.
They were all young people. One was Samuel, the son of Hannah, and the others were the two sons of Eli the priest, 'Hophni' and 'Phinehas.' Although the Bible does not provide their exact ages, Samuel was likely a teenager. Today's scripture refers to him as a 'boy.'
On the other hand, Eli's two sons, given that they committed sinful acts even before marriage, were likely older, falling into the category of young adults rather than boys. In verse 22, Eli rebukes his sons, but they do not listen to him. After verse 25, however, Samuel is described in this way: 1 Samuel 2:26 says, “And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.” This passage is precious because the word ‘favor’ here in Hebrew is 'tov.' In English, it means good or beautiful.
The first person to use this word in the Bible was God Himself. In Genesis Chapter 1, as God created the heavens and the earth, He looked at the world He had made each day and said, "God saw that it was good." The word 'good' here is 'tov' in Hebrew - God’s expression of admiration. Amazingly, the boy Samuel was 'tov' in the sight of God.
