A Lesson from Levi’s Loser Sons

I  had a hard, convicting moment today. Have you ever had one of those?

I was reading the account of Levi and his loser sons, Hophni and Phinehas in 1 Samuel. I couldn’t believe how blatantly disrespectful they were about the things of God. They were seducing the women in the temple, handling the offerings with contempt, and they had no regard for discipline or correction. The presence of God was a joke to them. In 1 Samuel 2:30, NLT, God says in response to their casual disregard for all things sacred,

“But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.”

Woah! Those are some words that will make you stop and think! I can’t imagine being despised by God, but these two bums didn’t seem to care.

In chapter 2, we begin to see God warning Levi of what will happen to his family because of the disrespect. They were warned that not one member of their family will live a full life, but they would all die at a young age. The priesthood would also be taken from their lineage. Any surviving members of the family would be beggars.

The most sobering moment was when the consequences came to pass in chapter 4. In one day, the Philistines killed both of the loser sons and stole the Ark of the Covenant. Levi was so upset that he fell off the wall and broke his neck. The wife of Phinehas suddenly went into labor and died in childbirth. Her son was named Ichabod because the glory of the Lord had left Israel.

All of this as a direct result of their disobedience and disrespect!

Wow, that is worse than a Lifetime movie! However, it made me step back and take a serious look at myself for a moment. I began to wonder how many times I have approached the presence of God in a casual manner, or with less than the reverential awe God so rightly deserves.

Now, I do not want to put myself in the same category of those young men who absolutely didn’t care anything about the presence of God, but this does make me stop and rethink my attitude. Are there times I take the things of God too lightly? Am I often too casual about obedience? Do I ever use grace as a crutch to indulge my flesh?

How about when I approach the house of God? Do I treat it as a holy place in honor of My Lord? Or, do I get distracted during the worship service by criticizing others, daydreaming, or whispering? When I see the teens texting or giggling in service, I can’t help but cringe. Our young people are certainly capable of showing reverence in God’s house!

Am I lazy about helping to maintain the building or to get involved in the work of the church? Perhaps we can be so busy nitpicking the band or the pastor that we haven’t truly plugged in to the presence of God that has gloriously filled the place. I would never want to miss the move of God because I was too caught up in myself or in the externals of the service!

I love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I am so grateful for the mercy and unconditional love of my God! How relieved I am to be covered in His righteousness since mine will never be enough. But, at the same time, I want to examine my heart and be sure that my life is fully devoted to giving God utmost glory and honor in every single thing I do or say, not just in church, but always. He is so worthy!

I do not fear being struck down by lightning, nor do I worry about falling into the same fate as this loser family, but all the more I shudder at the thought that my heart could fail to give God the honor and reverence He so rightly deserves. May I never see God as so familiar that I forget about His holiness and supreme sovereignty. May I never grieve the Holy Spirit with a cavalier attitude or an indifferent heart, especially now that I see how God feels about it.

Let us take a moment and evaluate our hearts before God. Let us repent where needed and commit to living a life that exalts and honors the Most High God!

God bless you, my brothers and sisters!