Phineas and Hophni are some of the saddest characters that you will meet in all of the Bible. They were the sons of Eli (who was High Priest and Judge in Israel), and when we first meet them they are given a special role in Israel’s life, working in the temple. But the tragedy we read of is that they abused their position; they had no concern for God, they abused women in the temple, and did all manner of terrible things. The result was that God ended the line of Eli and brought Samuel in instead to take over leading His mission in Israel.
The salutary lesson for us is this: God’s work didn’t cease because Phineas and Hophni were unfit for ministry. Instead God raised up someone else to carry the flame forward. And here’s the truth for us, if we as a church or as individuals don’t step up and pursue God in holiness and in sharing our faith and taking an active part in his mission: God won’t be thwarted. God is still going to reach the nations, he’s still going to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
The question is, are you and I going to be involved?
Are you and I going to take our place in God’s work? Or like the tragedy of Phineas and Hophni, are we going to be left to one side because we got in the way? The lesson is a serious and sobering one, but let us resolve to never be people that get in the way of the mission of God, such that God has to find other people to take up the mantle. Rather, let us be people that willingly and joyfully embrace the mission of God to bring the kingdom of God to this world in all its fullness. And doing so in holiness and Christlikeness as we go and see the hungry fed, the thirsty given water, and the lost given the bread of life: the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Lord, help me to take up your calling to mission, and never let me fall so that I am disqualified from taking my place in your work of reconciling the world to yourself through Christ. Amen.
