Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 2
Even God’s judgement against the family of Eli came with a promise. This promise would bring comfort to those people who were loyal to God. Perhaps, therefore, it also offered some comfort to Eli. Although Eli was very weak in his relationship with God, he always wanted to be loyal to God.
The chief priest could not continue to come from Eli’s family. Eli would have considered God’s judgement in that matter to be right. He certainly would not want either of his two wicked sons to become chief priest.
However, God would not leave Israel without a chief priest. God knew that Israel’s people needed a chief priest to pray for them and to lead them in their religion. So, God would appoint a chief priest who was loyal to him. This chief priest would serve God sincerely, with the king whom God had chosen.
Originally, that chief priest meant Zadok (1 Kings 1:32-40; 1 Kings 2:35). Zadok was not from Eli’s family. After Zadok, the chief priest came from Zadok’s family. Zadok’s name means ‘righteous’ (in other words, someone who does what is right and good). That is how God’s priests should be (Ezekiel 44:15).
God did not allow Israel’s priests to be kings, nor its kings to be priests. However, the Bible refers to a time when God’s king would also be his priest (Psalm 110:1-4). For Christians, that is a very important promise, because it refers to Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:11-25).
So, when 1 Samuel 2:35 refers to a ‘loyal priest’, it does not just refer to Zadok. It refers to God’s perfect priest, even as 1 Samuel 2:10 refers to God’s perfect king.
Next part: How the evil deeds of Eli’s family would end (1 Samuel 2:36)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.