1 Samuel 2:30

Behold, Eli is deposed from the height of his dignity by divine sentence, who is convicted of having honored his wicked sons for the eating of the firstfruits, so that indeed the preachers of holy Church may understand that if through carnal love they knowingly commit spiritual ministries to the reprobate, they have fallen by the equity of the internal Judge from that summit on which they appear outwardly to stand. And because He subsequently added: (Verse 30.) But whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify. Their audacity also secretly suggests that He was dishonored. To whom indeed Paul also, reproaching this very thing, says: "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you" (Rom. 2:24). For because they stain the beauty of the dignity they received through the filth of a wretched reputation, they indeed dishonor the Lord. For he is rightly driven from the height of honor who does injury to the one by whom he is proved to have been honored. Against which He affirms with a general promise, saying: "But whoever glorifies me, I will glorify him." For the pastor glorifies God who shines by the example of good works for the imitation of the faithful, who from the height of governance radiates with the great light of an excellent manner of life, who, regarding the mirror of sacred orders, does not accept the persons of reprobate ministers, but chooses for the pattern of the subject flock those whom everyone who looks to imitation, because he follows the true light in them, does not stumble against. To whom indeed Truth speaks through Himself, saying: "So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). […]

Therefore, says the Lord God of Israel: He spoke, I said, etc. The question arises by what reason what was promised to last forever could be changed; but recall that the priesthood of Aaron was the shadow of the eternal priesthood, and the promise of …

Now the Lord says: Far be it from me, etc. Changing times, not changing plans, the Lord seeks elected ones from the nations for Himself in a spiritual priesthood, and deprives entirely the contemptuous sons of Aaron of any order of priestly office.

Walking is often put for discharging ones office; before me; may signify that he was the high-priest, whose sole prerogative it was to minister before God, or before the ark, in the most holy place. For ever - As long as the Mosaical law and worship lasts. Far from me - To fulfil my promise, which I hereby retract.

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith,....

But observe, the promise carried its own condition along with it: They shall walk before me forever, that is, "they shall have the honour, provided they faithfully do the service." Walking before God is the great condition of the covenant, Gen. xvii.

OUR chickens generally come home to roost. Our thoughts of other men become other men's thoughts of us. According as we measure out to our fellows, so do they measure back into our bosoms, for good or for evil. So especially, in reference to the Lord, Himself, the God of Justice sooner or later causes a man to reap his own sowing and gather his own scattering. See how the Lord keeps touch with His friends and foes and pays them in their own coin—"Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed."

GOD is certain, sooner or later, to recompense men according to the rule of Infallible Justice and if it is so among saints, it is equally so among sinners. If we could really know the secret history of any man's life, we would be able to understand his career better than we now do. There is many a life of which we have had to say to the Lord, "Your way is in the sea, and Your path in the great waters, and your footsteps are not known."

OUR chickens generally come home to roost. Our thoughts of other men become other men's thoughts of us. According as we measure out to our fellows, so do they measure back into our bosoms, for good or for evil. So especially, in reference to the Lord, Himself, the God of Justice sooner or later causes a man to reap his own sowing and gather his own scattering. See how the Lord keeps touch with His friends and foes and pays them in their own coin—"Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." A man's life is often its own echo. He sinned and he suffered after the likeness of his sin—you may see the sin in the punishment—as you see, today the footprint of the Egyptian dog in the brick which he trod upon when it was yet soft clay. The man sinned again, for it is the nature of sin to repeat itself and grow into habit and, behold, another sorrow was born in the likeness of that other sin! Thus the man lived in the present and formed his future life by one and the same act. He spoke and the echoes spoke to him in the years following. So does life repeat itself. So does the seed develop the flower and the flower again produce the seed. It is an endless chain, for the thing that has been, is the thing which shall be! A man may live to see a grim procession of all his old sins marching past him, robed in the sackcloth and ashes wherein Justice dooms them to be arrayed. So is it also with our joys. God gives us joy after the similitude of our service. Godly Fear fills her garden with many flowers and her house with music of different kinds. And the Lord appoints to her that she shall live of her ministry and that her oxen shall eat of the good corn which they tread out for others. When we have been faithful to God, He is always faithful to us and sends us a full reward. If we walk contrary to Him, He will walk contrary to us.

GOD is certain, sooner or later, to recompense men according to the rule of Infallible Justice and if it is so among saints, it is equally so among sinners. If we could really know the secret history of any man's life, we would be able to understand his career better than we now do. There is many a life of which we have had to say to the Lord, "Your way is in the sea, and Your path in the great waters, and your footsteps are not known." Yet if we had known more about the man, it would have been all plain enough. If we had seen the sin that was hidden from human eyes, we would have understood the sorrow that was evident to all. That will suffice with regard to the general principle that is enunciated in our text. If we honor God, He will honor us. And if we despise Him, we shall be lightly esteemed. Now, taking only the first clause of the text, there are two things upon which I wish to speak with great earnestness. The first is, here is a plain duty, namely, to honor God and, secondly, here is a very generous reward—"Those who honor Me I will honor." I. First, then, HERE IS A PLAIN DUTY—to honor God. It is the natural duty of every creature to honor its Creator and with such a glorious and blessed God as Jehovah is, it certainly must be incumbent upon all who have any understanding of His existence, to render honor and homage to Him.

Be it far from me - The phrase so rendered is a favorite one in the Books of Samuel, where it occurs ten or eleven times. It is variously rendered in the King James Version, “God forbid,” and “Be it far from me, thee, etc.” Literally, “Be it an abomination to me.”