PART 3 (conclusion)

ELITE PATRIARCHAL “BOYS WILL BE BOYS”
I SAMUEL ELI AND SONS

Their Ages AND “They knew not the Lord”

“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.”

— 1 Samuel 2:12

Wondering: Between the womb and tomb, who YOU gonna serve?

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“They Served… But Knew Not the LORD”

(TD poses this Question:  But where are they now?)

– A Prophetic Insight from Hophni and Phinehas, Office Ministers Without Relationship

 Scripture Reference:

“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.”

— 1 Samuel 2:12

First:  Who Were Hophni and Phinehas?

• Biological sons of Eli, the high priest and judge of Israel

• Inherited the Levitical priesthood role (by law, not by calling)

• Performed daily Tabernacle duties: sacrifices, offerings, etc.

• Held high religious office, wore garments of honor, worked at the altar

But the Word of God still says:

“They knew not the Lord.”

This tells us something urgent:
You can hold an office in God’s house but have no intimacy or relationship with God.

Q. What were the ages of the Eli and both of his sons?

The Bible does not specify the exact ages of Eli, Hophni, or Phinehas in 1 Samuel. However, we can reasonably infer approximate age ranges based on context clues from Scripture and Jewish tradition.

 ELI – Approximate Age: 98 years old at death

Scripture:“

Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.”
— 1 Samuel 4:15 (KJV)

He was already old during the early ministry of young Samuel (1 Samuel 1–3). He had likely been judging Israel for decades. Some scholars estimate he served as judge for around 40 years (1 Samuel 4:18).

HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS – Adult Age: Middle-aged men

Clues from Scripture:

• They served as priests under their father (1 Samuel 2:12–17).

• They were unmarried at first, but Phinehas had a wife** who gave birth to Ichabod after his death (1 Samuel 4:19–21). **address this more below

• Their sin included forcibly taking the meat offerings and sleeping with the women at the Tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:22), indicating adult power and corruption.

• They died in battle as leaders accompanying the Ark (1 Samuel 4:10–11).

 Estimated Age Range: Likely 30s to 50s, mature men of priestly age with full responsibility and influence.

 Summary Table

Q. What Does “Knew Not the Lord” Mean?

The Hebrew word for “know” is yada‘ (יָדַע), meaning:

• To know intimately

• To recognize and be submitted to

• To acknowledge by experience and reverence

• They were performing ministry work without a heart submitted to God’s authority, without the fear of the Lord, and with no spiritual relationship with Him.

Point: The Danger: Office Without God

They had:

• Position without purity

• Access without accountability

• Visibility without virtue

• Title without transformation

They officiated the worship of the LORD while despising His commands, sleeping with the women (1 Sam 2:22), and stealing the meat of sacrifices (1 Sam 2:16).

This was not ignorance—this was blatant rebellion.

Maximum Point:  Prophetic Parallel for Today:

Today, we see a version of this same dynamic:

• Ministers preaching Jesus but don’t really know Him (Matthew 7:21–23)

• Leaders operating in gifts but lacking fruit (Galatians 5:22–23)

• Pastors demanding submission while living immorally

• Prophets making declarations but have no fear of God

• “They draw near with their mouths but their hearts are far from Me.”
  — Isaiah 29:13 / Matthew 15:8

Key Lessons for the Church:

1. Office is not evidence of calling.
   Wearing a collar, being world wide famous, being seen as hip, up on a platform, or with a mic doesn’t mean someone walks with God.

2. Relationship precedes ministry.
   True servants minister from overflow—not just routine.

3. Fear of the Lord must anchor leadership.
   Without it, office becomes corrupt, abusive, and misused.

4. God watches the heart, not the role.
   Hophni and Phinehas may have fooled people, but not Jehovah.

 Big Thought:

Just because someone is “serving in the temple” doesn’t mean they’re serving God.
Like Hophni and Phinehas, they may be serving themselves, a system, or even the flesh…for the pay is good!

Let us not be leaders who are “sons of Belial in robes.”
Let us return to holy fire, not false authority.

God’s Verdict: Ichabod

Because of this system, God sends an unnamed prophet to confront Eli (1 Samuel 2:27–36). He declares that the priestly line will be cut off, and his two sons will die on the same day as a sign.

Later, when Phinehas’s wife gives birth during the crisis, she names the child Ichabod, meaning:

“The glory has departed.” — 1 Samuel 4:21

Let that sink in. God’s presence left the temple even though the ministry activity continued. The danger today is that Ichabod systems still perform, preach, and prophesy—but God has long since withdrawn His glory.

The Real Ministry Standard??  Know the Lord

God is not looking for perfect performance. He’s seeking:

• Pure hearts

• Submitted leaders

• Relational depth with Him

• Ministers who fear Him and love His people

God says through the prophet in 1 Samuel 2:35:

“I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind.”

This is the kind of leader God seeks today: relational, humble, fearful of the Lord, and pure in motive.

A Call to Authentic Ministry Office Reform

This article isn’t just a reflection—it’s a prophetic call. We must:

• Tear down the Eli old established “accustomed to the many” systems, forms, traditions, set in pastor’s elite, self preferring (usually boys club) flows  that prioritize title, top down control, legalism, hierarchy and performance..over truth

• Train up new servant leaders after God’s heart

• Recognize and reject the “Boys Club” culture in pulpits and platforms (‘The use of the word “boys club, girls club” is defined in part 2)

• Empower ALL true persons and you need to especially  encourage, not be biased toward  all ages, all sizes, all types,  women in general, many people of color, and the uncelebrated (atypical) to each rise in God’s timing

• Return to Ephesians 5:21—submitting to one another in reverence for Christ

Solemn Thoughts

You can wear the robe, preach the Word, run the temple…
…but if you don’t know the Lord, you are just performing.

This is not the time for ministers of reputation. It’s time for ministers of repentance.

Let us be those who walk with God first, then minister.

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing… not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
— 1 Peter 5:2–3

A CLOSING  BOTTOM LINE

When the Glory Departs: The Tragedy of Phinehas, Hophni, and the Ichabod Warning

We all want revival, purity, and God’s tangible presence in our lives and ministries. But what happens when those entrusted with sacred responsibility abuse it, dishonor God, and use their spiritual office for personal gain?

Let’s revisit this sobering story from the book of 1 Samuel that carries a prophetic warning for ministry today—about two priests, their father, and what happens when God’s glory departs.

 Frank Backstory: There Were (+ Are) Priests Who “Knew Not the Lord”

“Now the sons of Eli were corrupt**; they did not know the Lord*.”
ASIDE:

NOTE the word CORRUPT and really think about this meaning.
See the words DID NOT KNOW THE LORD'”  (amazing, unbelieveable, yet right NOW)

Logic: Does it seem that both words go hand in hand? Selah.

Point: Which comes first (“not knowing the Lord’ or ‘corruptness?”)  and how might  each one of these manifest..meaning in what FORMS, in  OTHER WAYS?

— 1 Samuel 2:12

Hophni and Phinehas were priests—born into ministry, serving in the house of God. Yet the Scripture is clear: they did not know the Lord.

They had title, position, lineage, and platform—but lacked a true relationship with God.

 The Sin: Sexual Immorality and Abuse of Office“They lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle…”

— 1 Samuel 2:22

These women were coming to serve, possibly in roles of worship or temple assistance, but the two priestly sons used their spiritual status to seduce, exploit, or coerce them sexually.

This wasn’t just moral failure—it was a corruption of the holy place, a disgrace to their calling, and a violation of sacred trust.

And here’s the tragic twist:

“Phinehas had a wife…”
— 1 Samuel 4:19

Yes—he was married, and his wife was pregnant while he was sleeping with women at the Tabernacle.

 Eli: Passive Patriarchy and Permissive Leadership

Their father, Eli, was high priest. He heard what was going on but failed to remove his sons from ministry.

He gave them a soft verbal rebuke, but took no action. God saw it as enabling sin:

“You honor your sons more than Me…”
— 1 Samuel 2:29

This is the core of what we might call the “Ministry Boys Club”—where title protects people from correction, where sin is tolerated to avoid family or political disruption, and where “boys will be boys” becomes a cloak for abuse.

 The Judgment: Ichabod — “The Glory Has Departed”

The consequence? A prophetic word came not from a celebrity, not from a famous seer—but from an unnamed prophet (1 Samuel 2:27–36), showing that God does not need titles to speak truth.

Shortly after:

• Hophni and Phinehas were killed in battle.

• The Ark of God was captured.

• Eli fell over and died.

• Phinehas’ pregnant wife gave birth, named her son Ichabod, and declared:

• “The glory has departed from Israel.”
  — 1 Samuel 4:21

 Prophetic Lessons for Today

In today’s culture of big platforms and prophetic movements, this story hits home:

• Titles don’t protect from judgment.

• Being born into ministry doesn’t equal knowing God.

• God holds leaders accountable for what they permit—especially when it harms others.

• Sexual sin in leadership is not private when it affects God’s people and His house.

• Ichabod can fall on ministries, movements, or individuals when there’s repeated sin without repentance.

Final Word: Do You Know the Lord?

Like Hophni and Phinehas, you can operate in your role, preach well, prophesy powerfully—but if you do not know the Lord, it is only a matter of time before the fruit will be exposed.

Let this be a wake-up call: purity matters. Accountability matters. And God’s glory will not dwell where His name is abused.

“Be not many masters, knowing we shall receive the greater condemnation.”
— James 3:1

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