7:1), but Eli’s sons, who acted treacherously and with malice, stood in defilement before the Creator Himself, Who declared to Moses and Aaron, “In them that draw near unto Me I will be sanctified, and in all the host I will be glorified” (Lev. 10:3). Furthermore, He commanded, “Speak unto Aaron and his sons, that they take heed from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not My holy name which they sanctify unto Me: I am the Lord. Speak unto them, saying, In your generations, every man that cometh of any of your seed unto the saints: if the children of Israel sanctify the Lord and his uncleanness be upon him, his soul shall be consumed from Me” (Leviticus 22:1-3). Yet, Eli paid little heed to this and faced the harvest of death as a result. He deemed it preferable to offend God than to confront his lawless children. Although he adamantly forbade them with a command, saying, “Do not do this, my children,” he tacitly participated in their wrongdoing. Contemplate the meaning of the response, for He states, “The Lord is,” and that which is pleasing “before Him,” which implies, I will not consent to offend my children. Just as Moses did not relent in his compassion, when he received the tablets and descended from the mountain, witnessing the idolatrous worship of the calf, he cast down and shattered the tablets, disregarding familial ties, and called out to Aaron with a grave admonition, saying, “What have these people done to you, that you have brought great sin upon them?” (Ex. 32:21). In turn, Aaron, aware of his brother's divine indignation, attempted to justify himself, saying, “Do not be angry, my lord; you know the people are prone to evil” (Ex. 32:22). Then Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and proclaimed, “Whoever is for the Lord, let him come to me.” The sons of Levi gathered around him, and he instructed them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Every man gird his sword on his side, go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and kill every man his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’” The sons of Levi obeyed Moses' command, resulting in over three thousand men falling that day. Moses then said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother” (Ex. 32:26-29). Job, who was diligent in caring for his children, offered daily sacrifices on their behalf, aiming for their purity from visible sins and for their hearts to be aligned with perfect thoughts. Such was the righteous pursuit to present their offspring to the Lord without blemish! Meanwhile, Elijah, who lacked resolve and did not prioritize the rectitude of his children, was not spared from the Lord’s wrath, regardless of his venerable age, past courage, or priestly duty. Therefore, as we engage with the Divine Scriptures, and the adversary begins to sow discontent in our hearts, let us respond in faith, affirming, “Faithful is the Lord in all His words, and honourable in all His works” (Psalm 144:13).
THEOSIS