The Levitical priesthood had a major flaw which God describes in Hebrews 7. The descendants of Levi were supported by tithes and food offerings from the people (v. 5), whereas Christ needs nothing from us because “He is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). In that service, Jesus serves forever having conquered death (vv. 23-24), no longer needing to worry about succession, different personalities, or life goals. Instead, His will and ambition are perfected, having never sinned. While the priests of the Old Covenant needed to offer sacrifices daily both for himself and for others (v. 27), Jesus is the perfect High Priest.
The flaws of the priesthood were evident in 1 Samuel 2-5 in the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. In 1 Samuel 2:13-14 they would help themselves with food which was not authorized to them. They already had their portion and were greedily taking more. In vv. 15-16, they would show contempt for the offering of God, not allowing the fat to be prepared as was commanded by God, but they would demand it be given to them so they could fix it how they wished. It is also possible that, as stated in most Bibles in v. 22, they would even have their evil way fornicating with women who would serve at the entrance of the tabernacle.
As men of God, they were to be held in higher regard, but instead they were using their position of power to their own passions and desires. Eli warns his sons that what they are doing is evil and that “the will of the Lord was to put them to death” (1 Samuel 2:25). Unfortunately, he fails in curbing their enthusiasm for their own selfish and evil desires. Because of that an unnamed prophet comes to Eli with a message asking why he, “honor[s his] sons above Me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering?” Thus, implicating Eli also in these sinful, corrupt ways. Jesus calls out the priests in Matthew 23:27-28:
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So, you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness!
Eli was told he would be cut off from God, and a young man, also serving in the temple, Samuel, would be made a prophet. It is even known to Eli as Samuel is being called by God as Eli is woken up by Samuel in the middle of the night thinking Eli had called his name multiple times. Eli figures out that it is God calling the boy, and he tells Samuel what to say in response. Samuel is told of the evil of Eli and his sons and that He was about to punish Eli and his house.
War breaks out, and rather than repenting for their sins, Israel simply trusted in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant, putting their faith in an object or routine rather than God. Hophni and Phinehas are killed in the battle and the Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines. When word of this gets back to Eli, who is old, fat, and blind at this point, he falls backwards out of his seat and breaks his neck, killing him (1 Samuel 4:17-18).
In these verses, even though they be over a thousand years before Christ’s rebuke of the priests of His day, we can see the cracks in the priesthood and why God’s people were so easily led astray in the times of the kingdoms, and why we needed a New Covenant, not one which relies on men, but one which relies on God and the Word of God rather than a priesthood, high priest, or other men.
Lance Byers