The Word that came to Samuel was a prophecy about the demise of Eli and his house. It was not a pleasant message & Samuel did his best to keep from delivering it. But Eli insisted on hearing the truth. Samuel finally delivered it with all its condemnation to Eli.
Eli was full of problems. He had more weaknesses than the average man and many a preacher and teacher will point each of them out to us. But, I can’t help but marvel at his godly response to the catastrophic message Samuel gave him. He simply says, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”
Many of the commentators argue that it’s not a positive response, but I’d rather not see it that way. I like to see Eli as a man resigned to accept God’s will regardless of what it is. I like to think that amidst his many life failures he still acknowledges God’s sovereignty and submits himself graciously to God’s will. Unlike Saul who tries to kill David, Eli blesses Samuel and surrenders to the inevitability of God’s will in all the circumstances of his life.
If this is accurate we might compare Eli in some sense to Job. “Naked came I into the world, naked from it I must go. The Lord gives, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Another example might be Mary who says concerning her virgin pregnancy, “let it be done unto me according to thy will.”
We should sing with the Beatles, “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom, let it be, let it be…let it be…. “