Let’s talk about Islam for a sec…
Specifically, the two great sects known as the Sunnis and the Shia.
These two factions have been warring against each other for over 1300 years.
Why?
It’s the result of a tribal conflict over who should be next in line to succeed Mohammed.
Why do I mention this?
Because a similar thing occurred in ancient Israel over who should become the next High Priest.
See, here’s the thing.
Eli should never have become the High Priest in the first place.
He was a descendant of Ithamar who was Aaron’s youngest son.
However, according to the Torah, only the descendants of Aaron’s oldest surviving son Eleazar held the legitimate right to the line of the High Priesthood.
The historian Josephus informs us that the last known High Priest in Eleazar’s line was Ozi.
So it should’ve been one of Ozi’s sons who became the next High Priest.
But that never happened.
Instead Eli of the family of Ithamar seized power and took over the High Priesthood.
And using the words “seized power” is probably the most accurate way to describe the political infighting that undoubtedly occurred.
For whatever reason, none of Ozi’s sons were strong enough to maintain power over a position as desired and prestigious as the High Priest over all of Israel.
So what ended up happening is the role defaulted to the High Priest as the authority over the 12 tribes.
Remember the events of 1 Samuel immediately follow the dysfunctional era of the Judges…
These Judges served as occasional deliverers of Israel who saved the people from one sticky situation or another…
But they never held authority over all of Israel.
How did God’s people and the priesthood end up in such a mess?
Well, as I pointed out by using the conflict between the Sunnis and the Shia as an example, this has been the way of tribalism since ancient times in the Middle East.
Without careful obedience to God’s Commands and the guiding power of the Holy Spirit, even the High Priesthood of Israel fell into corruption.
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