A Successful Priest and Failure as a Father
Eli is a priest. He serves the Lord for forty years. When Eli grows older, his two boys, Hophni and Phinehas, take over the daily priestly duties for him, as prescribed by Moses.
While we can assume Eli is a good priest, his boys are not. Scripture says so. When Eli tries to correct his sons’ improper behavior as priests, they dismiss his warning (1 Samuel 2:22–25).
Though they are adults and responsible for their own actions, the disrespect they show for their father suggests he may have failed to raise them right.
Regardless, they surely don’t respect what Eli tells them, just as they don’t respect God’s commands for how they should conduct themselves as priests.
A prophet comes to Eli prophesying that, because of their wickedness, Hophni and Phinehas will die on the same day.
Not only do they die as foretold, but the Philistines also capture the ark of God. When Eli hears the news, he falls backward in his chair, breaks his neck, and dies (1 Samuel 4:12–18).
Questions:
- How do the actions of our children (or those under our authority) reflect on us?
- Will God judge us accordingly if we don’t lead our family (or our charges) well?
Learn about 100 more biblical characters in More Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.
More Old Testament Sinners and Saints is part of the Bible Character Sketches series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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