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THE SONS OF ELI
Pease follow me to 1Samuel 2: 12-17 for the account of Eli the High Priest's two sons, Phinehas and Hophni.
12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD. 1 Samuel 2:12-17
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Are you still with me?
- The sons of Eli were sons of Belial. (sons of the devil)
- Though sons of a man of God yet they knew not GOD.
- They stole from the sacrifice.
- Their sins were great before the Lord.
ELI WAS A PRIEST AND PROPHET.
A go-between God and man.
A man who hears from God and tell men. A man who also hears from men and pleads to God.
A man whose sons were expected to take after their father in service to God became children of the devil.
How come?
Did not the bible say, "train up a child in the way of the Lord and he will not depart from when he grows up".
Why and How did Eli fail as a Father and Priest?
1Samuel 3:11-14
11And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
Eli was complacent with his sons' sins. He never warned or rebuked them.
Godly fathers Dont tolerate SINS, they rebuke the sinning children
1Samuel 3:18
18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
God did unto Eli's house as He spoke.
1 Samuel 4:11,18
11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.
Eli was also casual with the LORD'S impending judgement when he suppose to stand in the gap.
He paid for it. His entire house was wiped off the earth in accordance with the judgement of God.
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Let us see Moses example.
Exodus 32:10-11,14
10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
There is also Hezekiah's example.
If Eli the High priest had stood in the gap, who knows God would have shown mercy unto his house.
Child of GOD may I remind you that you are a priest of the new covenant, a royal priesthood for that matter.
1 Peter 2:9
God does not tolerate failure where his grace abounds.
And to fathers in the house remember you have a duty to raise God fearing children.
You have God's grace for this Godly assignments.