“Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard
for the Lord.”
1 Samuel 2:12
One
of the most profound and sobering privileges in life is found in parenthood. It
produces incredible, reciprocating blessings. But the parental blessing also demands
intense commitment and resolve in order to be fully realized. Guardianship is
not for the faint of heart for it requires a taxing disposition, a disposition
that should include discipline, patience, compassion, grace, love, conviction,
spiritual intensity and consistency, a kingdom-oriented focus, and an
unyielding desire to model, and instruct, godly virtues day-in and day-out.
Parenthood is clearly more than supplying food and clothing needs to children;
it is about dispensing wisdom and guiding impressionable, tender minds in the
ways and Word of God. Unfortunately, history is littered with many examples of
individuals who failed to accept, or cherish, the call of parenthood. In the
process, they squandered precious opportunities to nobly lead receptive souls
into a redemptive, God-glorifying existence.
And
such is the case study captured in the latter half of 1 Samuel 2. In this
passage, the text focuses on three key characters: Eli and his two sons (Hophni
and Phinehas). Eli was a high priest stationed in Shiloh, where the Ark of the
Covenant was at the time. In 1 Samuel 2:12, Eli’s sons were old enough to have assumed
some of the priestly duties. But Scripture offers a rebuke of Eli’s sons. In
short, they were wicked. They utilized their ministry positions to extract
additional food offerings from the Hebrew people for their own pleasure, or profit
perhaps. Plus, they participated in non-marital sexual acts with women assigned
to be helpers in the ceremonial worship tasks. Clearly, Eli’s sons did not
appreciate the tremendous and influential responsibilities they had been given.
The Bible states in 1 Samuel 2:17 that the sins of the young priests were
great, indicating the offenses they were committing were not trivial. Furthermore,
there appeared to be no remorse on the part of Hophni and Phinehas. It would
seem that this lewd behavior went on for many years. God’s Word mentions the
sins of Eli’s sons began when Samuel was a young boy, but it was only when
Samuel had grown up that Scripture makes note of Eli’s rebuke of the immoral conduct
of his sons, confirming that this was a pattern that had long been practiced.
Although
the demeanor of Hophni and Phinehas is deplorable and inexcusable, it is Eli’s absentee
fatherly authority that is of particular interest for this analysis. By this I
mean Eli likely had numerous opportunities to condemn the actions of his sons,
but apparently chose not to say anything until the corrupted morality had been
firmly entrenched in Hophni and Phinehas. Eli’s extended silence essentially communicated
approval. Presented several windows of influence, the high priest opted to
abandon his paternal role. Eli withdrew when he desperately needed to engage.
He retreated when he needed to confront. He condoned when he needed to
chastise. He willingly chose not to exercise His God-given position of
guidance. As a result, untold scores of Israelites were hurt, frustrated, and
confused by the ministry negligence ushered in through Eli’s sons. And somehow
Eli was content with allowing the worship carelessness to continue during his
watch.
To
abuse the platform of ministry is a most horrid thought, and God does not view
it favorably. Religious leaders are charged to motivate others through
biblically-based integrity, not self-centered intentions. Eli lost sight of
this godly pursuit. In fact, 1 Samuel 2:29 implies that Eli himself partook in
the excess food offerings, the shameful practice that his sons had helped
establish. Instead of a father positively influencing his sons, the sons were negatively
influencing their father. This was completely backwards. Eli should have
inspired his sons through a humble and sacrificial lifestyle. He should not have
succumbed to the appalling values that Hophni and Phinehas held. But when our
spiritual vision veers away from God and becomes fixated on ourselves then the
holy boundaries Scripture defines are quickly and routinely discarded.
In the end, Eli’s
legacy was marred by the shameful etiquette of his sons. He could have said
corrective words earlier. He could have prayed earnestly for divine
intercession. He could have stood opposed to the path of fraud and publicly
reprimanded Hophni and Phinehas. But Eli apparently did none of the above. And
thus the positive, or negative, influence of parenthood calls parents of every
generation to embrace and rightly lead children in the ways and Word of God. It
is an ultra-critical issue because the decency, or depravity, of family, and
thereby society, hangs in the balance.
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