The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 56: Eli and His Sons
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Eli was priest and judge in Israel. He held the highest and
most responsible positions among the people of God. As a
man divinely chosen for the sacred duties of the priesthood, and
set over the land as the highest judicial authority, he was looked
up to as an example, and he wielded a great influence over the
tribes of Israel. But although he had been appointed to govern the
people, he did not rule his own household. Eli was an indulgent
father. Loving peace and ease, he did not exercise his authority
to correct the evil habits and passions of his children. Rather
than contend with them or punish them, he would submit to
their will and give them their own way. Instead of regarding
the education of his sons as one of the most important of his
responsibilities, he treated the matter as of little consequence. The
priest and judge of Israel had not been left in darkness as to the
duty of restraining and governing the children that God had
given to his care. But Eli shrank from this duty, because it
involved crossing the will of his sons, and would make it necessary
to punish and deny them. Without weighing the terrible
consequences that would follow his course, he indulged his children
in whatever they desired and neglected the work of fitting
them for the service of God and the duties of life.
God had said of Abraham, "I know him, that he will command
his children and his household after him, and they shall
keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." Genesis
18:19. But Eli allowed his children to control him. The father
became subject to the children. The curse of transgression was
apparent in the corruption and evil that marked the course of
his sons. They had no proper appreciation of the character of
God or of the sacredness of His law. His service was to them a
common thing. From childhood they had been accustomed to the
sanctuary and its service; but instead of becoming more reverent, [p. 576] they had lost all sense of its holiness and significance. The father
had not corrected their want of reverence for his authority, had
not checked their disrespect for the solemn services of the
sanctuary; and when they reached manhood, they were full of the
deadly fruits of skepticism and rebellion.
Though wholly unfit for the office, they were placed as priests
in the sanctuary to minister before God. The Lord had given
the most specific directions in regard to offering sacrifices; but
these wicked men carried their disregard of authority into the
service of God, and did not give attention to the law of the
offerings, which were to be made in the most solemn manner.
The sacrifices, pointing forward to the death of Christ, were
designed to preserve in the hearts of the people faith in the Redeemer
to come; hence it was of the greatest importance that the
Lord's directions concerning them should be strictly heeded. The
peace offerings were especially an expression of thanksgiving to
God. In these offerings the fat alone was to be burned upon the
altar; a certain specified portion was reserved for the priests,
but the greater part was returned to the offerer, to be eaten by
him and his friends in a sacrificial feast. Thus all hearts were to
be directed, in gratitude and faith, to the great Sacrifice that was
to take away the sin of the world.
The sons of Eli, instead of realizing the solemnity of this symbolic
service, only thought how they could make it a means of
self-indulgence. Not content with the part of the peace offerings
allotted them, they demanded an additional portion; and
the great number of these sacrifices presented at the annual
feasts gave the priests an opportunity to enrich themselves at the
expense of the people. They not only demanded more than their
right, but refused to wait even until the fat had been burned
as an offering to God. They persisted in claiming whatever
portion pleased them, and, if denied, threatened to take it by
violence.
This irreverence on the part of the priests soon robbed the
service of its holy and solemn significance, and the people "abhorred
the offering of the Lord." The great antitypical sacrifice
to which they were to look forward was no longer recognized.
"Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the
Lord."
These unfaithful priests also transgressed God's law and
dishonored their sacred office by their vile and degrading practices; [p. 577] yet they continued to pollute by their presence the tabernacle of
God. Many of the people, filled with indignation at the corrupt
course of Hophni and Phinehas, ceased to come up to the
appointed place of worship. Thus the service which God had
ordained was despised and neglected because associated with the
sins of wicked men, while those whose hearts were inclined to
evil were emboldened in sin. Ungodliness, profligacy, and even
idolatry prevailed to a fearful extent.
Eli had greatly erred in permitting his sons to minister in
holy office. By excusing their course, on one pretext and another,
he became blinded to their sins; but at last they reached a pass
where he could no longer hide his eyes from the crimes of his
sons. The people complained of their violent deeds, and the high
priest was grieved and distressed. He dared remain silent no
longer. But his sons had been brought up to think of no one but
themselves, and now they cared for no one else. They saw the
grief of their father, but their hard hearts were not touched.
They heard his mild admonitions, but they were not impressed,
nor would they change their evil course though warned of the
consequences of their sins. Had Eli dealt justly with his wicked
sons, they would have been rejected from the priestly office and
punished with death. Dreading thus to bring public disgrace and
condemnation upon them, he sustained them in the most sacred
positions of trust. He still permitted them to mingle their
corruption with the holy service of God and to inflict upon the
cause of truth an injury which years could not efface. But when
the judge of Israel neglected his work, God took the matter in
hand.
"There came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus
saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy
father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? And did I
choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer
upon Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me?
and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings
made by fire of the children of Israel? Wherefore kick ye at My
sacrifice and at Mine offering, which I have commanded in My
habitation; and honorest thy sons above Me, to make yourselves
fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My people?
Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy
house, and the house of thy father, should walk before Me forever:
but now the Lord saith, Be it far from Me; for them that [p. 578] honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly
esteemed. . . . And I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall
do according to that which is in Mine heart and in My mind:
and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before
Mine anointed forever."
God charged Eli with honoring his sons above the Lord. Eli
had permitted the offering appointed by God as a blessing to
Israel to be made a thing of abhorrence, rather than bring his
sons to shame for their impious and abominable practices. Those
who follow their own inclination, in blind affection for their
children, indulging them in the gratification of their selfish
desires, and do not bring to bear the authority of God to rebuke
sin and correct evil, make it manifest that they are honoring
their wicked children more than they honor God. They are
more anxious to shield their reputation than to glorify God;
more desirous to please their children than to please the Lord
and to keep His service from every appearance of evil.
God held Eli, as a priest and judge of Israel, accountable for
the moral and religious standing of his people, and in a special
sense for the character of his sons. He should first have attempted
to restrain evil by mild measures; but if these did not
avail, he should have subdued the wrong by the severest means.
He incurred the Lord's displeasure by not reproving sin and
executing justice upon the sinner. He could not be depended
upon to keep Israel pure. Those who have too little courage to
reprove wrong, or who through indolence or lack of interest
make no earnest effort to purify the family or the church of God,
are held accountable for the evil that may result from their neglect
of duty. We are just as responsible for evils that we might
have checked in others by exercise of parental or pastoral authority
as if the acts had been our own.
Eli did not manage his household according to God's rules for
family government. He followed his own judgment. The fond
father overlooked the faults and sins of his sons in their childhood,
flattering himself that after a time they would outgrow their evil
tendencies. Many are now making a similar mistake. They think
they know a better way of training their children than that
which God has given in His word. They foster wrong tendencies
in them, urging as an excuse, "They are too young to be punished.
Wait till they become older, and can be reasoned with."
Thus wrong habits are left to strengthen until they become [p. 579] second nature. The children grow up without restraint, with
traits of character that are a lifelong curse to them and are liable
to be reproduced in others.
There is no greater curse upon households than to allow the
youth to have their own way. When parents regard every wish
of their children and indulge them in what they know is not for
their good, the children soon lose all respect for their parents, all
regard for the authority of God or man, and are led captive at
the will of Satan. The influence of an ill-regulated family is
widespread and disastrous to all society. It accumulates in a tide
of evil that affects families, communities, and governments.
Because of Eli's position, his influence was more extended
than if he had been an ordinary man. His family life was imitated
throughout Israel. The baleful results of his negligent, ease-loving
ways were seen in thousands of homes that were molded
by his example. If children are indulged in evil practices, while
the parents make a profession of religion, the truth of God is
brought into reproach. The best test of the Christianity of a
home is the type of character begotten by its influence. Actions
speak louder than the most positive profession of godliness. If
professors of religion, instead of putting forth earnest, persistent,
and painstaking effort to bring up a well-ordered household as a
witness to the benefits of faith in God, are lax in their
government and indulgent to the evil desires of their children, they are
doing as did Eli, and are bringing disgrace on the cause of Christ
and ruin upon themselves and their households. But great as
are the evils of parental unfaithfulness under any circumstances,
they are tenfold greater when they exist in the families of those
appointed as teachers of the people. When these fail to control
their own households, they are, by their wrong example,
misleading many. Their guilt is as much greater than that of others
as their position is more responsible.
The promise had been made that the house of Aaron should
walk before God forever; but this promise had been made on
condition that they should devote themselves to the work of the
sanctuary with singleness of heart and honor God in all their
ways, not serving self nor following their own perverse inclinations.
Eli and his sons had been tested, and the Lord had found
them wholly unworthy of the exalted position of priests in His
service. And God declared, "Be it far from Me." He could not [p. 580] accomplish the good that He had meant to do them, because
they failed to do their part.
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The example of those who minister in holy things should be
such as to impress the people with reverence for God and with
fear to offend Him. When men, standing "in Christ's stead"
(2 Corinthians 5:20) to speak to the people God's message of
mercy and reconciliation, use their sacred calling as a cloak for
selfish or sensual gratification, they make themselves the most
effective agents of Satan. Like Hophni and Phinehas, they cause
men to "abhor the offering of the Lord." They may pursue their
evil course in secret for a time; but when at last their true character
is exposed, the faith of the people receives a shock that often
results in destroying their confidence in religion. There is left
upon the mind a distrust of all who profess to teach the word of
God. The message of the true servant of Christ is doubtfully
received. The question constantly arises, "Will not this man prove
to be like the one we thought so holy, and found so corrupt?"
Thus the word of God loses its power upon the souls of men.
In Eli's reproof to his sons are words of solemn and fearful
import—words that all who minister in sacred things would do
well to ponder: "If one man sin against another, the judge shall
judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat
for him.?" Had their crimes injured only their fellow men, the
judge might have made reconciliation by appointing a penalty
and requiring restitution; and thus the offenders might have
been pardoned. Or had they not been guilty of a presumptuous
sin, a sin offering might have been presented for them. But their
sins were so interwoven with their ministration as priests of the
Most High, in offering sacrifice for sin, the work of God was so
profaned and dishonored before the people, that no expiation
could be accepted for them. Their own father, though himself
high priest, dared not make intercession in their behalf; he could
not shield them from the wrath of a holy God. Of all sinners,
those are most guilty who cast contempt upon the means that
Heaven has provided for man's redemption—who "crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open
shame." Hebrews 6:6.
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"The Ark Taken by the Philistines"
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