PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY: ELI AND SAMUEL

SS 2 CRS

2nd Term

                PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY: ELI AND SAMUEL

The irresponsible behaviours of the sons of Eli and Samuel (I Sam 2:12-25; 8:1-9): As a person who teaches others good morals, the priest is expected to inculcate in his own children the same morals. But in the case of Eli, such home training was absent. His children sleep with women in the temple. They treated the offerings which God’s people offered to God with utter disrespect. This act of theirs continued a long time, and it displeased God. The people complained about it, and it got to their father who cautioned them, but they would not listen.

God’s pronouncement of judgment on Eli and his sons. (I Sam 2:27-36; 3:1-18): One day, God told Eli that in the past, he had promised that Eli’s family which is in the lineage of Aaron would be priest forever. But now, because of the bad manners of his children, he would take the priesthood away from his family and kill all of them. As a sign that all the prophesy would come to pass, God told him that his two sons Hophni and Phinehas would die the same day.

Fulfillment of God’s judgment on Eli and his family (I Sam 4:10-22): a battle broke out between Israel and Philistines. The philistines defeated the Israelites, captured the Covenant Box, and killed Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas. When Eli heard this, he fell off his seat, and being a 98 year old man, he broke his neck and died. The wife of Phinehas also got the news and suddenly went into labour, delivered a son who she named Ichabod, saying “God’s glory has departed!”. Then, she too died.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY: ASA

King Asa pleased God (I Kings 15:9-15): the father of Asa was Abijam. Abijam followed his father’s (Rehoboam’s) sinful ways. This would have made God to remove the throne from his family, but for the sake of king David, his forefather, God allowed the throne to still remain in the family. So, when Abijam died, his son Asa succeeded him. But Asa refused to follow the evil ways of his father. He chose rather, to follow the good ways of his forefather David. Thus, Asa did what was pleasing in the sight of God. He also trained his son Jehosaphat to do good. This shows that Asa was not just a good descendant of David, but also a good father who took his parental responsibilities seriously.

King Jehoshaphat follows his father’s way of life (I Kings 22:41-44): King Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa as king. It is written “train up a child the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. King Jehoshaphat did not depart from the good training of his father Asa. Thus, he also did what was pleasing in the sight of God.