10th.: Eli’s Response to the Judgement
Eli was the high priest at the temple.
As high priest, Eli conducted the sacrifices that the people offered to the Lord.
His sons, Hophni, and Phinehas, helped him.
Unfortunately, his sons also helped themselves to the sacrifices.
God tried to get Eli do something about the corruption in his sons:
1) First, the people complained to Eli about his sons (1st Sam. 2:22-25).
2) Second, God sent a prophet to warn Eli about the sons (1st Sam. 2:27-36). Yet Eli did not stop them.
3) Third, God spoke through the child Samuel, telling Eli that judgement was coming, not just on Eli, but on all his descendants (1st Sam. 3:11-18).
Eli’s response was, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems Him good.” (1st Sam. 3:18b).
Eli had been told before that he had to stop his sons.
Eli had said something to them, but they just ignored him (1st Sam. 2:25).
Eli then did nothing else, perhaps because he did not know what to do.
If nothing else, Eli could have gone to the Lord, asking for help.
But he did not do that either.
Let us not be negligent about taking our responsibilities to the Lord.
“I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” (Exo. 20:5)