GOD expects PARENTS to ‘TRAIN’ and ‘RESTRAIN’ their CHILDREN!
March 20 Bible
Reading: 1 Samuel Chapters 1-3
GOD expects PARENTS to ‘TRAIN’ and ‘RESTRAIN’ their CHILDREN!
Then the Lord said to Samuel: "Behold,
I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will
tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken
concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I will
judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house
shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever." (1 Sam
3:11-14)
Eli was the
High Priest of Israel during the time of the Judges, and he lived with his
family in Shiloh close to the Ark of the Covenant. He appeared to be a just man
who faithfully executed his priestly duties, but he failed in one crucial
matter: to train and restrain his two
sons Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam. 1:3b). His two sons were corrupt to the core, and they did not know the Lord as they grew up (2:12). They had no fear of God, and forcibly took
the best portion of the sacrificial meat that was offered to God by the people
(2:13-16). Their sins were great before God as they despised even the
sacrificial offerings meant for God (2:17). On top of that, they committed
adultery with multiple women, and this news reached their father Eli as well
(2:22).
God judged
Eli with the most severe judgment because
he knowingly allowed his sons to
continue in their corrupt ways (3:13–14). Actually, Eli had weakly challenged
his sons on at least one occasion, but they paid no attention to him at that
time (2:22–25). Even then Eli had a further recourse to follow, which he failed
to do. God’s law in Deut. 21:18–21 instructed parents of a rebellious son to
bring him before the elders of their city, and if found guilty stone him to
death. However, Eli did not restrain his sons nor did he turn them away from
their sins. Whatever discipline Eli had
exercised upon his sons, it was too little and too late!
The judgment
upon the High Priest Eli would extend from
the death of Eli’s sons and continue until
the whole prophecy given by the unnamed man of God (2:27–36) was fulfilled. No
descendants of Eli would ever serve as priests of God in the future. God would
judge the family of Eli until it no longer existed! These were supposed to have
been the esteemed priests of God, but they turned their privilege into total disaster.
Here we
learn of Eli’s personal failure as a father. The word translated ‘restrain’ occurs only here in the Hebrew
Bible. It suggests ‘a rebuke that sets
things right’. Though the offenses of his sons were more blatant, Eli does not escape blame. As father and High Priest
of Israel, he should have confronted his sons with more than words (vv. 23–25).
His failure to take action translated to honoring his sons above the Lord (v.
30), and God judged Eli severely for his
inaction!
Let us
understand that God expects us (parents) to train and restrain their children,
and this is God’s commandment for us: "Train
up a child in the way he (she) should go, and when he (she) is old he (she)
will not depart from it." (Prov 22:6) We have come to a time that it
is considered parental abuse just to spank a disobedient child, and the city
authorities are ready to put parents behind bars based on the complaints by the
children. As parents, let us note that our failure to discipline our children in time can lead to disastrous
consequences and much heartache later on. We should start disciplining our
children before their character is
permanently bent out of shape.
