Tough Love
April 8, 2008
In our journey through the Bible we move on to the life of Samuel and the priest he assisted, Eli. Samuel was the last of the judges. After him, Israel gets the king that the people cry out for. Eli was in the line of priests who became high priests. Eli had a problem that many have today. His kids just did not live right. He raised them up in the business, but they were a problem.
1 Samuel 2:22-25 BBE
(22) Now Eli was very old; and he had news from time to time of what his sons were doing to all Israel.
(23) And he said to them, Why are you doing such things? for from all this people I get accounts of your evil ways.
(24) No, my sons, the account which is given me, which the Lord's people are sending about, is not good.
(25) If one man does wrong to another, God will be his judge: but if a man's sin is against the Lord, who will take up his cause? But they gave no attention to the voice of their father, for it was the Lord's purpose to send destruction on them.
Now notice that Eli heard about what his sons were doing. Where was he? I know he was old, but he still had the responsibility to find out what his children were up to. If they were not living for God then he should have removed them from their priestly position. He was still the high priest.
But all we hear from him is talk. Talk does no good, actions do. I can talk all I want about how I may give you a million dollars, but until you see it in your hands it is just that, talk. Eli needed to do what some call 'tough love'. Tell the boys to ship up or ship out. He will not do that however.
In the end, the priestly line will end with them and they will have to back up to another relative to continue it. Eli dies a miserable death and Samuel comes out as the good guy and he is not even a priest.
Discipline for children is good. Not doing it can cause a slew of problems.
Read through the Bible in one year in Historical order
Today
1 Samuel 1:1-3:21
Tomorrow
1 Samuel 4:1-8:22
http://tinyurl.com/24beby for a daily reading tool
