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Delayed Judgment, May 16
1 Samuel 2:22-36
In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken
concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
1
Samuel 3:12
.
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
sin. Had Eli dealt justly with his wicked sons, they would have been rejected
from the priestly office and punished with death
Year after year the Lord delayed His threatened judgments. Much might
have been done in those years to redeem the failures of the past, but the aged
priest took no effective measures to correct the evils that were polluting the
sanctuary of the Lord and leading thousands in Israel to ruin. The forbearance
of God caused Hophni and Phinehas to harden their hearts and to become still
bolder in transgression. The messages of warning and reproof to his house were
made known by Eli to the whole nation. By this means he hoped to counteract,
in some measure, the evil influence of his past neglect. But the warnings were
disregarded by the people, as they had been by the priests
God condemns the negligence that dallies with sin and crime, and the in-
sensibility that is slow to detect its baleful presence in the families of professed
Christians. He holds parents accountable in a great degree for the faults and
follies of their offspring. God visited with His curse not only the sons of Eli, but
Eli himself, and this fearful example should be a warning to the parents of this
time
[143]
32
Ibid., 577
.
33
Ibid., 582
.
34
Testimonies for the Church 4:200
.
147