Character Study: Eli - Part II

The first part of this study: Eli: Part I

CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin. (Devil's Dictionary)

CHARACTER, n. The aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. Moral or ethical quality. Reputation. A distinguishing feature or attribute, as of an individual, group, or category.

DISCIPLE, n. A person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower.

BELIEVER, n. To have confidence in the assertions of (a person). To accept as true or real. A supporter who accepts something as true.
Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD. Now it was the practice of the priests with the people that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice and while the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. He would plunge it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot, and the priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. But even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give the priest some meat to roast; he won't accept boiled meat from you, but only raw."

This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD's sight, for they were treating the LORD's offering with contempt.

Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the LORD's people. If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death.

And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.' "

The man who brought the news replied, "Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.

These are parts of the passage from June, when I started this study. Eli knew what was going on. And he really didn't do anything about it. He did confront his sons. He was also partaking in the sin. He was eating the sacrificial meat. He was holding the Lord's offering in contempt.

Leviticus 22:4-9

"If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen, or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water. When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food. He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, and so become unclean through it. I am the LORD.

"The priests are to keep my requirements so that they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. I am the LORD, who makes them holy."

Eli knew this. It wasn't as if this was new material. As a Priest, he had to know the law and he did. When Eli confronted his sons and they did not repent, he should have taken another step... put them in a "time out," per se... maybe the reality of disfellowship, stoning, or something just as serious and severe. I don't know what he really should have done, but doing nothing wasn't an option. Eli did nothing. I would much rather have a consequence from man rather than from God. Johnny Out.