I Samuel 2:17

“The sin of the sons of Eli was extremely serious in the Lord’s sight, because they treated the offerings to the Lord with contempt.”

Ultimately, Eli was judged to be a ‘bad dad’ by God because he did not stop his two sons. Like many dads, he had a soft spot for his own boys. So God sent a prophet to Eli to deliver a message concerning his sons and his household:

I Samuel 2:31,34

“I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age…. What happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you – for they will both die on the same day.” 

Eli was a son of Ithamar, the youngest son of Aaron the High Priest. So it was the grandson of Aaron who was sad and mad and let his sons know that their actions were wrong. He told them clearly and in no uncertain terms that he was not pleased and that Almighty God was not pleased. He both corrected them and he rebuked them.

But he did not act. He did not restrain them. He did not stop them. So Almighty God did in I Samuel 3:13;

“I will punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not stop them.”  

Being sad and mad was not enough. Eli was too passive and he let his adult sons continue so it is God Himself who judges Eli as a ‘bad dad’. His intentions may have been good but his execution was bad.

Prayer. Father, forgive me for the times when I have not rejected passivity – especially as a father. In Jesus Name, Amen.