Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-05-07
4. The Wickedness of Eli and His


"A Responsibility of Parents and Chill
dren.
4. The Wickedness of Eli and His
Sons 2:12-17, 27-36.
l. Elis sons wv. 1917, 22). The be-
havior of these sons is in strange con-
trast to that of the boy Samuel. Ellis
sons were priests and ministered in
the things of the sanctuary, but ''knew
not the Lord" ". 12).
Q) Graft wv. 12-17). This greed
was practiced upon the worshipers
who brought their sacrifices to the
sanctuary, according to Gods law.
God ordained that the priests should
| have the breasts and shoulders of the
animals which were brought to the al
tar (Ex. % :27; Lev. 7:31. 32). The
degenerate sons of Eli were not con-
tent with this, but demanded more,
and even sought to obtain it by force
| ". 16). Moreover, they lifted out
with a fork certain choice portions
while raw! and had them roasted.
Such behavior on the part of the
| priests was revolving to the worship
ers and resulted in the adherence Of
the Lords offerings.
(2) Gross icentiousness ". 22).
These wicked priests seduced the
women who were employed about the
sanctuary. They were so shameless
in their practices that they did not
even make an effort to conceal them.
Ministers who indulge in such shame
less practices would not be able to in
f1uence men and women to worship
God. When men corrupt in heart and
life minister in holy things all kind of
corruption follows.
2. Eli (vv. 27-36). Eli was seeming
ly good man, but he seriously erred
before God in that he failed to disci
, pline his sons wv. 22-24). He knew
of their sins and was conscious of his
obligation, but his fatherly heart lee
him into sentimental Indulgence; his
love got the better of his judgment
Eli was content with weak remon
J STRANGE. He was under Obligation no
| merely to speak against it, but, should
have acted against it. When the
wickedness of his sons was resultin.
in contempt with the service of Cod
house, the fathers love should hav,
5 been lost in the light and justice O
/ the high priest.
II. Eli and His Sons Punished a
1-1S).
/ They at last came to reap wha
= they had sown. God has appointed {
i day of judgment (Acts IT By. Their
D is a harvest time for the sinner a
n well as for the righteous (Joel :13)
If one has sown 10 the wind he shal
r reap the whirlwind. The Philistine
s made war upon Israel and defeate
I them with great slaughter. This judg
t ment had been made known to Eli b
4 a "man of God" (2:27) and Samue
y (3:11-1S). The Philistines were il
struments in the hands of God fo
e this judgment.
T 1. The battle with the Philistine
Il wv. 1-9). The Israelites made an III
S successful attempt to free themselve
e from the oppression of the Philistine
9 Israel was smitten and some 1000 wer
r slain. This aroused them TO fnqufr
and to suggest that the ark be brougt
It from Shiloh as defense against th
e enemy. In this they committed tw
d blunders: ID The elders had no rigl
II to handle the ark; that belonged
/ the priests. Before taking such a ste
l. they should have sought the mind {
3. God, and if it were his will that tn
,.II ho oh hox
g done by the priests. (2) 1t was a s.
perstitious use of the ark, which We
Ii a symbol of Gods presence. They il
le norantly assumed that the presence {
e. God inhered in the symbol, forgettin
i that he is the living God, who has
" will and purpose of his own, and ther
i fore will not give countenance to ths
II which disagrees with his holy purpos
}, and will. Processing Christians in tn
}; age commit a similar error when the
d substitute the sacraments of tt
d. church for the presence of God in IL
y soul. The earth rang out with gre;
E. shout when the ark was brought I'M
IL the camp and the enemy was struC
5: with fear, for they knew what wonde
e. God had wrought in times past.
te their desperation they made stan
calling upon their men to do their bes
n With their backs to the wall the
of fought and won the victory.
2. Israel's disastrous defeat wv. I
e. 1S). D The army was routed and
10 great slaughter occurred ". 10); {:
IN the ark of God was taken ". 10Y, Il
symbol of the divine presence with
I'd sacred memories torn from their gra.
lg and with it went Israel's hope; {
er Ellis sons slain ". 10); the very prizes
N who were the custodians of the a
e. were slain; az death of Eli the his
lg priest ". 1S). The news of the d
II feat of the army and the death of b
se sons was awful, but when he hea
that the ark of God was taken I.e di
OF instantly.