1st Samuel 3:11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12 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.
Our case study for today would be about Eli, and his sons, who, while still living, crossed the point of no return. We will observe the successive steps in their deteriorating relationship with God, and then we’ll draw from their experiences, the pertinent lessons, so as to avoid making the same fatal mistakes. God had spoken on numerous occasions to Eli, and his sons, about their ill-conduct, but especially to the father, under whose jurisdiction the sons were.
Time and time again, and over the course of many years, God entreated, warned, and counseled them to change course, but they would not listen. On Eli’s part, he took no concrete action to stem the tide of evils, which had become so repugnant, that the congregation loathed to attend the sanctuary services. What do you do on Sabbath mornings, if you know Hophni and Phineas would be preaching, knowing full well the blatant hypocrisy that exuded from them?
Yet God bore long, over an extended period of time with the waywardness and the stubbornness of the priests. Then, after God exhausted every possible avenue to reach them, He sent a startling message by young Samuel, informing Eli and his household that their day of grace had expired, and that they had reached the point of no return.
1st Samuel 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!