2:351 Samuel 2:35

God warned that Eli's house would lose the priesthood because Eli failed to restrain his wicked sons and remove them from sacred office when they dishonored Him in their service.ST Feb 18, 1897+2 Their irreverence and vile practices polluted the tabernacle, made the people abhor the offering, and led many to neglect worship.PP 576.3–4+1 By this judgment God enforces that those who honor Him will be honored while those who despise Him will be lightly esteemed and cut off without blessing or pardon.Lt 120, 1897, par. 7–9+1 In their place He would raise up a faithful priest who would do what is in His heart and mind, whose house He would build securely to walk before His anointed forever.PP 577.1–2+1 The warning shows parents are responsible to promptly and firmly correct wrongdoing from childhood rather than indulge it, since fond indulgence that leaves children self-willed and unfit for trust brings ruin on the family and on many others.ST Feb 18, 1897+4

The declaration belongs to God's warning and judgment on Eli's house because Eli, as both parent and judge, failed to restrain his wicked sons and allowed them to dishonor God in their priestly service.ST Feb 18, 1897+2 He kept those wicked sons in sacred office instead of restraining them, and that failure to honor God and check their wrongdoing cost his house its priestly favor.PP 577.1–2+1 The promised judgment could have been averted had he trained his sons faithfully.ST Feb 18, 1897 The judgment enforces the rule that those who honor God will be honored, while those who despise Him will be lightly esteemed.Lt 120, 1897, par. 7–9 Therefore the Lord would not bless Eli's house, would not pardon its transgressions, and would cut it off in its sins.Lt 33, 1897, par. 16

The setting is the corruption of Eli's sons, whose irreverence and vile practices polluted the tabernacle.PP 576.3–4 Their conduct caused the people to abhor the Lord's offering.PP 576.3–4 It led many to neglect worship.PP 576.3–4

The threatened judgment was delayed year after year after Eli confessed guilt without true repentance and without renouncing sin.PP 582.3 The delay gave time to redeem past failure, but the aged priest took no effective measures to correct the evils that were polluting the sanctuary and leading thousands in Israel to ruin.PP 582.3 God's forbearance caused Hophni and Phinehas to harden their hearts and become bolder in transgression.PP 582.3 The messages of warning and reproof to his house were made known to the whole nation to counteract the evil influence of past neglect, yet warnings were disregarded by priests and people alike.PP 582.3 The openly practiced iniquities in Israel caused surrounding nations to become bolder in idolatry and crime and to feel no guilt for their sins as they would have felt if Israel had preserved its integrity.PP 582.3 A day of retribution was approaching because God's authority had been set aside and His worship neglected and despised, making it necessary for God to interpose that the honor of His name might be maintained.PP 582.3

God could not communicate the condemnation through Eli and his sons because their sins like a thick cloud shut out the presence of His Holy Spirit.PP 581.1 In the midst of that evil the child Samuel remained true to Heaven.PP 581.1 Giving that message of condemnation was Samuel's commission as a prophet of the Most High.PP 581.1

After that judgment God promises to raise up a faithful priest who will do what is in His heart and mind.PP 577.1–2 God will build that priest a sure house and establish him securely.PP 577.1–2 He shall walk before God's anointed forever, serving in enduring favor.PP 577.1–2 The promise follows the judgment on Eli's house because Eli kept his wicked sons in sacred office instead of restraining them.PP 577.1–2

The promise points to God raising a faithful leader after Eli's house failed.ST Oct 21, 1913 Samuel's establishment as a prophet shows that word being carried out.ST Oct 21, 1913 His delivery of warnings to Eli's house shows God's word concerning that house taking effect.ST Oct 21, 1913

The judgment on Eli's house could have been averted had he trained his sons faithfully, for he was responsible as both parent and judge to restrain them and not allow them to dishonor God in priestly service.ST Feb 18, 1897 Parents are responsible to promptly and firmly correct their children's wrongdoing rather than allow it to continue as though it cannot be changed.4T 651.1 Indulgent parenting that leaves wrongdoing unchecked brings ruin rather than good.ST Feb 18, 1897+2

Eli's sin was fond, indulgent failure rooted in believing himself wiser than his Creator and following human wisdom instead of God's commands in training his children.ST Nov 24, 1881 He failed to restrain his wicked sons from babyhood, letting their forward, selfish, disagreeable ways become confirmed habits.ST Nov 24, 1881 That unfaithfulness dishonored God and made him a partaker in their guilt, bringing disaster and death on himself, ruin on his wicked sons, and ruin on thousands in Israel.ST Nov 24, 1881 The warning stands for parents today, especially those standing like Eli in holy office, not to trust learning and intelligence above God's word but to study and faithfully obey the Bible as the only safe guide in managing children, praying earnestly for how to order the child.ST Nov 24, 1881

Neglect by parents in disciplining and molding the minds of their children in childhood to submit their wills leaves children self-willed, stubborn, and self-sufficient, and leaves parents guilty before God.Ms 8, 1875, par. 35 Such Elis are numerous in this age of the world, their sin is no less aggravating to God than in the days of Eli, and parents will be called to render an account to God for their sinful neglect.Ms 8, 1875, par. 35 The curse falls on fathers, especially ministers, who fail to train their children to know and keep the way of the Lord.Lt 10, 1888, par. 19–22 Parents must therefore study the Bible and obey it, educate their children to beautiful character and modest, simple dress rather than indulging the idolatry of fashionable display, and have their own children be examples of what is taught to others, lest the same judgment pronounced on Eli's house for parental unfaithfulness come upon them.Lt 10, 1888, par. 19–22

Eli's failure to restrain his children brought God's curse upon his household.Ms 189, 1907, par. 21+1 That unfaithfulness was declared to bring defeat and subjection to enemies.Ms 189, 1907, par. 21 The warning teaches that a father must not overlook evil in his sons, because indulgence makes sons unworthy of trust and unfit for sacred office, as Samuel himself did not let the warning change his own course but was too indulgent with his sons until greed for gain and perverted judgment appeared in their character and life.PP 604.1