Eli was a priest and judge in Israel, serving God at the temple in Shiloh. He was a wise leader who guided the people, but his story also teaches us about the importance of obeying God in every part of life, especially when it comes to family.
Eli was responsible for leading worship and making sacrifices for the people at the temple. He was also the one who raised Samuel, the boy whose mother, Hannah, had dedicated him to God’s service. Eli taught Samuel how to serve in the temple and helped him grow in his faith. One of the most famous parts of Eli’s life is when God first called Samuel.
One night, when Samuel was still a young boy, he heard someone calling his name. He thought it was Eli, so he ran to him, saying, “Here I am!” But Eli hadn’t called him. After this happened three times, Eli realized that it was God who was calling Samuel. Eli told Samuel to go back and listen carefully, and the next time he heard the voice, to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Eli helped Samuel hear God’s voice for the first time, and Samuel grew to become a great prophet because of this moment.
Even though Eli was a good priest, he had a major problem with his own family. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were also priests. However, they were very wicked and did not follow God’s ways. They were greedy, taking the best parts of the sacrifices that belonged to God, and they treated the people badly. Eli knew what his sons were doing, but he didn’t stop them. He tried to warn them, but he didn’t take strong enough action to correct them.
Because of this, God sent a message to Eli through a prophet. The prophet told Eli that God was unhappy with how his sons were behaving and that Eli would be punished because he didn’t discipline them. Later, God gave the same message to Samuel. God said that Eli’s family would lose their place as priests because of the sins of his sons and because Eli had failed to stop them.
Soon, this prophecy came true. The Israelites went to war with the Philistines, and Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, took the Ark of the Covenant into battle, thinking it would help them win. But they were killed in the battle, and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. When Eli, who was very old and blind by this time, heard the news that both his sons had died and that the Ark was taken, he was so shocked that he fell backward off his chair and died.
Eli’s life teaches us both positive and serious lessons. He was faithful in his role as a priest and helped Samuel grow into a great prophet. But Eli’s failure to correct his sons and to take strong action when they were disobeying God had serious consequences for his family. Eli’s story reminds us that it is important to lead by example and to make sure we help those around us, especially our families, follow God’s ways.
Though Eli’s life ended tragically, his influence on Samuel played a huge part in shaping Israel’s history. He showed us the importance of listening to God and passing down faith to the next generation.
