Reflections on...I Samuel 2,8, II Samuel 11-13: Three dads that were duds

Derrick Mueller

Eli was a good man and a good judge, full of humility and gentleness. But he was also weak and indulgent. He judged Israel for 40 years, was a priest at Shiloh and raised Samuel from boyhood, providing guidance and spiritual direction. But his attempt at fatherhood was disastrous. His sons were "worthless", taking lightly God's law (I Samuel 2:13). It was not until Eli was very old that he first heard the stories of the sacrilegious and adulterous ways of his sons. Even then he did not rebuke them. His failure as a father resulted in the loss of his sons, the loss of the Ark to the Philistines, the loss of the priesthood and the loss of his own life. A Jewish proverb says, "With the right hand you spank him, and with the left hand you love him." Eli is an example of a father's failure to discipline.

Similarly, Samuel's sons, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes and perverted justice (I Samuel 8:3). The fact that Samuel was a great spiritual leader, priest and judge did not seem to make any difference to his sons. He was always on the move, involved in the problems of others; as a result, his sons became leaders and used their positions for personal gain. Samuel is an example of a father who failed to train his children.

David was a soldier, a shepherd, a poet, a statesman, a prophet and "a man after God's own heart". Yet what did he model for his sons? Did David's sins of lust, adultery and murder influence them, or was it just the fact that David had many wives? His infant son died, a direct result of David's sin. Amon lusted for and raped Tamar, just as David had lusted for Bathsheba. Absalom killed Amon, just as David had killed Uriah. Adonijah was spoiled and undisciplined, and tried to make himself king. Solomon indulged in 700 wives, just as David had indulged in a plurality of wives. David is an example of the failure to be an example.

This one is by Derrick Mueller, instructor at Bethany Bible Institute.

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