He "Continued Growing Up With Jehovah" - Staying Pure in the Face of Corruption

At a young age, Samuel witnessed genuine wickedness and corruption  Eli had two sons name Hophni and Phinehas.  Samuel account reads: "The sons of Eli were good-for-nothing men; they did not acknowledge Jehovah." ( 1 Samuel 2:12)  The two thoughts in this verse to hand in hand. Hophni and Phinehas were "good-for-nothing men"-literally "sons of worthlessness" -because they had no regard for Jehovah.  They thought nothing of  his righteous standards and requirements. From that one failing sprang all the other sins.

God's Law was specific  about the priest's duties and the way they were to offer sacrifices at his tabernacle. For good reason! Those sacrifices represented God's provisions to forgive sins so that people could clean in his eyes, eligible for his blessing and guidance.  But Hophni and Phinehas let their fellow priestst o treat the offerings with great disrespect.

Imagine young Samuel watching, wide-eyed, as such gross abuses went on uncorrected.  How many people did he see-including poor, humble, downtrodden fold-approaching that sacred tabernacle in hopes of finding some spiritual comfort and strength, only to leave disappointed, hurt, or humiliated?  And how did he feel when he learned that Hophni and Phinehas also disregarded Jehovh's laws on sexual morality, as they had relations with some of the women who were serving there at the tabernacle? (1 Samuel 2:22) Perhaps he looked hopefully to Eli to do something about it. 

Eli was in the best position to address the growing  disaster. As high priest, he was responsible for what took place at the tabernacle.  As a father, he had an obligations to correct his sons.  After all, they were hurting  themsevlves as well as countless other in the land. However, Eli failed on both counts, as  a father and as high priest.  He offered his sons only a bland weak scolding.  (Read 1 Samuel 2:23-25) But his sons needed far stronger discipline .  They were committing sins worthy of death! 

Next time:  He "Continued to Grow With Jehovah - Staying Pure in the Face of Corruption -Conclusion 

From the jw.org publications