Daily Devotional for Friday, June 9

Eli’s Failed Attempt of Correction

“And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them,” (1 Samuel 2:34).

Have you ever been warned by one of your parents not to do something as a child? Did you listen to that warning or decide to rebel against your parent’s instruction? Children learn if their parents mean what they say when they give instructions and warnings. Their parents may be those that give in and do not mean what they say, or they may be those that mean exactly what they say and follow through with the punishment that came with the warning. God our Father is one that means exactly what he says when He gives a warning.

The prophet Eli had tried to warn his sons, but they would not listen to him or believe that the Lord would slay them (1Samuel 2:25). Accordingly, Adam and Eve both knew the penalty for eating the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, but the serpent deceived them into not believing that God would follow through with his punishment (Genesis 3:3-5). Throughout history people have tried to rebel against God and His instruction but this never works out well for the one not heeding the warning.

REFLECTION: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it,” (Proverbs 22:6).

Tim Chambers