PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Back to: CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES SS2

 

Welcome to SS2 Second Term!

We are eager to have you join us in class!!

In today’s CRS class, We will be discussing Parental Responsibility. We hope you enjoy the class!

 

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Eli and his children (1Sam. 2:11-36, 3:2-18; 4:10-22; 8:1-5)

Psalm 107:3 says, “children are the heritage from God” therefore parents should see them as God’s gift and do all they can to bring them up in the way of the lord to avoid God’s punishment.

When Eli the priest in Shiloh had become old his sons Hophni and Phineas took over his priestly functions. These two men did not work in the way of the lord as their father did. The Bible describes them as worthless men who treated the Lord’s sacrifices with contempt. Rather than allow the priests’ servant to use the fork in his hand, to pick the meat that was brought for sacrifice. As it is boiling on the fire, the sons of Eli would insist on taking their own meat raw from those who brought animals for sacrifice. If such people refuse they will take it by force they also laid with women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

These acts of the sons of Eli amounted to a great sin before God so God sent a man of God to tell Eli of the impending judgement (punishment upon his house).

Eli did little to warn his children he once warned them to stop their bad acts, he said if one offends another man, it is still better but if someone offends god, it could be a dishonour. At this time, Samuel was serving the Lord in the house of Eli. God used Samuel to warn Eli of the disaster he was going to bring upon his house. But his response was, “it is the Lord let him do as he pleases.”

God’s punishment upon the house of Eli

The punishment of God on Eli’s house took place in just one day. the philistines had been fighting in a battle with the Israelites, on this day of God’s punishment on the house of Eli. The two sons of Eli were killed and the ark of God was captured. When Eli heard the news from the Battlefront, especially about the capture of the Ark, he fell from his seat, broke his neck and died. When Phineas’ wife who had been pregnant heard that the ark of God had been captured and her husband and father-in-law were dead, she went into labour immediately and gave birth prematurely. She named the baby “Ichabod” meaning the glory of God has departed from Israel because the ark of God had been captured. Eli was 98 years old when he died having judged Israel for 40 years.

 

The sons of Samuel

Samuel took over as the judge in Israel after the death of Eli. He lived in Ramah and he was always moving year to year from Bethel to Gilgal and Mizpeh. He judged Israel in those strategic places. When Samuel grew old, he appointed his son’s Joel and Abijah to continue in his position as judges. These two men did not work in the way of the lord as their father did. They longed for dishonest gains by taking bribes from people who brought cases to them they also perverted Justice. The children of Israel were unhappy at this, they told Samuel, “You are old and your sons do not work in your ways, choose for us a king to lead us as other nations do.”

 

Lessons on responsible parenting

1. Parents have a responsibility to discipline and train their children properly because God can punish parents for their children’s bad attitude as he did to Eli.
2. Parents must learn that their future lies in the well-being of their children.
3. Children should not ruin their future by encouraging or copying children with bad characters.
4. Children should listen to and take to their parent’s instructions.

 

Asa: example of a good child.

ASA became king after his father Abijam, king of Judah and resigned 41 years in Jerusalem. Abijam, his father, was one of the evil Kings that reigned in Israel. However, his son’s Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord.

Jehosaphat succeeded his father Asa as King at the age of 35 he did what was right in the sight of the Lord by walking after the actions of Asa his father.

Asa and Jehosaphath his son were not like the sons of Eli and Samuel that did what was wrong in the sight of God. Asa did not take after the wicked ways of his father while Jehosaphat walked in the way of the lord as his father did. More importantly, Asa made peace with the King of Israel.

Lessons to learn from Asa.

1. Children should do all that is possible not to follow bad with their parents night out followed and stay with the right with their parents might have not followed.
2. Children should do that which is right in the sight of the Lord at all times.
3. The people and their leaders must follow the way of the Lord at all times to avoid the kind of destruction Eli’s house suffered.

 

Self Evaluation

1. Why do you think Eli the priest in Shiloh was condemned?
2. what do you think are the consequences of parents failing to bring up their children in the way of the Lord?

 

Assignment

1. (a)Explain how Eli failed as a parent. (b)In what six ways did Israel suffer as a result of parental responsibility. (c) state three lessons that can be derived from the attitude of Eli (June 2006 WASSCE)

 

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about Parental Responsibility II. We are very much eager to meet you there.

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