What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Who was Eli in the Old Testament?"
Answer
Eli was a priest and judge in Israel who held one of the most responsible positions among the people of God. Although he was regarded as a kind and god‑fearing man, he failed to restrain his godless sons who abused their priestly office. Because of his indulgence toward his family and his sons' disobedience, God's judgment came upon his house, which ultimately led to his death and the loss of the Ark of the Covenant.
Eli's Position and Character
»Eli was a priest and judge in Israel. He occupied the highest and most responsible positions among the people of God. As a man divinely chosen for the sacred duties of the priesthood and appointed as the supreme judicial authority over the land, he was looked to as a model, and he exerted great influence over the tribes of Israel. Yet, although he was destined to govern the people, he did not govern his own household.«
The Failure Toward His Sons
»When Eli was high priest, he raised his sons to the priesthood... They continually abused this holy office. They were selfish, greedy, gluttonous, and debauched. God rebuked Eli for his culpable neglect of family discipline. Eli corrected his sons, but did not restrain them... Eli heard of their behavior, how they deceived the children of Israel regarding their sacrifices, also of their brazen violations of God's law and their violent conduct that led Israel into sin.«
Lack of Moral Courage
»Eli was a good man, pure in his morality; but he was too indulgent. He incurred God's displeasure because he did not strengthen the weak points of his character. He did not want to hurt anyone's feelings and lacked the moral courage to rebuke and condemn sin. His sons were vile men; nevertheless, he did not remove them from their position of trust.«
The Calling of Samuel and Eli's Humility
»Samuel was called three times, and each time he responded in the same way. Then Eli was convinced that the mysterious call was the voice of God. The Lord had passed by His chosen servant, the man with the gray hair, to communicate with a child. This in itself was a bitter but deserved rebuke for Eli and his house.«
Eli's Death and the End of the Ark
»And when Eli heard that the Ark of God had been taken away, he fell backward and died. All this disaster resulted from Eli's failure to restrain his sons. I saw that if God in antiquity paid such close attention to noticing these things, He will be no less exact in these last days.«
- Eli priest judge Israel
- Hophni and Phinehas sins
- Eli and Samuel calling
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
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