SUBJECT:
CLASS:
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TOPIC:
TEXT:
CRS
SS 1
ONE
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
1 SAMUEL 2:11-36, 1 SAMUEL 3:2-18,
1 SAMUEL 4:10-22
Introduction
This topic parent responsibility means that parents have great responsibility
in training their children in the way of the Lord.
Psalmist says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb
is its reward.
Apart from disciples, they have to provide for the materials, social and
spiritual guidance of their children in the fear of God and man, this is their
divine role.
Examples of Eli and Samuel
a.
The sins of Hophni and phenehas
Hophni and phenehas succeeded their father Eli who was a priest in Israel.
They were wayward children and they had no regard for God. They are
greedy, corrupt and treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.
b.
God’s warning
Meanwhile, God sent a message to warn his children about their misdeeds.
Despites the several warning God gave Eli was unable to reform his
children as a result God had to withdrawn the priesthood from his family.
However, God was preparing Samuel to succeed Eli.
c.
God’s punishment
There was war between Israel and their archrivals – Philistia, in which
Israel was routed slaughtered beyond belief and scattered terribly.
The children of Eli were causalities. God had enumerated one after the
other, all he would do to Eli’s house.
Eli, on hearing the news and hearing that the ark of God was captured,
died instantly. Phinehas pregnant wife, on hearing these disheartening
news, especially the death of her husband, gave birth to a premature baby
boy named “Ichabod’ meaning – the glory has deported from Isreal.
The whole families Eli were totally wiped out.
d.
The sins of Samuels’s son
When Eli died, Samuel began to rule Israel. But when he became old, he
made his sons – Joel and Abijah judges over Israel (1 Samuel 8:1) They
judged from Beersheba. They did not follow the path of their father Samuel
but followed the path of Eli’s son.
The whole Israel rejected them as judges and came to Samuel at
Ramah, demanding a king having lost confidence in his sons (1 samuel
8:1-6)
They original focus on God as their king now shifted to earthly king.
Lesson to learn
1.
Parents and guardians are charged with great responsibilities of
training their children to fear God.
2.
Proper upbringing of children brings blessing and glory to a family.
3.
God will judge and reward parents according to their responsibilities
in training their children.
4.
The future of the parents depend on how well they have brought up
their children.
5.
Parents serving God are not to neglect their responsibilities at home
especially in supervising and training their children.
b.
The example of Asa – 1 kings 15:9-15, 1 kings 22:41-44
Asa, kings of Judah ruled when Jeroboam ruled Israel. He reigned for forty
– one years. Asa was the son of Abijam, who ruled before him and was
described as one or Judah’s worst kings. However, Asa rejected his father’s
bad example.
Asa succeeded his father and did what was right in the eyes of God.
The following were Asa’s achievements.
i.
Asa’s Good Example
a.
He put away male cult prostitutes out of the land
b.
He remove all idols that his father made
c.
He removed his own mother Maacah from her position as queen
mother because she made an image of Asherah – a god
d.
He abolished idolatory and instituted performs in the temple
e.
He rid the temple of Canaanite practices and wet objects.
ii.
Good leadership of Asa’s son Jehoshaphat
king Asa was succeeded by his son, Jehoshaphat. He was thirty five years
old when he began to reign. Unlike the sons of Eli and Samuel he followed
the example of Asa his father and did what was right in the sight of God (1
kings 22:43)
Asa was full of faith, piety, zeal and courage. This made him to perform
the reformation of manners, suppression of idolatry and male cult
prostitution.
Jehoshaphat employed capable commissioner to help carry out these
reforms.
Parental Responsibility
Eli, Samuel and Asa compared
1.
Whereas Eli’s and Samuel’s children did not followed their father’s
examples, Jehoshaphat ( Asa’s son) did.
2.
Whereas Eli could not bring up his sons in the fear of God, Asa did
3.
Eli’s and Samuel Son’s were worthless and corrupt Asa’s son was
pious and worthy.
4.
Israel rejected Samuel’s Sons as rulers, Israel accepted Asa as
their King
5.
Eli’s sons grew up in an environment of immorality, Asa brought
up Jehoshaphat in an environment of piety
Week 1 Questions
1. Compare and contrast Eli, Samuel and Asa in terms of parental
responsibility.
2. Describe the behaviors of the sons of Eli and Samuel?
(10 marks)