They were the children of a prominent man who was well respected because of his spiritual and social status. His instructions were obeyed anytime, any day. When he speaks, everyone listens. Nevertheless, he was a very weak man.
The above man is Eli, the High Priest over the tabernacle at Shiloh and a judge in Israel. His sons were Hophni and Phinehas.
Everyone except in his own house held Eli’s words in high esteem. Unfortunately, his children weren’t submissive to their father’s supervision as a father, priest, or judge. The children of Eli were priests as well but were referred to as sons of Belial, which means wickedness or worthlessness.
The end of the household of Eli came crumbling in a day just as the Lord determined and said. How unfortunate!
Pondering on the life of this great minister of God with his sons, a question kept running through my mind “who was the wife of Eli? Who was the mother of both Hophni and Phinehas? What happened to her?”
The exact questions may have run through your mind in the past or now. As we know, the Scriptures never hinted about Eli’s wife. Notwithstanding, the absence of a wife/mother in a family endangers the home.
The importance of a mother cannot be overemphasised.
- Your presence as a mother depicts the sovereignty of God in human lives.
- You are the spiritual and emotional backbone of the family.
- You are the peace in the family.
- Your eyes and ears see and hear everything, both physically and spiritually.
- You are a teacher, counsellor, friend, and lover in the family.
- Your words are powerful and filled with grace.
- You are a praying machine that never breaks down.
- With such a woman in the home, imagine what kind of family (husband and children) she will have.
Have you ever wondered why the world looks at the mother when a child lives a wayward life?
The earth knows the make-up of this creature(woman). She can plant, build, keep and dominate.
Hophni and Phinehas were left to themselves (no record of a mother). Eli may have been confused, not knowing what else to do. There is always a limit fathers can go to in parenting compared to mothers. What do you expect?
Wake up, mothers. This is a clarion call to move in the above might and stop the spirit of Belial from possessing our kids.
Wake up, mothers.
Wake up, prospective mothers.
Wake up the you in you.
Don’t close up a generation with your silence. God is counting on you.
