Christian Religious Studies · Lesson 3

Parental responsibility, Saul, David, Solomon and the divided kingdom

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 5 Parental responsibility (Eli and Samuel; David; Asa); 6 Obedience and disobedience (David at Ziklag; Saul); 7 A man after God’s own heart (David); 8 Decision-making (the medium of Endor; Solomon’s wisdom; unwise policies of Solomon and Rehoboam)

WAEC: 3 Parental responsibility; 4 Consequences of Saul’s disobedience; 5 Submission to the will of God; 6 Making decisions

NECO: 3 Parental responsibility; 4 Consequences of Saul’s disobedience; 5 Submission to the will of God; 6 Making decisions

What you will learn

Determine how far Eli, Samuel and David were responsible for the failures of their children, and describe how Asa pleased God.
Narrate Saul’s anointing and disobedience and state the consequences.
Describe the early life of David, his submission to God’s will, his sin, repentance and forgiveness.
Compare the ways Saul and Solomon made decisions and analyse the decisions of Saul, Solomon and Rehoboam.
Assess the consequences of Solomon’s and Rehoboam’s unwise decisions.
Apply these lessons to family life and leadership in Nigeria.

Key points

Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas abused offerings; Eli “restrained them not”; God called Samuel (“Speak; for thy servant heareth”).
Ark captured at the battle, 30,000 killed, Eli’s sons died, Eli broke his neck; Ichabod: “the glory is departed”.
Samuel’s sons Joel and Abiah took bribes in Beersheba; elders asked for a king.
Saul anointed with three signs; disobeyed by sparing Agag and the best animals; “to obey is better than sacrifice”.
Saul’s decline: Spirit departed, evil spirit, David’s harp; Endor; died on Gilboa with three sons.
David: youngest son of Jesse; “the LORD looketh on the heart”; killed Goliath with sling and stone.
David spared Saul at En-gedi and Ziph: “the LORD’s anointed”.
Ziklag: David encouraged himself in God, enquired by the ephod, recovered all.
King at Hebron over Judah; long war with Saul’s house; Joab killed Abner.
Bathsheba and Uriah; Nathan: “Thou art the man”; David: “I have sinned”; child died; Solomon/Jedidiah; Psalm 51.
David as parent: no action on Amnon; Absalom’s revolt and death; “O my son Absalom”.
Asa did right, removed idols and Maachah; Jehoshaphat followed him.
Solomon asked for an understanding heart; judged the two harlots; 3,000 proverbs; built and dedicated the temple.
Forced labour, 700 wives and 300 concubines, idols; Ahijah’s twelve pieces; Rehoboam’s “scorpions”; ten tribes to Jeroboam.

Start here: Eli, his sons and the call of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:11–3:18)

Eli’s sons

“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2:12, KJV)

When people offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant thrust a three-pronged fleshhook into the pot and the priest took whatever it brought up; they even demanded raw meat before the fat was burnt (2:13-16).
“The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD” (2:17).
They lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle (2:22).
Eli rebuked them mildly: “Why do ye such things?… it is no good report” (2:23-24), but “they hearkened not” (2:25).

Meanwhile “the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men” (2:26).

The man of God’s warning (2:27-36)

A man of God accused Eli of honouring his sons above God (2:29).

“Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” (1 Samuel 2:30, KJV)

There would be no old man in his house; as a sign, Hophni and Phinehas would die on the same day; God would raise a faithful priest (2:31-35).

The call of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-18)

“The word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision” (3:1). Eli’s eyes had begun to grow dim (3:2).
Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel lay down in the temple where the ark was (3:3).
The LORD called Samuel; three times he ran to Eli; Eli perceived that the LORD was calling and told him to answer, “Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth” (3:4-9).
“And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.” (1 Samuel 3:10, KJV)
God announced judgment on Eli’s house:
“For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” (1 Samuel 3:13, KJV)
Samuel feared to tell Eli, but Eli insisted; Samuel hid nothing. Eli said, “It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good” (3:15-18).

Worked example 3.1 (JAMB-style)

Eli’s house was judged because A. he was blind B. his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not C. he did not train Samuel D. he lost the ark

Answer: B (1 Sam 3:13).

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Practice questions

1. Why did God judge the house of Eli?

His sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not
Eli worshipped Baal
Eli refused to anoint Saul
Eli lost the ark in battle on purpose

Show answer

A: His sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not
1 Samuel 3:13.

2. What were the names of Eli’s sons?

Joel and Abiah
Nadab and Abihu
Amnon and Absalom
Hophni and Phinehas

Show answer

D: Hophni and Phinehas
1 Samuel 2:34; Samuel’s sons were Joel and Abiah (8:2).

3. What did Samuel answer when he understood God was calling him?

I am a child
Who am I?
Speak; for thy servant heareth
Here am I; send me

Show answer

C: Speak; for thy servant heareth
1 Samuel 3:10.

4. What name did Phinehas’ wife give her child when the ark was taken?

Samuel
Ichabod (I-chabod)
Jedidiah
Ebenezer

Show answer

B: Ichabod (I-chabod)
1 Samuel 4:21: “The glory is departed from Israel.”

5. Why did the elders of Israel ask Samuel for a king?

Samuel was old and his sons walked not in his ways
The ark had been lost
The Philistines demanded it
God commanded it first

Show answer

A: Samuel was old and his sons walked not in his ways
1 Samuel 8:5.

Key words

Parental responsibility: The duty of parents to provide for, train, guide and discipline their children in the fear of God.
Hophni and Phinehas: Eli’s sons, priests at Shiloh who abused sacrifices and were killed when the ark was captured (1 Sam 2; 4).
Ichabod: “The glory is departed”, name given to Phinehas’ son when the ark was taken (1 Sam 4:21).
Anointing: Pouring oil on a person to set him apart for office; Samuel anointed Saul and David.
Agag: King of the Amalekites spared by Saul against God’s command (1 Sam 15:9).
Medium (familiar spirit): A person who claims to consult the dead; Saul consulted one at Endor (1 Sam 28:7).
The LORD’s anointed: The king chosen by God; David refused to harm Saul because of this title (1 Sam 24:6).
Ephod: A priestly garment through which God was consulted; David used it at Ziklag (1 Sam 30:7-8).
Repentance: Sorrow for sin with a turning back to God, e.g. David’s confession and Psalm 51.
Nathan: The prophet who rebuked David with the parable of the ewe lamb (2 Sam 12).
Jedidiah: “Beloved of the LORD”, the name given to Solomon through Nathan (2 Sam 12:25).
High places: Hill-top shrines; Asa removed idols but not the high places (1 Kgs 15:14).

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