WAEC Christian Religious Studies (CRS) 2016 Theory — Question 2

Model answer

(a) (1 Samuel 2:12-36; 3:2-8; 4: 10-22) Eli, a priest of Shiloh had two sons, namely Hophni and Phinehas. The following are the behaviour of Eli's children and their effects on Israel as a nation: i. Hophni and Phinehas treated the Lord's sacrifice with contempt. They also took raw meat instead of boiled meat. ii. They took a greater portion of the meat than they were supposed to take. iii. Eli's sons had affair with women at the entrance of the tent where the Ark of God was kept. iv. Eli failed to stop his children from their sinful acts in spite of persistent warnings. v. A man of God was sent to Eli to warn him about the children's behaviour and its consequences and God also told Samuel in a vision to pronounce wrath/doom on Eli and his household. vi. Afterwards, God sent the Philistines to fight Israel and Israel was defeated by the Philistines. About three thousand Israelites died in the war. vii. The Ark of covenant was also captured by the Philistines and Eli were killed. viii. Eli died when he heard that his two sons had died and the Ark was captured. ix. When Phinehas' pregnant wife heard about the death of Phinehas, her husband and that of her father-in-law (Eli), she gave birth to a child prematurely and she also died after. The child was called Ichabod (the glory has departed from Israel). x. The priestly position was taken away from Eli's family and was given to Samuel. (b) Lessons Parents can Learn from Eli's attitude: i. Parents should build in their children the fear of God. ii. Parents should teach their children to acquire good moral values. iii. Parents should mete out punishments to their children for disobeying God's commands. iv. Parents should reward and encourage good behaviour from their children. v. Parents should monitor the affairs of their children.