My dad had a way with words. He could say something in such a way I could never forget it. He had such a bass voice that, when he got stern, it sounded like a bear growling. If Sonny, my older brother, and I made a foolish request, he would growl, "If you boys get as big as the State of Texas, as long as you’re under my roof, you won’t do that!" Neither of us ever got very big, but we knew not to challenge or ignore his decision or try to dissuade him by begging. He meant what he said, and he enforced it quite painfully. When I was young, I sometimes hated him. Now I thank my Father in heaven for having been trained by such a dad.

Fathers train their children (Ephesians 6:4) by the example they set before them. But, besides setting the proper example of life, dads must restrain their children from wrong.

Eli was the high priest and judge of Israel, and there is no reason to doubt he was a godly man. But he raised wicked sons. "Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD" (1 Samuel 12:12).

But this wasn’t the extent of their sin. "They lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting" (verse 22). Eli, though very old, heard of their sin and rebuked them severely, but they refused to listen (verses 22-25).

Then a man of God came to Eli (verses 27-36) and accused him of "kicking at" (as an ox kicking against the control of its master) the sacrifice of the Lord and honoring his sons above the Lord. The man of God prophesied that none of Eli’s male descendants would live to old age, that his wicked sons Hophni and Phinehas would both die in one day, and that his descendants would beg for a priestly position. But, why? Hadn’t Eli rebuked his sons? Weren’t they grown men, responsible for their own actions?

The boy Samuel lived with Eli and ministered in the tabernacle. The Lord spoke to him while he lay on his bed at night and warned that He was going to bring to fulfillment the dire prophecy (1 Samuel 3:11-14). And He revealed to Samuel the reason. "For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them" (verse 13). Eli as high priest had the power to restrain his sons from their wickedness, but, though he rebuked them, he did not stop them from their sins.

Yes, fathers must set the right example before their children and rebuke them when they do wrong. Eli did these. But that’s not enough. While we have it within our power to do so, dads must keep their children from doing wrong.

Israel went into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel chapter 4). The first day Israel was defeated. They called for the ark of the covenant to be brought into the camp, superstitiously believing its presence would bring victory. Hophni and Phinehas, Eli’s wicked sons, brought the ark. But the Philistines slaughtered Israel, killing Hophni and Phinehas and capturing the ark. A messenger ran from the battle to Eli, who was ninety-eight years old, blind, and heavy. When the messenger informed Eli of the capture of the ark, "Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died." Phinehas’ pregnant wife went into labor, delivered a son, but died giving birth. As she was dying she named her son "Ichabod," literally meaning "no glory." "And she said, ‘The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.’"

Eli paid a very heavy price. There is no reason to doubt he was a good example of godly living before his sons. He rebuked their sins. But he did not restrain them. What a tragedy.

While your children are young and moldable, restrain them. While you have it within your power, keep them from disobedience. Don’t count to ten. That gives them ten opportunities to disobey without punishment. Does a military commander count to ten before he enforces an order? Such foolishness would cause death and defeat in battle. If your child is running into busy traffic and you shout, "Stop!", do you want to have to count to ten before he does so?

Do not allow the child to whine, pout, frown, beg, or even roll his eyes when you restrain him. You are allowing him to show defiance. Require instant, submissive obedience.

If we do not restrain our children at home, when will they learn they must obey? In school? Not likely. Before a civil court when they’re arrested for crime? How tragic. But most certainly, they will learn one day. When they stand before the judgment bar of Christ.