1 Samuel 3-5

“And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them” (3:13).  God warned Eli that his sons, the priests at Shiloh, were abusing their spiritual authority.  Eli had heard that his sons were committing sexual sin and stealing from those who came to worship (2:23), and it grieved him, but he did nothing to stop them. 

Through Eli’s tolerance, the priests seemed to get away with their actions for years.  However, God never overlooks sin.  Unless we repent, “sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:16).