David Wilkerson the author of the Cross and the Switchblade, and for many years the pastor of Times Square Church gave this amazing testimony to his church a few years before his death:
Keep in mind, Jesus calls us “kings and priests unto God and his Father” (Revelation 1:6). And the apostle Peter reminds us, “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…Ye also…are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9, 5). I ask you, which priesthood describes your life: the godly Zadok priesthood, or the corrupt Eli priesthood? These two ministries represent two kinds of manifestations. And they represent Jesus to the world in two very different ways.
A HALFHEARTED MANIFESTATION OF JESUS IN THE HOME
PRODUCES A PASSIVE HEART IN THE CHILDREN.
It’s sad but true: many Christian parents are sending their kids straight to hell. Dad is to be the priest in the home. And Mother is a member of God’s royal priesthood too. So, which of these two priesthoods are you manifesting: Zadok’s or Eli’s?
For years I was a youth evangelist, traveling the nation and ministering to thousands of young people. During that time, I had conversations with many troubled teenagers from Christian homes. These kids were completely turned off to the church. They wanted nothing to do with their parents’ religion. They spoke of their dad and mom’s angry fights, blatant hypocrisy, awful gossip, and secret sins. They heard constant grumbling and complaints about their minister, church members, family, and friends.
Usually, in such cases, the dad was active in the church. People saw him as dedicated and full of Jesus. But his kids knew how to read his life, and they saw him as he really was: a phony. He mistreated their mother with abusive language. Or he had a secret stash of pornographic magazines. Or he was caught watching filthy videos.
Such a dad serves in the Eli priesthood. He has no spiritual authority. And in turn, he has no respect. He might lecture his kids, threaten them, or try to demand obedience. But he’s wasting his breath. It’s all to no avail.
We see this illustrated in Eli’s life. Eli had two sons named Hophni and Phinehas, who also served as priests. God called these men “sons of Belial,” or children of the devil. Yet Eli never dealt with his sons about their sins. He never spoke to them more than an empty word of caution. After all, he knew anything he might say to them was in vain, because of his own spiritual sloth.
YOUNG MEN SHOULD SEE THEIR FATHERS as