Nebuchadnezzar became a beast in some form or fashion because of his pride in Daniel 4. Oddly enough we find out that his grandson, Belshazzar, falls into the same sinful snare in the very next chapter. This makes for more than an interesting story because it serves as an example of a common thread within scripture. The phrase “like father, like son” rings true in a negative way more often than not. It’s surprising to read of the many heroes of the faith who were failures as fathers. It’s almost disheartening to discover that it’s more common to find stories of poor parenting than successful ones. As tragic as these accounts are, it’s a blessing to have and learn from them. Let’s look into a few of these examples. 

Lot (Genesis 19.6-8)

Lot not only chose to pitch his tent outside of Sin City (Gen.13.12), he eventually moved his family into Sodom as well. In chapter 19 we read, “So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, ‘Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof’” (6-8). Not long after these shocking verses, Lot’s remaining daughters take advantage of him in a cave after being saved from Sodom. Clearly Lot wasn’t a great father. 

ISAAC (Genesis 25)

Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob (Gen.25.28). Favoritism among parents is not uncommon to read about in scripture but this never seems to work out in the end. Issac was a weak father in other areas as well. He marries a deceptive wife and fails to rule his family in a God-fearing way. 

JACOB (GENESIS 37)

Like father, like son. Jacob shows favoritism towards Joseph and because of this we read the following, 

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age, and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him” (Gen. 37.3-4). 

ELI (I SAMUEL 2.22-25)

“Now Eli was very old, and he heard everything his sons did to all of Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress… Nevertheless, they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them” (22-25b) 

Eli was a priest at Shiloh, but he was a pitiful parent. His sons, Hophni and Phineas, were allowed to make sacrifices to the Lord but they were known among the community as acting extremely wickedly. They fornicated with women in the tabernacle and stole sacrificial meats from the people. So horrible were they that the Israelites began to “abhor the sacrifices to the Lord” (v.17). 

Young Samuel, who was being raised by Eli in the temple, receives a vision from God who says that He is going to destroy Eli’s boys, but Eli’s response to this news is rather flippant. He says, “the Lord will do what is right according to Him.” Sure enough, the prophecy plays out exactly as God said it would and Eli ends up dying upon hearing of it in I Samuel 4. 

Sadly, Samuel turns out to be a failure as a father as well as the king, David, that he anoints. 

While these accounts aren’t uplifting to read, they serve as humbling warnings to fathers today. If you want to be a faithful father, you’re going to have to fight for it.