The Past Belongs to Our Children

This sounds like a contradiction but it's true. Future generations need to know what went on before. Hopefully, they'll learn from what happened and make proper decisions.

The Bible is filled with admonitions to retell the old stories to our children. Psalms 78:4 (BBE) is a good example. "We will not keep them secret from our children; we will make clear to the coming generation the praises of the Lord and his strength, and the great works of wonder which he has done."

The Passover was a feast but it also memorialized what God did for his people. Exodus 12:26 and 27 (BBE) reminded the Israelites, "And when your children say to you, 'What is the reason of this act of worship?' Then you will say, 'This is the offering of the Lord's Passover; for he went over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he sent death on the Egyptians, and kept our families safe. And the people gave worship with bent heads.'"

We need to teach children the consequences of disobeying the Lord as well. Deuteronomy 11:18 and 19 (BBE) reads, "So keep these words deep in your heart and in your soul, and have them fixed on your hand for a sign and marked on your brow; Teaching them to your children, and talking of them when you are at rest in your house or walking by the way, when you go to sleep and when you get up:"

Memorials are also important, though they need not be physical. After the descendents of Israel crossed over the Jordan river on dry ground, they erected twelve large stones. Joshua 4:6 and 7 (BBE) explains, "So that this may be a sign among you; when your children say to you in time to come, 'What is the reason for these stones' Then you will say to them, 'Because the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the Lord's agreement; when it went over Jordan the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones will be a sign for the children of Israel, keeping it in their memory for ever.'"

We read in Joel 1:3 and 4 BBE) how we are to remind future generations of God's chastisement as well. "Give the story of it to your children, and let them give it to their children, and their children to another generation. What the worm did not make a meal of, has been taken by the locust; and what the locust did not take, has been food for the plant-worm; and what the plant-worm did not take, has been food for the field-fly."

On Thursday, if Christ hasn't returned, I hope to post about God's reliability.