UNLEARNED GENERATION

While Israel was under his leadership, Moses adhered to God’s instructions for them, “Put a difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them” (Leviticus 10:10-11). Furthermore, as their forty years, wilderness journey was coming to an end, Moses included these words in his final speech to Israel, “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children” (Deuteronomy 4:9-10). Also, “Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). Lastly, “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth ” (Deuteronomy 11:18-21). Moses wanted the people to know teaching the children was vital, so he repeated this thought several times in his closing remarks.

After the death of Moses and Joshua, the second leader of the Israelites, the elders dropped the ball with the younger generation for the scriptures in Judges 2:8 -12 revealed. “And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.” Unfortunately, their unlearnedness could be one of the reasons they ended in captivity.

In his writing to Timothy, Paul states, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (Timothy 3:16-17). The Living Bible reads it like this, “The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone. And The Message Bible reads,” Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”

God gave us his Word to assist us in functioning effectively in this world. He desires that we all live a godly life, and none old or young should perish, which is accomplished by applying the Word to our lives.

Those of us who are elders have a daunting responsibility of sharing the Word with the younger generation. Though many may not want to listen, we must seek the wisdom of God for a strategy to reach them. The enemy of their souls employs all kinds of methods to distract them and draw them away from God, but with God’s help, we will carry out our assignment. And I declare our unlearned generation will hear the Gospel of Jesus and become a servant of the living God.