Teach Your Children Well

This is a command, not a suggestion. God Himself was speaking to Joshua, immediately after Moses had ascended Mt. Nebo, been shown the Promised Land and died. “And He (God) buried him (Moses) in a valley in the land of Moab, . . . but no one knows his grave to this day.” (Deuteronomy 34:6) God honored Moses in such an astounding way.

“Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. . . .” (Deuteronomy 34:9) Moses had conveyed to Joshua the mantle of leadership, as Israel moved to take the land. At the beginning of the book bearing his name, the Lord spoke directly to Joshua, this verse included in that soliloquy.

Note that this command is followed by a promise. Speaking of, meditating in and observing the Book of the Law (God’s Word), by doing all that is written in it will result in what? Making a people’s way prosperous and them having good success. Pretty simple formula, huh? Would that it were that easy to accomplish!

It is for this reason that the Jewish faith placed such emphasis on drilling into their children the Law, the Prophets and the Wisdom books. Most could not read, so the oral tradition was essential in passing on from generation to generation the mighty works God had done on their behalf, from the times of their fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) to their present day. Moses, speaking on God’s behalf, had twice told the nation of Israel, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7, with an almost verbatim repetition in 11:19)

Due to our abundance of availability, have we abrogated this responsibility to others? In our society, the Bible is ubiquitous in printed form and is available electronically in so many other ways, including the app I am using to record these words. But fathers, among the items you have discussed with your kids recently, how often have you talked of the things of God? I speak not only what His Word says, but what He has done in your life, in the lives of your family and loved ones? This passage promises that doing so will prosper them and aid in their success!

Does it seem like perhaps some reordering of our priorities is in order? More crucially than interpersonal relationships, work, sports or politics, we need to reinforce in our kids (and grandkids) the awareness that our God is a great and mighty God, who has done marvelous works, both of old and in our own lives. I pledge to prayerfully consider this in my own life. How about you?