It is vitally important in the kingdom of God that we realize how directly our decisions and actions today affect the future generations of the church. We need to keep the next and future generations of the church in our minds as we are thinking through our decisions today. We are also consistently commanded in scripture to be teaching the next generation God’s word that they would be strong, steadfast, and unmovable in the kingdom of God. We need to have a generational discipleship mindset and a generational kingdom perspective, to be purposeful in equipping the next generation to be the pillar and ground of the truth, that they can then teach their future children properly as well. We will see that scripture even directly connects up to five generations in teaching, so thus we need to ask ourselves today, how will my actions today positively impact the church five generations from now?
There are so many verses that present God’s commands, particularly to parents, to be proactive in teaching the next generation. We will just consider a small sampling of them together. In preparing the Israelites to go into Canaan, the parents were commanded to teach God’s commandments to their children as they went about their daily activities of life, as they sat in the house, when they walked, laid down, and rose up. “And 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.” (Deut. 6:7) It is the duty of parents – principally of fathers (Eph. 6:4) – to ensure that their children are taught God’s word. This responsibility cannot be subcontracted out or given over to the church, or to an unscriptural Sunday school or children’s church group. The parents have to make a commitment to teach their children God’s word. Furthermore, we can have an impact in teaching God’s word unto much more people than just our biological children. Nieces, nephews, grandchildren, or other young children in the church or in other settings – we need to always be proactively looking for opportunities to teach the next generation about the Lord any time we see an open door.
We see the pattern of fathers and mothers teaching their children, but we also see the pattern in Titus 2:1-6 of aged men teaching younger men and aged women teaching younger women in the church. Even beyond our natural family, in the church family setting there needs to be a continual mindset of generational teaching and generational discipleship to allow the wisdom of the older generations to be imparted to the next generation to equip them to handle the inevitable challenges that will come their way in service to God. Many of the common challenges the older generation have already experienced themselves and they can impart their wisdom to the younger generation to not make the same mistakes they probably made themselves.
In describing the beauty of Zion (the Old Testament picture of the kingdom of God), we are told to walk about Zion, tell the towers thereof, mark the bulwarks, consider her palaces, for what purpose? That ye may tell it to the generation following. “Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.” (Ps. 48:13) The next verse reminds us that God is our God forever and will be our guide even unto death. Thus, we need to teach the next generation that they would learn to trust God, and they would know that God is “our guide” (not just my guide, not the parents, but your, the children’s guide as well) even unto death.
The psalmist in Ps. 71 is praying for the Lord to not forsake him in his old age, to sustain his life, for what purpose? Lord, do not forsake me until in have showed your strength unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come. “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” (Ps. 71:18) Another psalmist describes his commitment to sing and tell thy faithfulness to “all generations” to come. “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.” (Ps. 89:1)
The Lord commanded memorial stones to be set up in the Jordan river to stir future conversations for the children to ask their fathers why the stones were there to tell the next generation of God’s faithfulness and power. God purposefully commanded these memorial stones for generational discipleship, to initiate fathers teaching their children, so that those children would also teach their future children, that the power of God in crossing the Jordan and taking care of his people would be known by every future generation to come perpetually. “That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? [7] Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.” (Josh. 4:6-7) We should consider in what ways we can establish our own memorial stones in our families to initiate conversations to teach the next generation and each successive future generation of the power and faithfulness of our Lord.
The same generation that received the command to teach their children in Deut. 6 and set up the memorial stones in Josh. 4 shows us the great peril and danger to the next generation of the church if we neglect our duty to teach our children. Even though the Lord gave explicit commandments to teach the next generation, and even put memorial stones to initiate conversations, the generation that conquered Canaan did not teach their children of the works of the Lord as they ought. “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.” (Judges 2:10) They neglected even the memorial stones that God gave them to spark these conversations and failed in their duty to teach the next generation. Due to their failure to commit to generational discipleship and generational teaching, there arose a whole next generation after them which knew not the Lord nor the works he had done for Israel. This next generation that did not know the Lord due to the failure of their parents initiated the time of the judges where every man did what was right in his own eyes and national confusion and chaos reigned for hundreds of years.
Children are a reward and heritage from the Lord. We are told that children are arrows in the hand of a mighty man, and happy and blessed is the man (and woman) who have their quiver full of children. “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. [4] As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. [5] Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Ps. 127:3-5) Children of the youth are here described as arrows. Arrows are long range weapons, not like a sword that is used for close range, hand to hand combat. Children are long term arrows in the kingdom of God. We need to have a vision that our children are arrows being shot out for the long-term vision and growth of the kingdom of God. The sacrifices we make in the early years of parenthood in training up a child in way they should go, the benefits of those sacrifices will likely not be seen for many years to come. We need to point our children in the right direction and then let them fly as arrows for the glory of God in the kingdom. Arrows are meant to be shot, not stay in the quiver. We raise our children with the intent of shooting them out as arrows, for them to be blessed to leave and cleave to a spouse (if that’s the Lord’s will for them) and then to raise their own little arrows to shoot out for the kingdom of God.
It was prophesied that the ministry of John the Baptist (the fulfillment of Elijah here) would create a revival of fatherly affection with their children, a revival in the family and revival among fathers. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: [6] And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Mal. 4:5-6)
Three Generations. Grandparents have a very special place in the teaching of the successive generations in their grandchildren. While grandparents should not usurp the teaching or discipline role of the parents, they can be a great additional supplement to have a very impactful role to teach the third generation about the Lord and about God’s word. The promise of the Lord for those who commit to the family is that they would have a fruitful wife, and mature children like olive plants around thy table. Also, the Lord will bless you to see your children’s children in Zion, in the church. “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. [4] Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. [5] The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. [6] Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.” (Ps. 128:3-6)
In Ps. 78, we see at least three, possibly four, generations of teaching, depending on how you read the text. “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. [5] For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers (#1) that they should make them known to their children (#2): [6] That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children (#3 or #4)” (Ps. 78:4-6)
Four Generations. As the Apostle Paul is equipping the young minister Timothy to be a leader among the ministry, he describes four successive generations in the gospel ministry to uphold the truth and maintain the church’s role as the pillar and ground of the truth. “And the things that thou hast heard of me (#1) among many witnesses, the same commit thou (#2) to faithful men (#3) who shall be able to teach others also (#4).” (1 Tim. 2:2) It is this generational teaching in the ministry that allows the church to maintain and uphold church perpetuity, an unbroken line going back to the original apostles by the laying on of hands of each generation of the gospel ministry.
Five Generations. In Joel, we even see five generations of teaching expected among God’s people. “Hear this, ye old men and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers (#1)? [3] Tell ye (#2) your children (#3) of it, and let your children tell their children (#4) and their children another generation (#5).” (Joel 1:2-3) Are we thinking five generations ahead in the kingdom of God? Are we thinking how our decisions and the precedents we set today will directly affect the church five generations from now? We need to be thinking five generations ahead in the kingdom because God is thinking even farther than five generations ahead in the church.
In Jeremiah 29, the exiles in Babylon were encouraged to build houses, plant vineyards, and have children in captivity because while most of the parents’ generation would die in Babylon, it would most likely be their grandchildren who got to return to Jerusalem. The parents’ generation in exile now remained faithful in captivity with a vision that their sacrifice now would allow their grandchildren to return later to Jerusalem, even though they most likely would never return themselves after 70 years in captivity. That needs to be our vision as well. We need to sacrifice now so that even after we are dead and with the Lord, our grandchildren, and even our great, great grandchildren five generations from now can reap the benefit of the faithfulness we are hopefully sowing today.
Teaching the next generation is a grind. It’s not easy. We are told to “train” up a child in way he should go. Training requires hard work, consistency, and discipline. It’s not just a few times. Training is years upon years upon years of daily consistency, and parents can certainly become weary in well doing in the formative, challenging training years. However, if we commit to generational discipleship; if we commit to a vision of a generational kingdom perspective; if we sacrifice today to show our children how to raise their children when they later become parents, then the result of that will be very strong families, and strong families are the backbone of strong churches. Look at the promise God gave to his people in committing to the vison to invest in teaching and molding the next generation. The blessed end result is that we have strong, mature sons that are plants grown up in their youth. We have daughters that are reliable cornerstones polished like a palace. Then, the next generation of sons and daughters can help reap the harvest of garners being full, and sheep and people in the thousands, and strong oxen. “12) That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: 13) That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: 14) That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. 15) Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.” (Ps. 144:12-13)
The Lord says happy is that people who are in such a case; happy is that people whose God is the Lord. Happy are those people who invest in their families, and in the next generation, who see the end result of mature young people who are taking up the yoke of the kingdom in their youth, and we see our children’s children around the feasting table in Zion.
May we be blessed to see this end result in Ps. 144 in our churches and in the kingdom of God, that we would have strong, reliable, and mature sons and daughters, to have children playing in the streets of Zion, to have garners full, and strong oxen, and even thousands being added to the streets of Zion to see growth in the future generations of the kingdom, until the Lord comes back the second time!