Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. – Judges 2:8-13
Because of Joshua’s unwavering commitment to God and his steadfast leadership, the Israelites had experienced the blessings of God’s favor and the fruits of their faithfulness. Yet, as the sun set of Joshua’s life, a cloud began to hover over the Israelites’ devotion. Here in the 2nd chapter of the book of Judges, we see the gradual shift of their obedience turning to defiance. What a sobering transition this was, marked by forgetting the Lord and embracing the idols of the surrounding nations.
Sadly, the same shift is happening in our culture today in the Western Hemisphere. As our own generation of “Joshuas” pass on and gather with their ancestors in heaven, we’re seeing a tremendous void being left behind in their absences, too.
Children who grow up in homes today without being taught who Jesus is will someday become parents of children who will likewise not know who Jesus is. And, my dear friends, if you think our nation’s leaders today are bad, you haven’t seen anything yet. The Godly influence of a faithful mother or father is more powerful than we can ever imagine.
So… we have an enormous responsibility to teach not only our children the ways of our Lord, but our grandchildren also. We want the flame of faith to continue burning brightly in the hearts of the next generation, so that they too may experience God’s blessings and eternal life. Otherwise, what hope do they have here in this life? Look around today and tell me, where do you see hope in this world? Just as Joshua passed the mantle of leadership to the judges, parents today must pass on the invaluable legacy of faith to their children. Not just for their sake, but the sake of their future descendants.
Let us not underestimate the impact of our roles as faithful leaders in our families. It is only through our guidance and teaching that we can lay the foundation for a lineage that walks in the enduring light of God’s love.
Former Blackout Artist 