Tell the Coming Generation – Psalm 78:1-8

Is teaching your children about God and His works really effective in helping your children come to faith?  Asaph believed so.

A Maskil of Asaph.

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!  I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.  (Psalm 78:1-8 ESV)

It is the responsibility of God’s people to keep the knowledge of God fresh among each generation and to teach it to the next generation.  Failure to do so leads to stubborn and rebellious spirits that are not faithful to God.  Talking of His anger is just as important as talking about His wonders of blessing.  We need to fear the consequences of sin as well as know the grace of God and pass this on to our children so they set their hope in God.