“Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” (Joel 1:3)
Joel prophesied of the coming judgement for the Jewish nation because of their sin. It’s the responsibility of the parents to instruct the children. This may come as a surprise to many as it did to the mother who said to me, “I’m so glad Johnny has started school. Now he will learn how to behave.” It’s not the job of the schools or churches to teach the children how to behave and what to believe. And this also may come as a surprise to educators who ram their unbelief and pagan beliefs on the children.
Joel warns the parents to tell your children of the impending doom that is coming because of their sin. He was implying that the same punishment would come on the following generations also if they continued in the sin of their parents. We see this in families. It’s been called generational sins. Why does this happen? Can we stop this?
We know sin is the influence of evil in our lives when we’re in the kingdom of darkness. We’re controlled by the devil’s minions. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Ephesians 2:2) In some families it may be drunkenness, in others the occult or sexual perversion, etc... These demonic influences run in families. They are demons that attach themselves to family members throughout generations.
In Joel’s time, they didn’t have the Holy Spirit. They were not able to escape the kingdom of darkness. But God gave them the Law. If they were obedient to the Law, they could please God. It was impossible to keep the Law. But there was provision for that. God wanted them to realize their need for Him in all things. But it was easier to follow the sins of the people of the land. And God’s judgment was about to come on them.
Today, praise God, we have the New Covenant brought in by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We don’t have to be under the influence and torment of devils (demons). When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God Himself snatches us out of the control of the devil and places us in His kingdom. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:” (Colossians 1:13) We are then not influenced by the devil, but by the Holy Spirit. There are exceptions. If the commitment was insincere or if one is disobedient and refuses to obey the Holy Spirit, then I doubt that person was saved in the first place.
When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we break with the devil’s influence in our lives. But how about our children. God’s commandment came through Joel: “Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” (Joel 1:3) If a generation fails to teach their children, knowledge of God is lost for that generation. It’s by God’s mercy and grace that it comes to a generation through God’s providence and saves families. We’ve seen this happen, time and time again. It’s the answered prayer of a praying grandmother or aunt.
This was David’s concern. “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 everyone that is to come.” (Psalms 71:18) He understood the importance of teaching the following generation about God. Asaph was the lead musician in David’s Tabernacle. He penned many songs and was also concerned about the following generation. “Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 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. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” (Psalms 78:1-8)
Are your children rebellious? Are they stubborn? Then I would venture to ask, do they know God? Have you shared about God’s Love, Mercy and Justice? Are you an example to them of a person who knows God? More and more generations are coming that have no knowledge of God. We don’t have to wonder why there is evil in this world and why things are getting worse and harder in this world.
Wow! This lesson the Lord shared is a difficult one, but one that will free families from the destruction brought on by the enemy. Jesus said: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
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