Read Judges 2

“When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10)

How could this be, that one generation knew the LORD and the next did not know Him? The former generation “served the LORD" (see Judges 2:7) and the latter generation “did evil in the sight of the LORD" (see Judges 2:11). How quickly we corrupt ourselves! And yet, we have to ask — what was the cause of such corruption? How could the children of the godly not know the LORD and His goodness toward Israel?

In my estimate, there can only be one answer and it is summed up in neglecting the following command —

“You shall teach [God's Word] 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)

When a few children among the godly become prodigal, one can conclude that the love of this world has drawn them away, despite the parents’ best efforts. But when an entire generation of children become prodigal, one must question what was missing in the parents’ generation to teach the love of the LORD.

Beloved, I fear that we live in an age such as this. Our nation has experienced wonderful movements of God and large revivals of the Gospel in the previous decades. Truly, there are many who love Christ from this era. But sadly, there are many more of their children who do not.

Do not be mistaken — this great falling away from Christ that I am speaking of in the younger generation is not my meager opinion, but one that has been statistically and objectively tracked. Teens and pre-college age students are leaving the church in droves!

Why is this so?

I will tell you. It certainly is not what has been suggested over the last twenty years. How quickly we want to place the blame on not having enough youth programs, or not preparing our young adults well enough for the challenges they face in college, or not preaching enough good sermons. But the true answer — the source of the problem — is not in these things. The answer is found in the home! The destiny of every child is etched under the care or negelect of the parents.

We must stop blaming others for our children's spiritual crises. As parents and guardians we must rise up and take the mantel which alone belongs to us in God’s will. There isn’t a pastor, a youth mentor or a peer that has the power of parental power! Even when our children are mature and rearing children of their own, our ability to teach them about Christ still holds as the most effective means to instill the truth in their souls.

To all dear parents reading this — don’t ever give up. Don’t lose your endurance for the sake of your little one’s souls. I promise you that your labor is not in vain. Don’t let your hands be slack in teaching them about Christ. You have the most incredible power endowed upon you to minister to your children. Don’t waste it! Only then will we see the younger generation predictably falling in love with the LORD.

I can only think of King Solomon’s own words to his son, and pray that we would make them our own —

“Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?” (Proverbs 22:20–21)

‍