The Importance of Memorials

Judges 2:7-10 KJV

And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

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.

It was never God's intention that people live in a constant state of amazing miracles; Red Sea and Jordan River like experiences. Those types of things happened, but not all of the time. God provided instead memorials like the altar made at the Jordan River and the rehearsing of those miracles in the Bible as a means to teach future generations the truth about God. 

When the generation that followed Joshua came to maturity the Bible says they knew neither The Lord nor the works He had done. This is clearly pointed out that Joshua's generation had not obeyed the Lord in some very important ways; while they did battle with the Canaanites they neglected to teach their children the memorials. 

I observe a similar problem happening very often in people of faith these days. While we are about the business of walking by faith and learning to trust the Lord we frequently leave our children to fend for themselves in the spiritual realm. 

• It may be we make them go to church
• It might be we send them to Christian school
• We probably allow them to be involved in a youth activity

But do we teach them the Word of God personally? Do we show them what God has done in our own lives so they can come to know the Lord through these visits with their own parents?

If a generation grows up to not know the Lord the blame must be laid squarely upon the shoulders of the parents. They were provided memorials from God intended to be taught to the children. It is a shame if they get so caught up in their own battles they never take time to teach them to their kids.