THE LACK OF WITNESS AND DISCIPLESHIP RESULTS
THE LACK OF WITNESS AND DISCIPLESHIP RESULTS
And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the LORD had done for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110 years. And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel. And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. And they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the LORD to anger. They abandoned the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. —Judges 2:7-14
So all the days that Joshua was alive the people serve the Lord. They did so until all the elders that outlived Joshua died as well. Then after all Joshua’s generation was gathered to the Lord “there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel. And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. And they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them.”
How did that happen? What was missed that one generation served the Lord and then the next generation “did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.” Did not know the Lord! Did not know the work He had done for Israel! In one generation! Apparently what did not happen was that witnessing of our Lord and discipleship in the Lord did not take place with the next generation.
Have we learned our lesson from this in America as a nation? I think not! As a nation we have forgotten— “My Country Tis of Thee” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_HXqetzyb4 We are not remembering— “America the Beautiful” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3SPjk1ktRQ Oh, may we return and see!— “Battle Hymn of the Republic” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2LZ9cVRkDw May we once again as a nation see His glory! Oh, that this next generation would know Him! That means this present generation needs to be faithful in witnessing and discipling the next generation. Oh, may it be so!
Dear Father may You be pleased to once again have mercy on us and extend Your grace to us. We do not deserve your grace. We deserve judgment, but might You be please to extend grace and mercy to us that we would be a Lighthouse of Truth and show forth Your glory. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, Jesus. Yes, may You be pleased to do a new thing in this nation and may I be and do my part for Your glory. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-1fwZtKJSM