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Keeping This Generation One call of God is to raise up a generation that will know Him. The first question in raising up a generation is to know what a generation is? “The Hebrew term for “generation” is dor and is related to the word for circle and refers to the life circle of an individual, either from birth to death or from birth to the birth of the first child. It can have extended uses in metaphorical language. A generation was a general term for those persons living at a particular time. A generation did not necessarily have a specific number of years. Genesis 15:13-16 apparently equates 400 years with four generations, thus 100 years per generation. Numbers 32:11-13 may reckon a generation as 60 years, it including people twenty and above and giving them forty more years to die. Or one may interpret this to mean a generation is the forty years of adulthood between ages 20 and 60. God promised Jehu his sons would rule to the fourth generation, apparently meaning four sons (2 Kings 10:30; 15:12). Jehu began ruling about 841 B.C., his first son Jehoahaz about 814 B.C. and the fourth generation Zechariah died about 752 B.C. The five generations ruled less than 90 years, while the four sons’ generations ruled about 60 years. This is reducing a generation to a quite small number. After his tragedies Job lived 140 years and saw four generations (Job 42:16). This would make a generation about 35 years. Basically, generation is not a specific number of years but a more or less specific period of time. The literal Hebrew expression “generation and generation” thus means through all generations or forever (Ps. 49:11). Similarly, “to your (his, their) generations” means forever (Num. 10:8).” Holman Bible Dictionary The second question is how do we keep this generation? “The generations come and go. This should establish wisdom on which a present generation can draw. A generation also represents those who can gather for worship, so that the gathered worship community forms a generation (Ps. 14:5; 24:6; 73:15). The generations of people change, but God has given His name Yahweh to be remembered through all generations (Ex. 3:15). He is the refuge for all generations (Ps. 90:1). The danger is that a generation will arise that does not know Yahweh (Judg. 2:10; compare Ps. 12). Thus one generation must tell God’s acts and write them down for the next generation (Ps. 22:30-31; 102:18 NRSV; compare Ps. 79:13).” Holman Bible Dictionary Holman dictionary relates that we must speak and write about God’s acts. Scripture teaches us to always have praise on our lips. Just like the writers of the Bible, we should also journal everything that God does in our life. Our minds are limited and we cannot possibly remember everything. The enemy would have us only remembering what God has not done. Beyond speaking and writing of God’s acts, we must remember that it is His heart that he desires His children to know. The only way for us to know His heart is through repentance. If we are a humble people, who know how to repent and can experience God’s heart for His people, then we will have a wealth of love to share with the younger generation. They learn from example and it is our responsibility to get in there and show them how to repent and to show them God’s heart for their lives. The following is a song that expresses this very concept: We bow our hearts, we bend our knees; Oh Spirit, come make us humble. We turn our eyes from evil things; Oh Lord, we cast down our idols. Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts; Let us not lift our souls to another. O God, let us be a generation that seeks, That seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob. Lord receive this as our prayer that we may know you. May it be our generation that ushers in your second coming. Amen. -S. Chad Ross August Newsletter 2003 | Pursuing Agape | Keeping This Generation | Potential Sons Pastor's Journal August 2002 | A Harlot's Torment part 2 | Meekness and Mercy part 2 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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