By Rev Canon Alson B H Percival PhD
The nation of Israel was admonished to instruct their children fully in the way of God and to teach them their culture. This is a holistic way in which all the nation’s life is under the sovereignty and reign of God. Being so clothed the Rev. Canon Dr. Knolly Clarke says “One is able to connect between human justice and environment deterioration.”
Moses begged Israel “Be sure to keep up your religion in Canaan”.
The first truth to be learned is to remember that God is One; and the first duty is to give Him total love with all their heart.
The second duty is to impress upon them the means by which they will keep their religion alive. This is what he taught, “…teach them to your children, repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates” (Deut. 6:6-9).
Thirdly, Moses cautioned his nation against the things which would ruin their religion. “Have reverence for the Lord your God, worship only Him, and make your promises in His name alone. Do not worship other gods, any of the gods of the people around you…. Be sure that you obey all the Laws that He has given you. Do what the Lord says is right and good and all will go well with you…” (Deut. 8:13-18).
His fourth and final advice was, “In time to come your children will ask you ‘why did the Lord your God command us to obey all these laws?’ Tell them, we were slaves of the King of Egypt and the Lord rescued us by His great power…. The Lord God commanded us to obey all these Laws and to have reverence for Him. If we do, He will always watch over our nation and keep it prosperous. If we faithfully obey everything that God has commanded us, He will be pleased with us” (Deut. 6:20-25).
Did Israel keep these laws at all times as they should? No. Scripture is filled with evidences where they erred. The Psalmist reminded Israel to give glory to God and not to idols. Here is how he records his advice, “Why should the nations ask us, Where is your God? Our God is in heaven; He does whatever He wishes. Their gods are made of silver and gold formed by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel and feet but cannot walk; they cannot make a sound. May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made” (Psalm 115:2-8 GNB).
Dealing with Israel’s infidelity, the prophet Hosea says, Israel is without tenderness and knowledge of God. As a result, all they know is unfaithfulness, hatred, lies, slaughter, adultery, violence and theft. Crimes are on the increase, and there is one murder after another. Everything is perishing even the animals, birds and fish are dying (Hosea 4:1-3).
Hosea’s teaching meant something for his people (Israel) said “Let us return to the Lord! He has hurt us, but He will be sure to heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage our wounds, would He not?” (Hosea 6:1).
The trend of inculcating the right principles and values of the people of God was reflected in the life of young Timothy. He had outstanding credentials; they were not degrees after degrees or material possessions, (though nothing is wrong with obtaining these as long as they do not control us), but a commandment from God, through Jesus Christ. What Timothy had then? He had the hope of eternal life built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ.
Paul found Timothy’s faith, hope, values and principles firm and resolute. One writer puts it this way, “Timothy had not been wanting in the duty as a son to Paul and Paul was not wanting in the care and tenderness of a father to him.”
The admonition of Paul to Timothy as a young bishop of the church was to “take care to lead both the ministers and the people of the church that they do not add to the Christian doctrine, that they did not alter it, but cleave to it as it was delivered to them.
Timothy was not only to make sure he did not preach another doctrine, but was to bring his minister and their people to proclaim the doctrine of Christ that would build up the church.
The condition of Timothy’s heart and mind as far as God’s kingdom is concerned did not suddenly come upon him. He received his spiritual decorum from what his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice passed on to him. This is how Paul puts it, “… when I call to remembrance the unfeigned (genuine) faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5).
Most parents today are very busy teaching their children the opposite to sound doctrine – the doctrine which the Israelites knew; and was taught by Jesus Christ and which men like Paul, Barnabas, John the Baptist, Jason, Titus, young Timothy and a whole host of others knew and practiced. There is a frightening scenario which took place not very long ago. A parent was called to school and advised that his child was deliberately skipping assembly to which the parent remarked “But teacher nobody a bother with church nowadays.” Note well this statement was made in the presence of the child in question.
Dives held on to the type of life we are now teaching our young minds avarice – extreme greed for wealth, and material gain (Oxford English Dictionary Thumb Index Edition). In his eternal stage he realised the cost; not wanting the same fate for his siblings, he begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to minister to his brothers so that they pay attention to the Word of God – the Bible. Abraham reminded him that the Word is being preached, and they should have attentive ears to the same (Luke 16:19-31).
For Dives it was too late because he was called during the time he was lawless – not being governed by the rudiments of God. But for those of us who are alive there is hope. We have to make the linkage and connection of life with God. There is no successful life if it does not have spirituality as its underlay for its well roundedness. One writer says, “One who is opened and ends in himself is doomed.”
If we are busy abrogating our responsibility to know and teach God’s Word, it is not too late to make the wrong right. We must know the Word of God and teach our young minds that Word. In addition we must make worship a permanent part of family life and too families must conduct morning and evening devotions so as to experience God’s kingdom here on earth.
Now we have to stop laying the false foundation for our loved ones, and become co-creators with God. This certainly will replace avarice, crime, violence and opinionated attitude that are at present destroying the family, church, school, society and country.
The answer to this is simple – let us go to church and Sunday school. There will be the desired change.
Submitted by
Rev Canon Alson B H Percival PhD
