Jump Start # 695

Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

Generations. We have been looking at grandparents these past few Jump Starts. To have someone called “grandpa” necessitates three generations. A walk through O.T. history shows that these generations can be very different from each other.

Ahaz– Hezekiah– Manasseh-Amon-Josiah…five generations. All related to each other. All reigned as kings. Ahaz reigned 16 years. Hezekiah reigned 29 years. Manasseh reigned 55 years. Amon reigned 2 years. Josiah reigned 31 years, a total of 133 years covering 7 chapters of 2 Kings. In this list of kings, only Hezekiah and Josiah were considered “good.” The rest were corrupt, wicked and ungodly. Ahaz trashed God’s house and gave the gold to foreigners. Manasseh built idols. Good kings and bad kings. All related.

There are some lessons to be considered here:

• First, some will put family before God. They will defend family, even if family is wrong. The policies of Hezekiah and Josiah were radically different than the rest of their forefathers. They tore down what dad and grandpa built. They disagreed and would not walk where their parents walked. It takes courage to do that. It takes faith in God to do that. Few will. Many would just as soon go along with family than anything else. It causes a scene in the family when one travels a different direction, even when that direction is with God.

• Each person is responsible for the choices that they make. Manasseh was wicked, not because he was raised that way, but because he chose that. He chose to build idols. He chose to ignore the good his dad had done. Our parents are no excuse for the way we are. Don’t hang your hat on that nail. These kings show you otherwise. You dad may not have been righteous or even church going. What about you? It’s your choice. You can follow his steps or you can be different. If you follow, it’s your choice, not his.

• Some of the things we do will out live us. The book of Hebrews tells us that Abel speaks though he is dead. His influence still speaks. His stand with God still speaks. It would be good for grandparents to write a letter to each grandchild. These letters can be words of encouragement, teaching and hope. Good can outlive us if we use it properly.
• Each generation faces the same concerns. Technology, innovations, science, medicine, travel, communication all change from one generation to the next but some things never change. The need for Jesus never changes. The struggle with worry, fear and doubt never changes. Temptation continues to knock on our doors, as it did our grandparents door. The Bible reads the same for us, whether we read it on our smart phone, ipad or computer as it did in the book form our grandparents held. We talk to the same God that our grandparents talked to. Some things never change. God never changes.

• Every family has princes and duds. We are proud of those that shine. We are embarrassed by those who fail. We sometimes think only our family tree has nuts, but most do. The genealogy of Jesus had David who committed adultery. It contained Rahab, who was a prostitute. Horse thieves, bank robbers and drunks can be found some where in most families. Family reunions, weddings and funerals can be stressful and tense when the whole family gathers. The nutty cousins always show up, eat all the food, make a mess, say something obnoxious and leave. Most families have to deal with these things. There are Hezekiahs and Manassehs in every family.
• We are in the generation that came. Someday we will be in the generation that goes. My grandfather was born in the late 1800’s. I always thought that was so cool. As a boy he would have met men who fought in the Civil War. Today, we don’t know anyone like that. They are all gone. That generation has gone. The last veteran from World War I has passed away. Now there is a young generation that may know someone who fought in World War II. The time is coming when they will all be gone. A generation comes and a generation goes. Genesis 5 gives us the genealogy of man, starting with Adam. Names and  names and ages are listed there. A common word that is used over 8 times in that chapter is, “and he died.” And he died. A generation goes. Our time is coming. Knowing this ought to make us get about the important things in life and ready ourselves for the other side. Beyond that, it ought to remind us that there are family members who are coming after us. Leave big footprints that they can see and follow. Show them what is important.

A generation comes and a generation goes…God remains!

We are one day closer to Heaven.

Roger