THE FORGOTTEN GENERATIONS

Do we ever keep in mind what will happen when you leave this world?
How your family or generations will be on earth.
What type or kind of legacies will you leave behind.
I do wonder about many names – renowned as they were around us during our childhood, where are they and what happen to their family?

While still growing, I heard of wonderful politicians and businessmen prospering and displaying flamboyancy. Where are they? What is the matter with their families and how are their generations going? What really happened? Why is their names forgotten?
In our country we heard of Great men of repute in their characteristic lifestyles. What has happened to their generations?
Even among us in our churches we can mention names of men and women who even became models of life to many. What is happening to their generations in the preaching field?
What about people in your community and beyond that you know? Go and see how their generations are faring.

My mind trouble a lot. Why? Because of how some of these families cease to exist.
Let us look at a few families in the scriptures that lost relevance in the affairs of life; and generations not remembered by way of the existence of such families.
Achan- Josh. 7:10-15,24. Disobedient of Anchan led to the termination of his family.

2. Eli – 1Sam. 2:12-17, 22-33 – Promise collapsed and all died at their prime
3. Saul – 2Sam.4:1-12. Disobedient of Saul led to the termination of his Household.
4. Judas Iscariot, Matt.10:1-2-4 ; Acts 1:13,16-20 – he was numbered…
5. Herod’s dynasty – Acts 26 . Ended without a child thus GOD terminated it

Manifestation of their actions

1. Feeble acceptance of the word of God
2. Appreciating and committing sin freely,
3. Direct hurt on the family line, Prov.11:29
4. Spilling of innocent blood
5. Loss of the total generation line

Now how will your own be?
Will it end after you are gone? Or after one generation will people only remember you through your children middle name and your grandchildren surname. Think about yourself about this too.

Note that it is written in Prov.30:11-14 that generations of total disobedience exist. Let us read together, “There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother. Vs. 12 There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways. Vs. 13 There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up! Vs. 14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.” (BBE).

Parents what do we do? Because:

1. Whatever we do our children are watching.
2. Those ones not seen could be seeds sown that may germinate at our death and grown to affect the generations yet unborn.
3. God can decide to terminate it completely due to the wickedness established by you and I while here on earth against humanity.
4. The society on its own can exile such family for life from their community .

Of a truth we should be bothered.
1. Bothered because Psa.14:4,5 states thus, ” Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord? They are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous” (ESV). Job 42:16 the Holy Spirit beautifies Job this way, ” Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren” (NLT). Where do we belong here?

2. We need not on our own volition plunge ourselves into wickedness, force our family members and our people (friends, etc.) into such participations when we know such is not godly and will sweep our family line. God always says, I will bless you and your generation…” Study Psalms 112:1-3 “Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord. Yes, happy are those who delight in doing what he commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will never be forgotten.” (NLT)
   Yet some want their generation to be forgotten through their deeds.
3. We must be interested in legacies and posterity. Many want their generations to terminate with them at their exit through their actions now. God will often tell Moses to write it down in as a memorial, Exo.17:14. Joshua told the priest to heap stone by the shores of River Jordan so that generations will appreciate. Josh.4:20-24. Memorial for generations to rehearse!!!
4. We must need to love our families with all diligence. Let our homes be a haven of joy, gladness and peace. Let ‘the church that is in your house’ be a fragrance that emits scent of greatness and sweetness. Let your neighbors find a cell church in your house and desire to worship your God.
5. Act Recabites, Please read the book of Jeremiah 35.
   35:1-5 This event took place during the reign of Jehoiakim, a short time after the Babylonians defeated the Assyrians at Carchemish in 606 B.C. Rechabites: This was a nomadic people among the Israelites who were probably descendants from the Kenites (1 Ch 2:55; see Jg 1:16). Jonadab: See 2 Kg 10:15-28. The influence of their spiritual father had great impact on the customs of this people. He had made a proclamation concerning their behavior, which proclamation became one of the cultural identification marks of the people. Into the house of the Lord: In order to confirm the stand of the Rechabites for the customs of their fathers, Jeremiah took them to a public place in the temple courtyard. He did this in order that all witness their commitment to the beliefs of their fathers. 35:6-11 What had been commanded by Jonadab was stated about two centuries before Jeremiah called for the Rechabites to give a testimony concerning their commitment. What Jonadab had committed his descendants to do was to live a nomadic life in the deserts and among the Israelites. Their presence in the city at this time was only because of their fear of the Babylonians and Syrians. 35:12-17 With the command of one man, the culture of a committed people was determined for two centuries. But with Israel, they would not even listen to God, but forsook His commandments and ran after their own desires. Add to this the fact that the Rechabites had no prophets to constantly remind them that they should keep the commandments of Jonadab. Judah had all the prophets of God, and they refused to listen. 35:18,19 The faithful obedience of the Rechabites is a testimony to the commitment of a people to remain true to the righteous proclamations of their forefathers. Their reward for their faithfulness was that they would always exist as a people. And thus to this day among the Bedouin tribal groups of the Near East there are those who adhere to many of the traditions of the Rechabites( Dickson Old Testament Commentary)
6. You must keep what you will live on overtime.
   I pray, like Joshua in Verse 15:24 that my generations live and serve the Lord with prosperity and greatness instead of being forgotten in Jesus name.
   Let not your own be forgottenUsen Inyangmme.