Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Psalm 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
Isaiah 38:19b The father to the children shall make known thy truth.
MEMORY VERSE: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. —Colossians 3:16-17
CENTRAL THOUGHT: The Scriptures teach that the home is to be a place of praise and worship to God and instruction in His ways.
WORD DEFINITIONS
Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord”: Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah.
Psalm 78:5 “Testimony”: witness; the code of the Law, in general.
Colossians 3:16 “Teaching”: to cause to learn; to impart knowledge. It nearly always refers to teaching the Scriptures. “Admonishing”: to appeal to the mind; “To reason with someone by warning, supplying doctrinal and spiritual substance.”—Helps Word Studies
LESSON BACKGROUND
Moses’ message to the children of Israel contained the guidelines for their life in Canaan. God wanted His character, His will, His law, His covenants and the acts and events of the mighty deliverance He had given them to be passed down to the following generations; this was to be done in the home, by the parents. There were memorials, feasts, and ceremonies that were to be explained in detail to the children when they asked for the meaning. The home was to be kept clean of any influences of the false gods around them (Deuteronomy 7:26). The children were to be taught to pray to, sing to, and to explain the worship of the true God.
Examples of how this was carried out can be found all through the Old and New Testaments. Isaac was most certainly familiar with all the worship of God, of which knowledge he testified to by being willing to sacrifice himself. God had also personally testified of Abraham’s diligent command of his household. Joseph knew the will and requirements of God and adhered to them even when far away in Egypt. Samuel was diligently trained by Hannah to obey implicitly and serve faithfully, as a very young child. David had obviously been taught the beauty and wonder of the law of God. The captive maiden “missionary” to Naaman’s household had been thoroughly educated in the worship of the true God. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and Daniel were all very young men, yet knew exactly what God required of them when they were tempted with an alternative in Babylon captivity. Jesus’ mother Mary and his earthly father Joseph faithfully schooled Jesus in the law, the Psalms and the Prophets, until, at age 12, he could converse astonishingly with the temple elders. Timothy had been taught the Scriptures as a child through his mother and grandmother.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
DISCUSSION:
- Take Every Opportunity: At what times of the day were parents instructed to teach God’s law to their children?
- A Heart for the Next Generation: What are we to “show forth” to the generation to come?
- A Home Filled with Praise: Explain how godly music and singing can “bring to life” the Biblical teachings in the home.
- Of Vital Importance: How important is family prayer and worship, Bible teaching and godly music to the life of the home?
COMMENTS AND APPLICATION
The importance of daily worship and diligent instruction cannot be overemphasized. It starts with the parents in the home loving and following God’s Word in their own lives, and being an example of the truths they teach. It has been said, “More is caught than taught.”
The secret to successful teaching is right there in Deuteronomy. As we live, we teach. We don’t wait for a formal setting, although that has its place. It is done as we wake in the morning, at mealtime, as we take a trip, a walk, or a ride to the store. It is accomplished as we work, as “teachable” moments arise, all through the day, and at bedtime.
It is important to talk, really talk to each other, as a family. It is vital that we share our family history—that we take the time to explain about people who lived for the Lord successfully and those who did not, and the rewards or consequences of both. Biographies of important people, especially notable Christians, missionaries, and martyrs are very influential reading for the family circle.
I cannot express the value that singing together has in a family. Not only can the simple rudiments of music be learned in the close parent/child setting, but the truths of the songs can be explained as well. Singing together promotes family unity and makes precious memories.
Yes, it is possible to establish the WORSHIP of God in your home. Keep God’s presence near at all times by constantly calling, freely and naturally, on God in times of need; praising Him and practicing an “attitude of gratitude” for all things, and eliminating worldly distractions and ungodly media that constantly vie for our attention.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
REFLECTIONS
May our children witness in us, and our homes, the attitudes and drives consistently motivated by the love of God and his holiness. Two more verses of a song I mentioned in an earlier lesson expresses the reverential sentiments of good Christian homes:
Lord, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother in queenly quest,
Strives to show others thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
Lord, give us Christian homes;
Lord, give us Christian homes!
Lord, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Children are taught to know,
Christ in His beauty who loves them soon,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow,
Lord, give us Christian homes;
Lord, give us Christian homes!
Song written by B.B.McKinney
—Bro. Jeremy Booher
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