Passing the Torch

​The Memorial Stones
and the Next Generation

When God miraculously parted the Jordan River, enabling Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, the first instruction He gave was to build a memorial. Joshua was told to have one man from each of the twelve tribes take a stone from the riverbed and use them to construct a monument. But why?

Joshua explained the purpose of the memorial: “And he said to the people of Israel, ‘When your children ask their fathers in times to come, “What do these stones mean?” then you shall let your children know, “Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.” For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over...

as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever’” (Joshua 4:21–24).

​The memorial wasn’t merely a marker of historical significance; it was a call to remembrance. The stones were to serve as tangible reminders for parents to teach their children about the mighty works of God. It was a legacy of faith, meant to be passed down through the generations so that the knowledge and fear of God would never be forgotten.

A Heartbreaking Reality—The Failure to Pass It On:
Tragically, this legacy was short-lived. In Judges 2:10–12, we find one of the saddest passages in Scripture: “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that He had done for Israel. And the people of Israel … abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger.”

Within a single generation, the Israelites turned from worshiping the true God to serving false gods. The spiritual legacy that should have been passed down was lost. What went wrong?

The Missed Mandate:
God had given clear instructions to parents about their role in passing on the faith. In Deuteronomy 6:6–7, He said: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

This wasn’t a suggestion; it was a command. Parents were to weave God’s truth into the fabric of daily life. But evidently, the parents in Joshua’s day failed to fulfill this mandate. As a result, their children grew up without knowing the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. Psalm 78 also highlights this failure, recounting how rebellious fathers neglected to train their children in God’s ways.

A Call to Action:
The story of the memorial stones and the lost generation should serve as a wake-up call. It’s a sobering reminder of the immense responsibility God has given parents to nurture and guide their children in the faith. While it’s ultimately a matter of God’s grace that anyone is saved, He has entrusted parents with the critical role of planting seeds of truth and pointing their children to Him.

Are you fulfilling the role God has given you? Are you teaching your children to know and fear the Lord?

​Consider how you can:

• Create Tangible Reminders: Just as the memorial stones served as a visual prompt, consider how you can incorporate reminders of God’s faithfulness into your home and daily life.
• Make Faith Part of Everyday Life: Talk about God’s goodness and His Word as you go about your day—in conversations, mealtime prayers, and bedtime routines.
• Model Faith: Your actions speak louder than words. Demonstrate what it means to trust and obey God through your own life.
• Be Intentional: Don’t leave your child’s spiritual growth to chance. Invest time in family devotions, prayer, and regular worship.

The memorial stones were meant to spark questions from the next generation, creating opportunities for parents to share the wonders of God. Let’s not miss those opportunities today. May we be faithful stewards of the Gospel, ensuring that the next generation knows the mighty works of the Lord and walks in His ways.

What spiritual "memorial stones" are you leaving behind to ensure the next generation remembers God's faithfulness?

---

Thank you for joining the InstaEncouragements weekly Christian link-up! We’d love it if you could grab our IE link-up button, add it to your blog, and link back to this post. We truly appreciate your support. 

​If you’re new to link-ups, be sure to check out our IE LINK-UP page for a brief explanation and a list of other link-ups you can participate in. Have an amazing week!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

---