“It is Our Responsibility”

BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 31-34

                As the book of Deuteronomy is about to conclude, I think it is very important to remember just what the book of is about.  The word “Deuteronomy” simply means a “repetition of instructions”.  The instructions that are to be repeated to the Israelites is the Word of God, or simply put, the Law.  In Deuteronomy 31.9-13, Moses writes the Law down and gives it to the priest and the elders of Israel.  He then commands them at the end of every seven years, at the Feast of Booths, all people were to appear before the Levites and Priest to hear the Law read aloud.  Moses is very specific “Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess." (Deuteronomy 31:12-13).  The thought occurred to me that it’s strange that God commanded this only once every seven years, because doesn’t God also command them to teach their children constantly earlier in the book?  Notice what is recorded earlier in the book, “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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. "And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you--with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant--and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-12).  Then it hit me, the seven years was to allow them to hear the reading of the Law.  They only had one copy of the Law.  It wasn’t as if each parent could pull out their pocket Pentateuch as we would our New Testament and read it whenever they wanted it.  Yet the parents and grandparents were still responsible for making sure their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren we able to see their faith in God lived out in everyday life.  Adults, it is our responsibility to ensure our children are being taught the Word of God.  Whether it be at home, in class or at church or all the above; we are responsible for making sure they have and hear the “repetition of instructions” for God.  However, it is also important that they be able to see it live out in your lives on a day by day basis.  How much are we teaching our children? What are we teaching our children?  Are you providing them with a “pattern of good works” as Paul suggests to Titus in Titus 2.7?  If we aren’t…we better start, because precious moments are slipping away every second.