For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;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: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;
4 sermons cite this verse
… God, the commandments, but to train them with the report of his wonderful works, which is what? That's a testimony. Yes? Yes. All right. Verse five, he established a testimony in Jacob. He appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children. So if you can see, this was a pattern of a value system for the spoken and written record of all that God's done to be given to this generation, they would give it to the next generation, they'd give it to the next generation. Now it tells us why, and this is important. Verse 7, that they may set their hope in God. There's something about the testimony that conditions or positions a child or an adult to position himself to place hope in God when a trial comes. Their instinctive response is, I'm going to trust God. …
… And in the Bible, parents are commanded to continually tell their children of the wonderful works of God. In Psalm 78 verses 4 through 7 we read here, We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he has done. 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, that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children. There's this passing on effect that should be happening, that they may set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. And so, after having just reminded the people of God of the wonderful works of God, Joshua then utters the words which we will consider as our main passage today. You can note down our first point today is three weighty commands. Three weighty commands. This is what we see in verse 14 when Joshua says, Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. …
… and the wonders that He has done He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children. There's teaching here. God has spoken. We must not hide His Word from the next generation. God has commanded those who have gone before us to teach us. So by God's grace, people have taught us the Word. There's a reason why we have this Word in this context. 2,000 years after it was finished, sealed, There's a reason why we are gathered around in this room. Because people have passed it on. It's like a baton. How do the people of God survive from generation to generation? They survive by passing on the Word. We teach the Scriptures. We teach them who God is. The glorious deeds of the Lord and His might. We tell children and students that everything begins with God. And everything ends with God. that he is the creator and the sustainer and the ruler of everything. …
… we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done. He established a decree in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God. and not forget the works of God, but to keep his commandments. And that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast and whose spirit was not faithful to God. That's it. Let's take a seat. That's enough. And just for a few moments, I want to preach from the subject. You forgot to leave a message. You forgot to leave a message. Now, church, I'm young, but I'm old school, too. I grew up in an era when technological advances were beginning to come to shape. …