Your Children Too

Throughout the Bible, the importance of the faithfulness of generations is evident. Not only is obedience expected of fathers and mothers, but also of their sons and daughters. It was not enough that their parents were faithful, but God required everyone in each generation to respond to the law faithfully.

Joel is a book that stresses the importance of this generational faithfulness. In the first couple of verses of this prophetic book, Joel writes, "Hear this, O elders, give ear, all inhabitants of the land! has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation" (Joel 1: 2-3, NRSV).

In Asian culture, it's so important that each generation progresses and is better than the last. As my parents say, it's a shame if I don't live a better life than them. I should be "better" than them in my education, work, salary, social class, etc. People from the outside should be able to look into my familial life and see that my brother and I are progressing my family name. It was so honorable for my grandparents knowing that their children are going to America to make a name for themselves. It was progress. My grandparents never went to college, but my parents not only finished college, but they finished it at an American university. How proud my grandparents must have been! The work that my grandparents did did not set the tone for their children and their children's children. Instead, each generation has to work hard to outdo the work of their parents.

It seems as if the Israelites also had the same task in their hands. The obedience of their fathers did not guarantee their salvation and security. God required that each generation uphold the commandments. Each generation had to do their part in order to maintain right relationship with God. In Joel 2, God's encouraging promise also highlights this theme of God's concern with each individual generation  stating "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions..." (Joel 2:28, NRSV). No generation is left blameless for their sins, and in the same way, each generation will be rewarded for their individual faithfulness to God.