The Lost Generation
“ And there arose another generation after them who did
not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israelâ€
(Judges 2:10)
How sad are the words of Judges 2:10. In this brief narrative verse, one is brought face to face with the reality that all it takes for God’s people to fall away is one generation of children who do not know the living Lord.
We may ask, what precipitated this lost generation? Seven observations from the biblical text appear significant:
1. Joshua died (Judges 2:8).
2. The elders who were with Joshua died (Judges 2:10a).
3. There followed a time of individual pursuits (Judges 2:6).
4. New religious convictions were formed (Judges 2:11).
5. Old religious convictions were abandoned (Judges 2:12).
6. God no longer could support their sinful ways (Judges 2:12-15).
7. The people were overtaken by their enemies (Judges 2:14).
We may be accustomed to seeing the phrase, “The Lost Generation†in reference to Hemingway, Stein, or Picasso, but never really seeing that it could also apply to our own children. But, from the lesson of Judges 2, we must never forget that apostasy is only a generation away–if that generation does not know the Lord (Judges 21:25).
Do you and yours’ know the Lord (John 17:3)? Let us not take for granted the things which we learned from our fathers; lest we too become a lost generation.
-Robert M. Housby