Psalm 78:1-20 - For the Coming Generation

Psalm 78:1-20

Listen, O my people, to my instruction; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ² I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, ³ which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.⁴ We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. 

⁵ For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, ⁶ That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, they may arise and tell to their children, ⁷ That they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, ⁸ And not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God. 

⁹ The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, they turned back in the day of battle.
¹⁰ They did not keep the covenant of God And refused to walk in His law; ¹¹ They forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them. ¹² He wrought wonders before their fathers In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. ¹³ He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, and He made the waters stand up like a heap. ¹⁴ Then He led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire. ¹⁵ He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave abundant drink like the ocean depths. ¹⁶ He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers.¹⁷ Yet they still continued to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. ¹⁸ And in their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire. ¹⁹ Then they spoke against God; They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? ²⁰ “Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?”

Message: For the Coming Generation; Warning to the Stubborn and Rebellious

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Overview
This Psalm begins with the words Listen, O my people, to my instruction; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. This is a beginning that seems similar to words found in the book of Proverbs. But, it is clearly a call to the people to pay attention to what is going to be said. He says that he speak with a parable. He will pass on words that our fathers have said to us.

Pass on these words to future generations
Actually, in reading this Psalm, at least these first 20 verses, it is a call out to the people of God to carry forth the Word of God from generation to generation. I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. I have a responsibility before my children to continue to pass on the word of God. I do not think I've ever read this verse or taken it very seriously. 

Stubborn and Rebellious People
There was a warning in verse 8 to not be like a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.  Stubborn and rebellious is a people that are stiff-necked, ungovernable; inclined to revolt. Therefore, a people that do not pass on words to their children and future generations are described as this. Stubborn and rebellious is synonymous with not being faithful to God.

We come across people all the time that say they believe in God and pray, but I wonder if they believe they are faithful to God. Its one thing to believe and pray, but quite another to be faithful. I just think of this as I speak to people. I am not sure I am even faithful to God and his promises. I think I do this on a part-time basis. I'm not sure if this describes me completely. But, I also think, for the most part, it is a goal of mine to be this way.

This stubborn and rebellious way is further understand through the description of a people group. In verse 9, the sons of Ephraim was one of the largest tribes of Israel. They were a large tribe and therefore had the platform and means to be independent of the other tribes. They were archers equipped with bows. They were armed and they were ready to defend only themselves but they turned back in the day of battle or they did not stand by their brethren. They were a proud people and a selfish people. The Christian life is to be about community and serving others and ministering to people.

These people rejected God

• They did not keep the covenant of God
• refused to walk in His law
• They forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them

These people ignored God:

• He wrought wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.  
• He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, and He made the waters stand up like a heap.  
• Then He led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire.  
• He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave abundant drink like the ocean depths.  
• He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers

They put God to the test:

• asking food according to their desire.  
• Can God prepare a table in the wilderness
• Can He give bread also
•  Will He provide meat for His people

Conclusion
This chapter describes fathers preparing their children for the future, teaching them God's word. I wonder how I do this as a father or rather I think about this and see that I need to improve in this area. I'm having difficulty right now talking to my youngest. Yet, there are still stories I could communicate from God's word. Perhaps I need to look at my Bible again and think about the stories that are within it and what it can teach. Help me God. Give me strength and courage to pass these truths onto my children. They all need it. Help me with my youngest and even though he does not voice an interest in God right now, show me how I can still use words from our lives.

Promise: God's word is present and living. We can't just ignore it or even question it without it yielding stubborn and rebellious people.