“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” (Deuteronomy 4:9)
During their journey through the wilderness, the Israelites had seen God’s supernatural care and provision for them: there was a pillar of cloud guiding them during the day and a pillar of fire during the night, they received bread from heaven and water out of the rock, they had heard God speak from Mount Sinai, they experienced God’s wrath when they sinned, and so on. When they were about to enter the land of Canaan, God fought for them and drove out several kings who used to live there. Moses and his successor Joshua reminded the people of all this in their farewell speeches. They urged them not to forget the things their eyes had seen, but to teach them to their descendants as well. Every
generation needs to know Who the Lord is! These stories reveal so much about His character and His will for humans that they should never be forgotten.
However, the people didn’t follow the advice of their leaders. “There arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that He had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). This generation abandoned the Lord, went after other gods and did what is evil in God’s sight.
Don’t forget what God has done. Read His Word and teach these stories to the next generation. It is vitally important to know Him!