The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The World And Times Of Jesse James

What About Your Children and Grandchildren?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2024-12-01

Synopsis: This sermon examines the biblical definition of a nation and traces the origins of Israel's enemies to Noah's own descendants, particularly through Ham. It then applies this to the sobering reality that godly parents and grandparents may see their own children and grandchildren die unsaved or even become enemies of Christ. The message emphasizes that salvation is solely of God, not of blood, flesh, or human will, and urges persistent prayer and wrestling with God for the souls of the next generations, while holding onto hope as long as they live.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Genesis chapter 10. Genesis chapter 10. And we're going to read the first five verses. And we'll be looking at a number of passages, but we'll be hanging with Genesis 10 for a little while. So the title of the message, you may think it's strange right now, but the title of the message is, What About Your Children and Your Grandchildren? You'll see. Look in Genesis chapter 10, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And under them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth, Gomer, and Magog, and Madi, and Javan, Tubal, Meshach, and Tyrus, and the sons of Gomer, Ashkenaz, Riphath, and to Gomorrah, and the sons of Javan, Elisha, and Tarshish, Kittum, and Odanum. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, everyone after his tongue and after their families in their nations.

[John Weaver] Now the word of God tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord. In fact, that's what he said in Psalm 127 verses 3 and 4, though children are the heritage of the Lord and blessed and the fruit of his womb and they are the heirs in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. And so children are indeed the heritage of the Lord.

[John Weaver] But the Bible also says in Proverbs chapter 17 in verse 6, that children's children are the crown of old men and the glory of the children is the father's. So it's true that grandfathers always dote over their grandchildren, that is for sure. We love our children, and our grandchildren especially. We adore them. I've often said, since I had four daughters, if you hurt one of my daughters, I could hurt you real badly. But if you ever hurt one of my grandchildren, I could chew you up and spit you out and smile while I was doing it. Because children, grandchildren especially, are precious, that is for sure. And grandparents always enjoy spoiling those grandchildren and giving them right back to their parents.

[John Weaver] So the message today is a message really that must be preached. And yet I'm going to tell you up front, it is not a very enjoyable message. But it is a truth that must be taught. And it's also going to convey a truth that will hurt in time, but it will certainly be cleared up in eternity as well. But for now, in time and history, there will be pain. You may not comprehend the impact or the implications of what I'm going to be sharing with you today right at the present, but by the time I get to the end of the message, I think that you will understand it.

[John Weaver] Now, Genesis chapter 10 gives us the divisions of the sons of Noah. After the flood, Noah and his sons and his grandsons populated the earth. They were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These were the sons of Noah, and these sons and their family were given specific territories based upon their languages and upon their families. Now, I know that the Tower of Babel incident is not recorded until Genesis chapter 11. However, Genesis chapter 10 reflects that incident in the sense that there are different tongues that are mentioned here, or different languages. For instance, look in verse 5 of Genesis chapter 10. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. Now skip down to verse 20. These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. Now skip down to verse 31. These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations, and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

[John Weaver] Now, it's interesting when you look back at verse 5, It says, by these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands. And Matthew Poole makes an excellent comment on the word isles. He says the word isles here signifies all the countries that had the sea between them and Judea. And then he lists a number of scriptures. And then he says also that the word isles is oftentimes put for the inhabitants of the land. just like sometimes the word land and earth also reflects the inhabitants of the land. But before I go any further, I want to point out the significance of the word nation, because over and over in chapter 10, you read the word nation, for instance, in verse five, everyone after his tongue, after their families and after their nations.

[John Weaver] And you'll see this all the way through. So I'm going to give you a quote and then we'll give you some scripture. The quote comes from Albert Barnes, where he is actually defining a nation. So we talk about our nation. And what in the world do we mean when we talk about a nation? Well, look at it, if you would, in just a moment in the scripture. But here's what Albert Barnes says. In their nations, we here note the characteristic of a nation. Here are the characteristics of a nation.

[John Weaver] First, it is descended from one head, Others may be occasionally grafted in on the original stock by intermarriage, but there is a vital union subsisting between all the members and the head, in consequence of which the name of the head is applied to the whole body of the nation. And you'll see that when we talk about Esau, the Edomites. Esau is Edom, the Bible says. So we're talking about every nation has one head. He says, secondly, A nation has a country or land which it calls its own.

[John Weaver] And certainly that is true. And then he said, thirdly, a nation has its own tongue. This constitutes at once its unity in itself and its separation from others. Many of the nations in the table may have spoken cognate tongues or even originally the same tongue. Thus the Canaanite, the Phoenician, and the Punic nations have the same stock of languages with the Shemites, but it is a uniform law that one nation has only one speech within itself. Then fourthly, he says this, a nation is composed of many families, clans, or tribes. These branch off from the nation in the same manner as it did from the parent stock of the race.

[John Weaver] So let me show you what he's talking about. So let's look in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 16. Genesis 25 and verse 16. Look at this. In Genesis 25 verse 16, the word of God says this. These are the sons of Ishmael. And these are their names by their towns. and by their castles twelve princes according to their nations so when we talk about a nation now you have to remember it descended from one head and it has its own land it has its own language you have to remember that and uh... so notice if you would now genesis chapter twenty-two i'm sorry genesis twenty-five and look at verse 22, let's see this.

[John Weaver] And the children struggled together within her. We're talking about Rebecca. And she said, if it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said in her, two nations are in thy womb. We're talking about Jacob and Esau. And two manner of people, in other words, two different people, shall be separated from thy bowels. And the one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. So when she was wondering what was happening inside her womb, God says two nations are in there.

[John Weaver] So I want you to remember this. Usually a nation descends from one head. It has its own land. It has its own country. It has its own tongue. And it may be many different families or clans are in that group, but they still descended from one head. So what I'm trying to show you is simply this multiculturalism. Multilinguistics and aliens do not make a nation. They destroy a nation. They are not descendants of the same head. They are not of the same soil. They do not have the same language. And they're not of the same family. And they're not of the same religion. And they do not have the same values.

[John Weaver] So what we're seeing in the invasion of America is not its Strength in diversity, it is its destruction. Now, if you look in Genesis chapter 32 in verse 8, you'll see what God has done, or he has recorded it for us. I'm sorry, not Genesis, but Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy 32 in verse 8. I'm thinking so much of Genesis right now because I want to get to what I want to share with you. But look in Deuteronomy chapter 32 in verse 8. The Word of God says this, when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, look, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. So God then divided the nations, and He separated the sons of Adam, and He set the bounds of the people, so He is the one who sovereignly placed these people in their nations. That is why the Oriental people were in the Orient. And that is why the Western people are in the West.

[John Weaver] In other words, God did this purposefully and deliberately. Now, the same truth is given to us in Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. In that passage, the Bible says, And he, God, hath made one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times beforehand uh... the appointed and their bounds of their habitations before the war actually the world began god appointed the boundaries of every nation is what it mounts to now without the dwelling on this issue god did determine the land and the boundaries of all the nations god placed every nation within its bounds according to deuteronomy thirty-two in verse eight based upon the children of israel So notice, if you would, these families or these nations are made up usually of one family head. They have their own land. They have their own tongue. And thus, when you invade another land, to conquer it, what you're doing basically is destroying that nation. Because everyone wants to have something that they can control that nation in and by.

[John Weaver] Here's what I'm going to show you. Anytime there's an invasion into a nation, it is the destruction of that people. If you will look in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17. 2 Kings chapter 17. Look if you would please, first of all, at verse 6. And I want to show you what the king of Assyria did to the Israelites in the northern kingdom. Look at this. 2nd Kings, chapter 17 and verse 6. The Bible says, In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria and placed them in Hala and in Habor by the river of Gozan in the city of the Medes. So now the king of Assyria has conquered Israel, the northern kingdom. So he takes them and he moves them out of the land and he puts them in Assyria. Now, look, if you would, in verse 24, the same chapter. And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Qata, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel.

[John Weaver] And they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof. Now, you can read the rest of the chapter, but notice what he has done. He's taken the inhabitants of the land out and placed them in a foreign country. So now they are surrounded by people who have a different language, who have different culture, who have different values. And he's taken these strange people and placed them in the land of Israel. And notice, if you read the rest of the chapter, they all had their separate gods. They all speak separate languages.

[John Weaver] They had, there was absolutely no unity. So here's my question. How could there be a rebellion against the king of Syria when there was absolutely no unity? No one could speak the same language. No one had the same values. And since you were moved out of your land and your place where you are, there's nothing now worth fighting for anyhow. So this was basically a means of destroying a people and basically uh...

[John Weaver] being able to control them and enslave them that's exactly what happened now if you will turn right on over in your bibles to the book of nehemiah just a few pages on over nehemiah uh... look if you would and nehemiah chapter thirteen that's what has happened nehemiah chapter thirteen and let's look now beginning there verse twenty three Because of all the intermarriage, of all this that has happened now since the children of Israel came out of Babylon, in Nehemiah chapter 13 and verse 23, the Bible says this, in those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab, and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. Here's absolute total confusion.

[John Weaver] So there cannot be any resistance to anyone or anything when you don't have the same language, you don't have the same religion, you don't have the same family. You're no longer a nation. You're just simply an individual there. So look, if you would, at what has happened in England. They're now fighting each other in the streets. The same thing is true in Ireland. The same thing happens to be true in France. And look, if you would, at Dearborn, Michigan.

[John Weaver] There is no assimilation of these people into our culture. There is no assimilation of them in taking Christianity upon themselves. No. Instead now what they want to do is impose their culture and their religion upon us and demand that we submit to what they think and how they live and how they believe. So we must understand that nations now are usually formed from one head, one family, one language, and they have one culture.

[John Weaver] And anything that is introduced into a nation that's contrary to those things is technically called war. Because you're basically destroying the nation is what it is.

[John Weaver] Now, what I want you to do today is think about the title of this message. What about your children? What about your grandchildren? Are they saved? Are they righteous and obedient before the Lord? Do you pray for them? And do you seek to have influence upon them? And do you seek to instruct them in the ways of the Lord?

[John Weaver] Now, I realize that when you have grown children, that they are on their own and their parents themselves, usually you have very little opportunity to direct the lives of them after they leave home. However, have you thought about this fact? And if you come to this realization, I told you it's a hard message, that your children and your grandchildren may die unsaved. Now that's a hard thought, because as parents and as grandparents, we want what is best for our children and especially for our grandchildren as well.

[John Weaver] As Christians, we desire to see them reared in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In fact, the word of God tells us in Ephesians chapter six that the fathers are to raise them in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. But yet we know, based upon the words of our Lord, that not everyone's going to be saved. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter seven, if you would. Matthew chapter seven. And let's look at verses 13 and 14. Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14. Look at this.

[John Weaver] Our Lord says, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go therein, because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Now skip down to verse 21. Here's our Lord speaking again. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and thy name cast out devils, and thy name done many wonderful works?

[John Weaver] Then while I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Then if you would turn right over, Matthew chapter 25 and you know the story there where our Lord has separated the sheep from the goats and in verse 41 He began speaking to those on the left. Look at it. Then shall he say unto them on the left hand Depart from me you cursed in everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels For I was a hunger than you gave me no meat. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink I was a stranger, and you took me not in.

[John Weaver] Naked, and you clothed me not. Sick and in prison, and you visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungry, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick and in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.

[John Weaver] And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life. eternal.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point something out. I told you this was a hard message. Because it's a difficult thought, it's a harder thought to think that our children or our grandchildren might not be saved or they might die unsaved. I'm going to tell you something that's even a harder thought. And it's not just the fact that our children or our grandchildren might die unsaved, it's also the thought that our children and our grandchildren might turn out to be enemies of Jesus Christ and enemies of the Word of God, and even, yea, our own enemies as well. If I were to ask you to just simply name three of the greatest enemies of Israel in the Old Testament, because in the Old Testament Israel was God's covenant people, But if I were to ask you to name the three greatest enemies, I am sure that you would come up with Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria. Wow. I'll give you a surprise concerning Assyria. Here's a quote from Bill Thederer, and then I'm going to show it to you from the Bible.

[John Weaver] He said, and I'm quoting, The name Assyria is derived from Asher, its ancient capital, sitting on the Tigris River, named after its founder, Asher, the son of Shem, the son of Noah. Now, if you look back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 10, go to Genesis chapter 10. And here's an interesting thing. It's kind of just thrown in the mix all of a sudden. So, notice if you would, verse 11, the Bible says, out of that land went forth Asher and built Nineveh and the city of Rehoboth and Calah. Asher, now skip down to verse 22. the children of Shem, Elam, Asher, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram." Wow! Asher, one of the sons of Shem, built Nineveh. So Assyria originally was started by the son of Shem, which was the son of Noah.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point something out. Assyria was a great great country. It was a big country. And so you had then Western Assyria. So Western Assyria, that was a mouthful. And so instead of calling it Western Assyria, it was shortened in the Bible to just simply Syria. Does that ring a bell to you? You remember Abraham told Eleazar his servant, you're not going to take a wife out of Canaan for my son Isaac. You're going to go back and you're going to get someone from my country, my kindred. Well, if you look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 30, look at this Genesis 25 and verse 30 let's see that is the wrong verse the verse 20 verse 20 I think it is yes verse 20 and Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebecca to wife the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram the sister of Laban the Syrian so it was Isaac Married Rebecca the Syrian, but then Aram the land of Aram. Ah Well now look in your Bibles if you would to chapter 28 and verse 5 28 in verse 5 Look at this Isaac sent away Jacob and he went to the Dan Aram unto Laban son of Bethuel the Syrian the brother of Rebecca Jacob and Esau's brother Then if you will look in

[John Weaver] your Bibles, you've got to see this verse in Deuteronomy chapter 26. Look at this confession that had to be made when you came to offer a gift unto God. Look at this. Deuteronomy chapter 26 and verse 5. God tells them exactly what they have to say. Deuteronomy 26 verse 5. And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God Assyrian ready to perish was my father.

[John Weaver] And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few and became there a nation great, mighty, and populous. Note, Assyrian ready to perish was my father. You have to remember now, Asher was a son of Shem. He initially and originally founded Nineveh in the Assyrian Empire. And yet the Assyrians turned out to be, and I'll explain later, turned out to be a vehement enemy of Israel in the Old Testament. Wow. Now, it is true that when you talk about Egypt and Babylon and Assyria, that they were great enemies.

[John Weaver] But they conquered the Israelites, that is for sure, and subdued them. But let me ask this question. Were there more enemies of Israel in the Old Testament? And the answer is yes. And were there more enemies? There were enemies continually, where Israel was constantly fighting them.

[John Weaver] Now, it's true that Egypt still attacked every now and then. It's true that Babylon and Assyria did every now and then. Yes, there were great captivities, but that was God's judgment. But just stop and think about all the other enemies that they had in the land, who they were fighting with constantly and perpetually. Can you name some of them? Let's name some. Let's see, there was the Philistines for sure. We could just say Canaanites in general, because all of these people lived in Canaan, in Canaan land there. So we could just call them Canaanites, but they were indeed the Philistines, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Argites, They are right are vitodites the hematites.

[John Weaver] You could also call the Amalekites the Moabites and and the Edomites as well Wow, look in your Bibles if you would very quickly to the book of Judges chapter 10 Joshua judges look in Judges chapter 10 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. Look at this In fact, let's just go ahead and read beginning with verse 1 Watch carefully And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years." There's the Midianites. And the hand of Midian, that's an interesting place also, where the Midianites came from. Wow. The Ishmaelites were Midianites, but also you remember Abraham married again after Sarah died, he married Keturah, and one of her sons was Midian. So watch this. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel because of the Midianites of the children of Israel made them the dens, which were the mountains and the caves and strongholds. So the Midianites drove them out of their cities. And so it was when Israel had sown that the Midianites came up and the Amalekites, I'll mention those, and the children of the East, even they came up against them.

[John Weaver] And they encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth till they'll come into Gaza. and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. And they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came up as grasshoppers for multitude. For both they and their camels were without number, and they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel. which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up out of Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you. And I gave you their land, and I said unto you, I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell, but you have not obeyed my voice."

[John Weaver] Now, he said, look, I told you not to do this. But note, if you would, he's talking about the Midianites, he's talking about the Amorites. Hang on. You don't have to turn to all of these. Let me just quote some. In 1 Samuel 7, verse 7, when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together unto Mizpah, then the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. How about this one? 1 Samuel 14, verses 47 and 48. I'll read this one. So Saul took the kingdom over Israel. and fought against all the enemies on every side, against Moab, that's the Moabites, against the children of Ammon, that's the Ammonites, and against Edom, that's the Edomites, and against the kings of Zobah, against the Philistines, and whether so ever he turned himself, he vexed them, and he gathered a host and smoked the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spawned him. So in this chapter, we've talked about the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Philistines, and the Amalekites.

[John Weaver] They were constant enemies of Israel. In 2 Samuel 8, verses 10-14, you'll find also that David fought against Syria, he fought against the Moabites, he fought against the Ammonites, he fought against the Philistines, he fought against the Amalekites, and he also fought against the Edomites.

[John Weaver] Now, here's a question that I've got to ask you. Where did all these people come from? Who birthed these people? I mean, how is it that the people of God had so many enemies on every side that hated them perpetually and constantly and continually? Where did they originate? Before I answer that, I'm going to ask you again. What about your children and your grandchildren? Do you cry for them?

[John Weaver] Do you pray for them? Do you seek to reach them for the Lord Jesus Christ? And have you ever really considered that they may die unsaved, and even worse, they may become an obstinate enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ and His people.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that God usually places His elect in families. He said that in Psalm 68 and verse 6. Let me read it for you. God said it's the solitary in families. He bringeth out those which are bound with chains, but rebellious dwell in a dry land. So let me lay something on you to think about. Godly parents do not always sire godly children. Godly grandparents do not always have godly grandchildren.

[John Weaver] I have taught in Christian schools from the fourth grade through college. I can give you many wonderful stories of children and young people that I've taught. But I have seen young people that were raised in church, went every day to a Christian school, graduated from a Christian school, and turned out to be reprobates. And I've seen children that went to a government school, never went to church, and God saved them, and they turned out extremely godly and holy. I personally know one young man right now.

[John Weaver] His parents were divorced at an early age. His mother was a bar hopper. She drug him around from bar to bar for years. He literally grew up in bars. And yet God saved him and called him to preach, and he's actively preaching even right now. So I'm just saying, when you look at this, and even when you consider the kings of Judah, you don't have to consider the northern kingdom in this and the northern kings because There were no godly kings in the northern kingdom. But when you look at the kings of Judah, you have to ask yourself this question.

[John Weaver] How could an ungodly, reprobate king like Ahaz, and he was a reprobate, he is the one that brought, he saw the altar in Damascus, and had the priest make one like it, and he put it in the house of God, and he worshiped all the gods, and he put all kind of false gods the house of God. How could a wicked ungodly reprobate king like Ahaz produce a godly son like King Hezekiah?

[John Weaver] And then you would have to ask yourself this question. How could a godly king like Hezekiah sire such an ungodly reprobate like Manasseh? It just simply blows your mind. So I ask this question, where did all these people come from? I want to show you. I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 10, if you would, please. Genesis chapter 10.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading with verse six, OK? Genesis 10, verse six. By the way, Japheth was the older son. I know we always say Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and that's how it's recorded in the Bible. But the Bible does say that Japheth was the older. He was the elder. Look in Genesis 10, verse 6. And the sons of Ham, Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan, and the sons of Cush, Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Rehema, and Sabteca, and the sons of Rehema, Sheba, and Dedan, and Cush began Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.

[John Weaver] He was the first tyrant. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord, literally against the Lord. Wherefore, it is said, even Nimrod, the mighty hunter before or against the Lord, and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, or Babel, and Erech and Achad and Kerala in the land of Shinar.

[John Weaver] Now here we have Asher. Out of that land went forth Asher and built Nineveh and the city of Rehoboth and Kala. And Rezin, between Nineveh and Kala, the same is a great city. And Mizoram begat Ludum, and Annamem, and Lehobim, and Neptufim, and Patrasum, they had some names, and Cthulhu him, out of whom came Philistine and Keptorim, and Canaan beget Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth. Are you looking?

[John Weaver] And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Gergesite, and the Hivite, and the Archite, and the Sinite, and the Arvidite, and the Samarite, and the Hamathite, and after the families of the Canaanites spread abroad." Has anything registered in your mind at this particular point? If you'll skip down to verse 20, he says, these are the sons of Ham after their families, after their tongues, after their countries, and in their nations. All of these enemies that we read about throughout the Old Testament came from Ham, the son of Noah. In other words, all of these enemies of God's people were Noah's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were descendants of Noah. That is mind-boggling. Moreover if you look in Genesis chapter 19 Genesis chapter 19 You want to know where the Moabites and the Ammonites came from here it is Genesis chapter 19 look if you would be getting there with verse 30 and Lot went up from Zoar and dwelt in the mountains and his two daughters with him For he feared to dwell in Zoar, and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

[John Weaver] And the firstborn said unto him, said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed to our father. And they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in, lay with their father, and he perceived not when she lay down or when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow that the firstborn said unto the younger, behold, I lay yesterday night with my father. Let us make him drink wine this night also. And go thou in and lie with him, that we may preserve seed to our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him. And he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father, their firstborn bearer of son, and called his name Moab.

[John Weaver] The same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bear a son, and she called his name Ben-Ammi. And the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. So the Moabites and the Ammonites were sons of Lot through incest. And Lot, of course, was the nephew of Abraham. So the Ammonites and the Moabites came from Lot. What about the Amalekites?

[John Weaver] Well, I want you to look in Genesis chapter 36. This may surprise you. In Genesis chapter 36 and verse 12, you're going to find that the Amalekites actually were related to Esau, who was the son of Isaac. Notice, if you would, Genesis chapter 36 and verse 12, the Bible says this. And Temna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son, and she bear to Eliphaz Amalek, These were the sons of Ada Esau's wife. Wow. So Amalek, the Amalekites, were the grandchildren of Esau. Wow.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make this statement so you can see where I'm going. Israel's enemies were of their own family. They were all related. One way or the other, they were all related. Esau was just as much a son of Isaac was Jacob. And Ham was just as much a son of Noah as was Shem and Japheth.

[John Weaver] Now, with this in mind, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 1. I want to show you this. Look in John chapter 1. I'm going to read a passage that probably many of you can quote, but I want to explain it so that you may see it. In John 1, verse 11, the Bible says, he came into his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

[John Weaver] So let me deal with these negatives first. The Bible says, which were born not of blood. Not of blood speaks of ancestry. Neither Grandpa Abraham nor Daddy Isaac could save Esau. Uncle Abraham could not save the Moabites and the Ammonites. And the fact that your father or grandfather were preachers does not matter. Being a direct descendant of Abraham does not matter. Esau was a direct descendant of Abraham. Grandson. Wow.

[John Weaver] You remember what our Lord said? When someone came to him, he was speaking and he said, they said to him, your mother and your brethren are standing without waiting to speak to you. Our Lord said, who is my mother and who are my brethren, but they that do the will of my father in heaven. What was he saying? The earthly ties are gone. You remember when those Jews came out to be baptized of Abraham, of John the Baptist, he said to them, and think not to say within yourselves that we have Abraham to our father, for barely God is able of these stones to raise up children of Abraham.

[John Weaver] He said, Your ancestry means nothing. So many people think today that, well, those folks over in Israel, they are the descendants of Abraham. First, they are not the descendants of Abraham. And secondly, if they were, it wouldn't amount to a hill of beans. Doesn't count for one thing. So our Lord said it's not of blood. And then he says in verse 13, verse 13, nor of the will of the flesh. So the will of the flesh then speaks of natural generation. In other words, it means that we cannot ride on the coattails of our parents and our grandparents.

[John Weaver] It also refers to anything and everything that the corrupt heart could imagine or supposed to do. It's useless. In other words, I heard someone on the radio, a preacher, and they asked this question at the end of the message. Will you make your decision for Christ? I've got news for you. You can make all the decisions you want to. That doesn't amount to a hill of beans. It's not the flesh. It's not the flesh. So he says, which were born not of blood nor the will of flesh, then he said, nor the will of man. The will of man is obviously I cannot will myself into salvation. You cannot will yourself into salvation. None whatsoever.

[John Weaver] Those who are saved are saved to God. Now I want you to look at this. Let's read this. And let's leave out those negatives. OK, watch this. He came unto his own and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God, even them that believe on his name, which were born of God. Now that's it. Those who are saved are born of God. Salvation is of God alone.

[John Weaver] The flesh, blood, ancestry, none of that means anything. If God does not save us, we are unsaved, period. Man cannot do anything and will not be able to do anything to save himself, much less anyone else, much less his children or grandchildren. Okay. Let me try to tie this together for you.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to think with me. We must come to the conclusion and the realization that only God can save our children and grandchildren. And therefore, we cannot be content with education, training, human desire or sentimentality.

[John Weaver] Now, I know that the word of God says, train up a child in the way that he should go. I know that the Bible says, fathers, bring your children up in the nurture and the adventure of the Lord. I know that the Bible requires Christian education. I know that. But no amount of education is going to save anybody, whether it's Christian or not Christian, because Jesus Christ is the Savior.

[John Weaver] Yes, we must educate them in truth. But we cannot depend upon that education to save our children. We must ask God to bless that education and use it to lead them to Jesus Christ, who can save them. You see what I'm saying? And so many times we say, well, we're going to teach our children right. And we hang on to that verse, train up a child in the way that he should go.

[John Weaver] And when he's old, he'll not depart from it. Well, I know a lot of them trained and taught. And they did depart. That is a general promise. And that is saying, with the blessing of God in their lives, they will not. But if the blessing of God is not there, they're going to go away from the truth. That's all there is to it. So the point I'm trying to make is, you remember how Jacob wrestled with God?

[John Weaver] And the angel said, let me go. It's breaking day. And Jacob said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. And so that's the attitude that we have to take concerning our children. and our grandchildren, we have to wrestle with God and say, Lord, please, please have mercy upon my children, upon my grandchildren.

[John Weaver] Now, let me cover something else. I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Luke chapter 16. I want you to see this. Wow. Hang on. I told you it's a hard message, and it is. Here's a good question. Will we know our children and grandchildren in eternity and those that die lost and unsaved? Wow. Will we know our children and grandchildren in eternity that die lost and unsaved?

[John Weaver] I could give you my standard stock answer. We're not going to be any more stupid there than we are here, and if we know them here, we're certainly going to know them there. I'll show you. Look in your Bibles, Luke 16, and let's begin reading there with verse 19. Look at this. There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores. Desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. It came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeing Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. He cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me. and send Lazarus that I may dip the tip of my finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame.

[John Weaver] But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things, and now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from his to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou would ascend him to my father's house, for I have five brethren that he may testify to them lest they come into this place of torment. And Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. He said, Nay, father Abraham.

[John Weaver] But if one went into them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded that one rose from the dead.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note something, if you would please, at this point. The rich man knew Lazarus. He knew that Lazarus was comforted and he knew that he was tormented. The rich man knew Abraham. The rich man knew his five brethren that were lost. They both also knew that there was a great bridge that could not be bridged, or a great gap, a great chasm that could not be bridged between those who were blessed and those who were cursed.

[John Weaver] I told you it's a hard message. But here's the hard truth. Our lost children, our lost grandchildren, Our lost great-grandchildren will be condemned. And we who are saved will stand with Jesus Christ against our own flesh. We will side with Him. We will declare His righteousness, His holiness, and His justice, and we will uphold His determination.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to the book of Revelation, chapter 21, and I want to answer this question. Here it is. Will we weep for our lost children and grandchildren? knowing the absolute justice and righteousness and wholeness of Jesus Christ? And the answer is probably yes. And that's why in verse four of Revelation 21, the Bible says, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away. There have to be tears for God to wipe them away. Now, here's something else. I want you to understand that what happens to families, societies, and nations that forsake the Lord in His can happen in one generation. So I want you to look very quickly at the book of Judges, Chapter 2. I've got one more application after this. We'll look in Judges, Chapter 2. Judges, Chapter 2.

[John Weaver] And notice what is said. I find this extremely not only interesting, but in one sign Sense of the word, mind-boggling. The Bible says in verse 7 of Judges 2, And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died being 110 years old.

[John Weaver] And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath, here it is, at the Mount of Ephraim on the north side of the hill Gaash. Look at this. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers, and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and so were Baal." One generation.

[John Weaver] And the whole nation was gone. One generation. The loss of a family. the loss of society, the loss of a nation. You remember that passage in Acts chapter 20, where the Apostle Paul met with the elders? This is mind boggling. Let me just read it for you. He has met with the elders, and he's telling them that they should beware. Listen to this. In Acts chapter 20, beginning there in verse 28, He tells the elders, take heed therefore unto yourselves, and all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

[John Weaver] And then he says this, also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. What? He said, after I'm gone, We as wolves are going to come in and some of you will start teaching error just to get followers. Wow. Wow. In one generation, everything can be destroyed.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to tell you something about our children, our grandchildren. Here it is. As long as they are alive, there is hope. God may be merciful to our children, our grandchildren, right up to the very last minute. Did you know that there is one deathbed conversion in the Bible? And only one. The thief on the cross. God gives us one deathbed conversion so that none will presume upon the mercy and grace of God. But he gives us one that none may lose hope. And just like God saved that dying thief at the last minute, God may choose to save our lost children and grandchildren at the last minute.

[John Weaver] I had a dear friend whom I buried many, many years ago. His wife and himself were dear friends of ours. In fact, Alice and I called him Mama and Papa, although we were not related whatsoever. He counted us both as his children. And God saved him when he was older. Up until the time God saved him, he was a drunk. I mean, he was a worker, but he was drunk.

[John Weaver] That's all there was to it. He also played a saxophone. He was a musician. He played it beautifully. One of his favorite songs that he played over and over was Wasted Years, Wasted Years, Oh, How Foolish. He often said to me, I just wish I knew when I was a young man what I know now. And he regretted all of his sins and his drunkenness for so many years.

[John Weaver] And I looked at him and I said, Papa, let me explain something to you. If you had heard this truth when you were young, You would not have heard it. You would not have listened. God determined when you were to be born again, and that's when you were born again. The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 1, but when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, Paul said, just like God sovereignly determined the day and the hour I was born physically, God also sovereignly determined the day and the hour that I was born spiritually. And that day in the hour could be up to the very last minute.

[John Weaver] I'm just simply saying, as long as our children and grandchildren are alive, there is hope. It's a hard truth. You don't want to think about these things. But if you really understand this, it should really make you cry to God for mercy. on your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Because if God doesn't save them, they'll never, ever be saved. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray for these, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren. Lord, we ask that you would have mercy upon them. We ask, Father, for a godly seed. We recognize, Lord, that Our enemies can come of our own loins just like they did in the Old Testament. And Father, we do pray for understanding. We pray, Lord, that you'd help us to wrestle with thee for our children and grandchildren. And Father, we ask for your grace and your mercy in their lives. Help us to reach them and to teach them and endeavor to bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray.

[John Weaver] Amen.

[John Weaver] so so

What About Your Children and Grandchildren?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	LQRl-ig6l4Q
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The World And Times Of Jesse James
Genre	Sermon
Date	2024-12-01
Dictation Name
Book	Book 028: The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness — Chapter 32
Source Timed Segments	85

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Reading of Genesis 10:1-5

The sermon opens with the reading of Genesis 10:1-5, introducing the generations of Noah's sons and the division of nations.

I want you to open your Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Genesis chapter 10. Genesis chapter 10. And we're going to read the first five verses. And we'll be looking at a number of passages, but we'll be hanging with Genesis 10 for a little while. So the title of the message, you may think it's strange right now, but the title of the message is, What About Your Children and Your Grandchildren? You'll see. Look in Genesis chapter 10, verse 1.

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

Children as a Heritage and the Painful Truth

Children are a heritage from the Lord, but the message will convey a hard truth: our children and grandchildren may die unsaved.

Now the word of God tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord. In fact, that's what he said in Psalm 127 verses 3 and 4, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth." And so children are indeed the heritage of the Lord. But the Bible also says in Proverbs chapter 17 in verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:6

"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers."

So it's true that grandfathers always dote over their grandchildren, that is for sure. We love our children, and our grandchildren especially. We adore them. I've often said, since I had four daughters, if you hurt one of my daughters, I could hurt you real badly. But if you ever hurt one of my grandchildren, I could chew you up and spit you out and smile while I was doing it. Because children, grandchildren especially, are precious, that is for sure. And grandparents always enjoy spoiling those grandchildren and giving them right back to their parents.

So the message today is a message really that must be preached. And yet I'm going to tell you up front, it is not a very enjoyable message. But it is a truth that must be taught. And it's also going to convey a truth that will hurt in time, but it will certainly be cleared up in eternity as well. But for now, in time and history, there will be pain. You may not comprehend the impact or the implications of what I'm going to be sharing with you today right at the present, but by the time I get to the end of the message, I think that you will understand it.

Biblical Definition of a Nation

Using Genesis 10 and Albert Barnes, a nation is defined as descending from one head, having its own land, language, and families. Multiculturalism destroys a nation.

Now, Genesis chapter 10 gives us the divisions of the sons of Noah. After the flood, Noah and his sons and his grandsons populated the earth. They were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These were the sons of Noah, and these sons and their family were given specific territories based upon their languages and upon their families. Now, I know that the Tower of Babel incident is not recorded until Genesis chapter 11. However, Genesis chapter 10 reflects that incident in the sense that there are different tongues that are mentioned here, or different languages. For instance, look in verse 5 of Genesis chapter 10.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:5, 20, 31

"By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations."

Now skip down to verse 20. "These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations." Now skip down to verse 31.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:5, 20, 31

"These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood."

Now, it's interesting when you look back at verse 5, it says, "By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands." And Matthew Poole makes an excellent comment on the word "isles." He says the word "isles" here signifies all the countries that had the sea between them and Judea. And then he lists a number of scriptures. And then he says also that the word "isles" is oftentimes put for the inhabitants of the land, just like sometimes the word "land" and "earth" also reflects the inhabitants of the land. But before I go any further, I want to point out the significance of the word "nation," because over and over in chapter 10, you read the word "nation," for instance, in verse 5, "every one after his tongue, after their families, and after their nations."

And you'll see this all the way through. So I'm going to give you a quote and then we'll give you some scripture. The quote comes from Albert Barnes, where he is actually defining a nation. So we talk about our nation. And what in the world do we mean when we talk about a nation? Well, look at it, if you would, in just a moment in the scripture. But here's what Albert Barnes says. "In their nations, we here note the characteristic of a nation. Here are the characteristics of a nation."

First, it is descended from one head. Others may be occasionally grafted in on the original stock by intermarriage, but there is a vital union subsisting between all the members and the head, in consequence of which the name of the head is applied to the whole body of the nation. And you'll see that when we talk about Esau, the Edomites. Esau is Edom, the Bible says. So we're talking about every nation has one head. He says, secondly, a nation has a country or land which it calls its own. And certainly that is true. And then he said, thirdly, a nation has its own tongue. This constitutes at once its unity in itself and its separation from others. Many of the nations in the table may have spoken cognate tongues or even originally the same tongue. Thus the Canaanite, the Phoenician, and the Punic nations have the same stock of languages with the Shemites, but it is a uniform law that one nation has only one speech within itself. Then fourthly, he says this, a nation is composed of many families, clans, or tribes. These branch off from the nation in the same manner as it did from the parent stock of the race.

So let me show you what he's talking about. So let's look in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 16. Genesis 25 and verse 16. Look at this. In Genesis 25 verse 16, the word of God says this:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 25:16

"These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations."

So when we talk about a nation, now you have to remember it descended from one head and it has its own land, it has its own language, you have to remember that. And so notice, if you would now, Genesis chapter 25 and look at verse 22, let's see this. "And the children struggled together within her." We're talking about Rebecca. "And she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb." We're talking about Jacob and Esau. "And two manner of people," in other words, two different people, "shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." So when she was wondering what was happening inside her womb, God says two nations are in there.

So I want you to remember this. Usually a nation descends from one head. It has its own land. It has its own country. It has its own tongue. And it may be many different families or clans are in that group, but they still descended from one head. So what I'm trying to show you is simply this: multiculturalism, multilinguistics, and aliens do not make a nation. They destroy a nation. They are not descendants of the same head. They are not of the same soil. They do not have the same language. And they're not of the same family. And they're not of the same religion. And they do not have the same values.

So what we're seeing in the invasion of America is not its strength in diversity, it is its destruction. Now, if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 32 in verse 8, you'll see what God has done, or he has recorded it for us. Deuteronomy 32 in verse 8. I'm thinking so much of Genesis right now because I want to get to what I want to share with you. But look in Deuteronomy chapter 32 in verse 8. The Word of God says this:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 32:8

"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel."

So God then divided the nations, and He separated the sons of Adam, and He set the bounds of the people, so He is the one who sovereignly placed these people in their nations. That is why the Oriental people were in the Orient. And that is why the Western people are in the West.

God's Sovereign Division of Nations

Deuteronomy 32:8 and Acts 17:26 show God determined the boundaries of nations. Invasion destroys a people, as seen in 2 Kings 17 and Nehemiah 13.

In other words, God did this purposefully and deliberately. Now, the same truth is given to us in Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. In that passage, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Acts 17:26

"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation."

Before the world actually began, God appointed the boundaries of every nation is what it amounts to. Now without dwelling on this issue, God did determine the land and the boundaries of all the nations. God placed every nation within its bounds according to Deuteronomy 32 in verse 8 based upon the children of Israel. So notice, if you would, these families or these nations are made up usually of one family head. They have their own land. They have their own tongue. And thus, when you invade another land to conquer it, what you're doing basically is destroying that nation. Because everyone wants to have something that they can control that nation in and by.

Here's what I'm going to show you. Anytime there's an invasion into a nation, it is the destruction of that people. If you will look in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17. 2 Kings chapter 17. Look if you would please, first of all, at verse 6. And I want to show you what the king of Assyria did to the Israelites in the northern kingdom. Look at this. 2 Kings, chapter 17 and verse 6. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:6, 24

"In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes."

So now the king of Assyria has conquered Israel, the northern kingdom. So he takes them and he moves them out of the land and he puts them in Assyria. Now, look, if you would, in verse 24, the same chapter.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:6, 24

"And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel."

"And they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof." Now, you can read the rest of the chapter, but notice what he has done. He's taken the inhabitants of the land out and placed them in a foreign country. So now they are surrounded by people who have a different language, who have different culture, who have different values. And he's taken these strange people and placed them in the land of Israel. And notice, if you read the rest of the chapter, they all had their separate gods. They all speak separate languages. They had, there was absolutely no unity. So here's my question. How could there be a rebellion against the king of Syria when there was absolutely no unity? No one could speak the same language. No one had the same values. And since you were moved out of your land and your place where you are, there's nothing now worth fighting for anyhow. So this was basically a means of destroying a people and basically

being able to control them and enslave them. That's exactly what happened. Now if you will turn right on over in your Bibles to the book of Nehemiah, just a few pages on over, Nehemiah, look if you would in Nehemiah chapter 13. That's what has happened. Nehemiah chapter 13 and let's look now beginning there verse 23. Because of all the intermarriage, of all this that has happened now since the children of Israel came out of Babylon, in Nehemiah chapter 13 and verse 23, the Bible says this:

Scripture Reading — Nehemiah 13:23-24

"In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people."

Here's absolute total confusion.

So there cannot be any resistance to anyone or anything when you don't have the same language, you don't have the same religion, you don't have the same family. You're no longer a nation. You're just simply an individual there. So look, if you would, at what has happened in England. They're now fighting each other in the streets. The same thing is true in Ireland. The same thing happens to be true in France. And look, if you would, at Dearborn, Michigan.

There is no assimilation of these people into our culture. There is no assimilation of them in taking Christianity upon themselves. No. Instead now what they want to do is impose their culture and their religion upon us and demand that we submit to what they think and how they live and how they believe. So we must understand that nations now are usually formed from one head, one family, one language, and they have one culture. And anything that is introduced into a nation that's contrary to those things is technically called war. Because you're basically destroying the nation is what it is.

Now, what I want you to do today is think about the title of this message. What about your children? What about your grandchildren? Are they saved? Are they righteous and obedient before the Lord? Do you pray for them? And do you seek to have influence upon them? And do you seek to instruct them in the ways of the Lord?

The Hard Question: Are Our Children Saved?

The sermon pivots to ask whether our children and grandchildren are saved, noting that many will be lost according to Matthew 7 and 25.

Now, I realize that when you have grown children, that they are on their own and their parents themselves, usually you have very little opportunity to direct the lives of them after they leave home. However, have you thought about this fact? And if you come to this realization, I told you it's a hard message, that your children and your grandchildren may die unsaved. Now that's a hard thought, because as parents and as grandparents, we want what is best for our children and especially for our grandchildren as well. As Christians, we desire to see them reared in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In fact, the word of God tells us in Ephesians chapter 6 that the fathers are to raise them in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. But yet we know, based upon the words of our Lord, that not everyone's going to be saved. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 7, if you would. Matthew chapter 7. And let's look at verses 13 and 14. Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14. Look at this.

Our Lord says,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Now skip down to verse 21. Here's our Lord speaking again. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Then if you would turn right over, Matthew chapter 25 and you know the story there where our Lord has separated the sheep from the goats and in verse 41 He began speaking to those on the left. Look at it. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in."

"Naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

Now, let me point something out. I told you this was a hard message. Because it's a difficult thought, it's a harder thought to think that our children or our grandchildren might not be saved or they might die unsaved. I'm going to tell you something that's even a harder thought. And it's not just the fact that our children or our grandchildren might die unsaved, it's also the thought that our children and our grandchildren might turn out to be enemies of Jesus Christ and enemies of the Word of God, and even, yea, our own enemies as well. If I were to ask you to just simply name three of the greatest enemies of Israel in the Old Testament, because in the Old Testament Israel was God's covenant people, but if I were to ask you to name the three greatest enemies, I am sure that you would come up with Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria. Wow. I'll give you a surprise concerning Assyria. Here's a quote from Bill Thederer, and then I'm going to show it to you from the Bible.

Israel's Enemies Came from Noah's Family

Assyria, founded by Asshur son of Shem, became an enemy. Many other enemies—Philistines, Canaanites, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites—descended from Ham, Lot, and Esau, all relatives of Noah or Abraham.

He said, and I'm quoting, "The name Assyria is derived from Asshur, its ancient capital, sitting on the Tigris River, named after its founder, Asshur, the son of Shem, the son of Noah." Now, if you look back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 10, go to Genesis chapter 10. And here's an interesting thing. It's kind of just thrown in the mix all of a sudden. So, notice if you would, verse 11, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:11, 22

"Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah."

Asshur, now skip down to verse 22. "The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram." Wow! Asshur, one of the sons of Shem, built Nineveh. So Assyria originally was started by the son of Shem, which was the son of Noah.

Now, let me point something out. Assyria was a great great country. It was a big country. And so you had then Western Assyria. So Western Assyria, that was a mouthful. And so instead of calling it Western Assyria, it was shortened in the Bible to just simply Syria. Does that ring a bell to you? You remember Abraham told Eliezer his servant, you're not going to take a wife out of Canaan for my son Isaac. You're going to go back and you're going to get someone from my country, my kindred. Well, if you look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 20, let's see that.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 25:20; 28:5

"And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian."

So it was Isaac married Rebekah the Syrian, but then Aram, the land of Aram. Ah. Well now look in your Bibles if you would to chapter 28 and verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 25:20; 28:5

"And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother."

Then if you will look in

your Bibles, you've got to see this verse in Deuteronomy chapter 26. Look at this confession that had to be made when you came to offer a gift unto God. Look at this. Deuteronomy chapter 26 and verse 5. God tells them exactly what they have to say. Deuteronomy 26 verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 26:5

"And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father."

"And he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous." Note, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father." You have to remember now, Asshur was a son of Shem. He initially and originally founded Nineveh in the Assyrian Empire. And yet the Assyrians turned out to be, and I'll explain later, turned out to be a vehement enemy of Israel in the Old Testament. Wow. Now, it is true that when you talk about Egypt and Babylon and Assyria, that they were great enemies.

But they conquered the Israelites, that is for sure, and subdued them. But let me ask this question. Were there more enemies of Israel in the Old Testament? And the answer is yes. And were there more enemies? There were enemies continually, where Israel was constantly fighting them.

Now, it's true that Egypt still attacked every now and then. It's true that Babylon and Assyria did every now and then. Yes, there were great captivities, but that was God's judgment. But just stop and think about all the other enemies that they had in the land, who they were fighting with constantly and perpetually. Can you name some of them? Let's name some. Let's see, there was the Philistines for sure. We could just say Canaanites in general, because all of these people lived in Canaan, in Canaan land there. So we could just call them Canaanites, but they were indeed the Philistines, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

You could also call the Amalekites, the Moabites, and the Edomites as well. Wow, look in your Bibles if you would very quickly to the book of Judges chapter 10. Judges, look in Judges chapter 10 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. Look at this. In fact, let's just go ahead and read beginning with verse 1. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:6-18

"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years."

There's the Midianites. And the hand of Midian, that's an interesting place also, where the Midianites came from. Wow. The Ishmaelites were Midianites, but also you remember Abraham married again after Sarah died, he married Keturah, and one of her sons was Midian. So watch this.

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:6-18

"And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites,"

I'll mention those,

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:6-18

"and the children of the east, even they came up against them."

"And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; and I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice."

Now, he said, look, I told you not to do this. But note, if you would, he's talking about the Midianites, he's talking about the Amorites. Hang on. You don't have to turn to all of these. Let me just quote some. In 1 Samuel 7, verse 7, "And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel." How about this one? 1 Samuel 14, verses 47 and 48. I'll read this one.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 14:47-48

"So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab,"

that's the Moabites,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 14:47-48

"and against the children of Ammon,"

that's the Ammonites, "and against Edom," that's the Edomites, "and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them." So in this chapter, we've talked about the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Philistines, and the Amalekites.

They were constant enemies of Israel. In 2 Samuel 8, verses 10-14, you'll find also that David fought against Syria, he fought against the Moabites, he fought against the Ammonites, he fought against the Philistines, he fought against the Amalekites, and he also fought against the Edomites. Now, here's a question that I've got to ask you. Where did all these people come from? Who birthed these people? I mean, how is it that the people of God had so many enemies on every side that hated them perpetually and constantly and continually? Where did they originate? Before I answer that, I'm going to ask you again. What about your children and your grandchildren? Do you cry for them?

Do you pray for them? Do you seek to reach them for the Lord Jesus Christ? And have you ever really considered that they may die unsaved, and even worse, they may become an obstinate enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ and His people. Now, it is true that God usually places His elect in families. He said that in Psalm 68 and verse 6. Let me read it for you. "God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." So let me lay something on you to think about. Godly parents do not always sire godly children. Godly grandparents do not always have godly grandchildren.

I have taught in Christian schools from the fourth grade through college. I can give you many wonderful stories of children and young people that I've taught. But I have seen young people that were raised in church, went every day to a Christian school, graduated from a Christian school, and turned out to be reprobates. And I've seen children that went to a government school, never went to church, and God saved them, and they turned out extremely godly and holy. I personally know one young man right now. His parents were divorced at an early age. His mother was a bar hopper. She drug him around from bar to bar for years. He literally grew up in bars. And yet God saved him and called him to preach, and he's actively preaching even right now. So I'm just saying, when you look at this, and even when you consider the kings of Judah, you don't have to consider the northern kingdom in this and the northern kings because there were no godly kings in the northern kingdom. But when you look at the kings of Judah, you have to ask yourself this question.

How could an ungodly, reprobate king like Ahaz, and he was a reprobate, he is the one that brought, he saw the altar in Damascus, and had the priest make one like it, and he put it in the house of God, and he worshiped all the gods, and he put all kind of false gods in the house of God. How could a wicked ungodly reprobate king like Ahaz produce a godly son like King Hezekiah? And then you would have to ask yourself this question. How could a godly king like Hezekiah sire such an ungodly reprobate like Manasseh? It just simply blows your mind. So I ask this question, where did all these people come from? I want to show you. I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 10, if you would, please. Genesis chapter 10.

And let's begin reading with verse 6, OK? Genesis 10, verse 6. By the way, Japheth was the older son. I know we always say Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and that's how it's recorded in the Bible. But the Bible does say that Japheth was the older. He was the elder. Look in Genesis 10, verse 6.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:6-20

"And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth."

He was the first tyrant. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord, literally against the Lord. Wherefore it is said, "Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord." And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Now here we have Asshur. "Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth." Are you looking?

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:6-20

"And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad."

Has anything registered in your mind at this particular point? If you'll skip down to verse 20, he says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:6-20

"These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations."

All of these enemies that we read about throughout the Old Testament came from Ham, the son of Noah. In other words, all of these enemies of God's people were Noah's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were descendants of Noah. That is mind-boggling. Moreover if you look in Genesis chapter 19. Genesis chapter 19. You want to know where the Moabites and the Ammonites came from? Here it is. Genesis chapter 19, look if you would beginning there with verse 30. "And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters."

"And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab."

"The same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day." So the Moabites and the Ammonites were sons of Lot through incest. And Lot, of course, was the nephew of Abraham. So the Ammonites and the Moabites came from Lot. What about the Amalekites? Well, I want you to look in Genesis chapter 36. This may surprise you. In Genesis chapter 36 and verse 12, you're going to find that the Amalekites actually were related to Esau, who was the son of Isaac. Notice, if you would, Genesis chapter 36 and verse 12, the Bible says this:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 36:12

"And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife."

Wow. So Amalek, the Amalekites, were the grandchildren of Esau. Wow.

Now, let me make this statement so you can see where I'm going. Israel's enemies were of their own family. They were all related. One way or the other, they were all related. Esau was just as much a son of Isaac as was Jacob. And Ham was just as much a son of Noah as was Shem and Japheth.

Salvation Is Not of Blood, Flesh, or Will of Man

John 1:11-13 teaches that salvation is not by ancestry, natural generation, or human will, but solely by being born of God. Examples of Ahaz/Hezekiah and Hezekiah/Manasseh illustrate this.

Now, with this in mind, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 1. I want to show you this. Look in John chapter 1. I'm going to read a passage that probably many of you can quote, but I want to explain it so that you may see it. In John 1, verse 11, the Bible says, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

So let me deal with these negatives first. The Bible says, "which were born, not of blood." Not of blood speaks of ancestry. Neither Grandpa Abraham nor Daddy Isaac could save Esau. Uncle Abraham could not save the Moabites and the Ammonites. And the fact that your father or grandfather were preachers does not matter. Being a direct descendant of Abraham does not matter. Esau was a direct descendant of Abraham. Grandson. Wow.

You remember what our Lord said? When someone came to him, he was speaking and he said, they said to him, "Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." Our Lord said, "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?" But he answered and said, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What was he saying? The earthly ties are gone. You remember when those Jews came out to be baptized of John the Baptist, he said to them, "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." He said, Your ancestry means nothing. So many people think today that, well, those folks over in Israel, they are the descendants of Abraham. First, they are not the descendants of Abraham. And secondly, if they were, it wouldn't amount to a hill of beans. Doesn't count for one thing. So our Lord said it's not of blood. And then he says in verse 13, "nor of the will of the flesh." So the will of the flesh then speaks of natural generation. In other words, it means that we cannot ride on the coattails of our parents and our grandparents.

It also refers to anything and everything that the corrupt heart could imagine or supposed to do. It's useless. In other words, I heard someone on the radio, a preacher, and they asked this question at the end of the message. Will you make your decision for Christ? I've got news for you. You can make all the decisions you want to. That doesn't amount to a hill of beans. It's not the flesh. It's not the flesh. So he says, "which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh," then he said, "nor of the will of man." The will of man is obviously I cannot will myself into salvation. You cannot will yourself into salvation. None whatsoever.

Those who are saved are saved of God. Now I want you to look at this. Let's read this. And let's leave out those negatives. OK, watch this. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Now that's it. Those who are saved are born of God. Salvation is of God alone.

The flesh, blood, ancestry, none of that means anything. If God does not save us, we are unsaved, period. Man cannot do anything and will not be able to do anything to save himself, much less anyone else, much less his children or grandchildren. Okay. Let me try to tie this together for you.

Wrestling with God and the Reality of Eternity

We must wrestle with God for our children's souls. Luke 16 shows the lost will be known in eternity, and Revelation 21:4 implies tears for lost loved ones. One generation can lose everything (Judges 2).

Now, I want you to think with me. We must come to the conclusion and the realization that only God can save our children and grandchildren. And therefore, we cannot be content with education, training, human desire or sentimentality. Now, I know that the word of God says, "Train up a child in the way he should go." I know that the Bible says, "Fathers, bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." I know that the Bible requires Christian education. I know that. But no amount of education is going to save anybody, whether it's Christian or not Christian, because Jesus Christ is the Savior. Yes, we must educate them in truth. But we cannot depend upon that education to save our children. We must ask God to bless that education and use it to lead them to Jesus Christ, who can save them. You see what I'm saying? And so many times we say, well, we're going to teach our children right. And we hang on to that verse, "Train up a child in the way he should go."

"And when he is old, he will not depart from it." Well, I know a lot of them trained and taught. And they did depart. That is a general promise. And that is saying, with the blessing of God in their lives, they will not. But if the blessing of God is not there, they're going to go away from the truth. That's all there is to it. So the point I'm trying to make is, you remember how Jacob wrestled with God?

And the angel said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." And Jacob said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." And so that's the attitude that we have to take concerning our children and our grandchildren, we have to wrestle with God and say, "Lord, please, please have mercy upon my children, upon my grandchildren." Now, let me cover something else. I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Luke chapter 16. I want you to see this. Wow. Hang on. I told you it's a hard message, and it is. Here's a good question. Will we know our children and grandchildren in eternity, those that die lost and unsaved? Wow. Will we know our children and grandchildren in eternity that die lost and unsaved?

I could give you my standard stock answer. We're not going to be any more stupid there than we are here, and if we know them here, we're certainly going to know them there. I'll show you. Look in your Bibles, Luke 16, and let's begin reading there with verse 19. Look at this. "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."

"But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham." "But if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Now, I want you to note something, if you would please, at this point. The rich man knew Lazarus. He knew that Lazarus was comforted and he knew that he was tormented. The rich man knew Abraham. The rich man knew his five brethren that were lost. They both also knew that there was a great gulf that could not be bridged, or a great gap, a great chasm that could not be bridged between those who were blessed and those who were cursed. I told you it's a hard message. But here's the hard truth. Our lost children, our lost grandchildren, our lost great-grandchildren will be condemned. And we who are saved will stand with Jesus Christ against our own flesh. We will side with Him. We will declare His righteousness, His holiness, and His justice, and we will uphold His determination.

Now, I want you to turn to the book of Revelation, chapter 21, and I want to answer this question. Here it is. Will we weep for our lost children and grandchildren, knowing the absolute justice and righteousness and holiness of Jesus Christ? And the answer is probably yes. And that's why in verse 4 of Revelation 21, the Bible says, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." There have to be tears for God to wipe them away. Now, here's something else. I want you to understand that what happens to families, societies, and nations that forsake the Lord can happen in one generation. So I want you to look very quickly at the book of Judges, Chapter 2. I've got one more application after this. We'll look in Judges, Chapter 2. Judges, Chapter 2.

And notice what is said. I find this extremely not only interesting, but in one sense of the word, mind-boggling. The Bible says in verse 7 of Judges 2, "And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old." "And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim." One generation.

And the whole nation was gone. One generation. The loss of a family, the loss of society, the loss of a nation. You remember that passage in Acts chapter 20, where the Apostle Paul met with the elders? This is mind boggling. Let me just read it for you. He has met with the elders, and he's telling them that they should beware. Listen to this. In Acts chapter 20, beginning there in verse 28, He tells the elders, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."

Hope While There Is Life

As long as our children are alive, there is hope. The thief on the cross is the one deathbed conversion, given so none may presume but none may lose hope. God sovereignly determines the time of spiritual birth.

Now, I want to tell you something about our children, our grandchildren. Here it is. As long as they are alive, there is hope. God may be merciful to our children, our grandchildren, right up to the very last minute. Did you know that there is one deathbed conversion in the Bible? And only one. The thief on the cross. God gives us one deathbed conversion so that none will presume upon the mercy and grace of God. But he gives us one that none may lose hope. And just like God saved that dying thief at the last minute, God may choose to save our lost children and grandchildren at the last minute.

I had a dear friend whom I buried many, many years ago. His wife and himself were dear friends of ours. In fact, Alice and I called him Mama and Papa, although we were not related whatsoever. He counted us both as his children. And God saved him when he was older. Up until the time God saved him, he was a drunk. I mean, he was a worker, but he was drunk.

That's all there was to it. He also played a saxophone. He was a musician. He played it beautifully. One of his favorite songs that he played over and over was "Wasted Years, Wasted Years, Oh, How Foolish." He often said to me, "I just wish I knew when I was a young man what I know now." And he regretted all of his sins and his drunkenness for so many years. And I looked at him and I said, "Papa, let me explain something to you. If you had heard this truth when you were young, you would not have heard it. You would not have listened. God determined when you were to be born again, and that's when you were born again." The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 1, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace." Paul said, just like God sovereignly determined the day and the hour I was born physically, God also sovereignly determined the day and the hour that I was born spiritually. And that day and hour could be up to the very last minute.

I'm just simply saying, as long as our children and grandchildren are alive, there is hope. It's a hard truth. You don't want to think about these things. But if you really understand this, it should really make you cry to God for mercy on your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Because if God doesn't save them, they'll never, ever be saved. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray for these, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren. Lord, we ask that you would have mercy upon them. We ask, Father, for a godly seed. We recognize, Lord, that our enemies can come of our own loins just like they did in the Old Testament. And Father, we do pray for understanding. We pray, Lord, that you'd help us to wrestle with thee for our children and grandchildren. And Father, we ask for your grace and your mercy in their lives. Help us to reach them and to teach them and endeavor to bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray.

Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical Definition of a Nation

Summary: A nation is defined by common descent, land, language, and families. Multiculturalism and invasion destroy a nation.

Evidence: Genesis 10:5, 20, 31; Albert Barnes quote; Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26; 2 Kings 17; Nehemiah 13.

Enemies from Within the Family

Summary: Israel's greatest enemies—Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites, Assyrians—were descendants of Noah, Lot, and Esau, all relatives.

Evidence: Genesis 10:6-20; Genesis 19:30-38; Genesis 36:12; Judges 10; 1 Samuel 14:47-48.

Salvation Is of God Alone

Summary: Salvation is not by blood (ancestry), will of the flesh (human effort), or will of man (decision), but only by being born of God.

Evidence: John 1:11-13; Matthew 3:9; examples of Ahaz/Hezekiah and Hezekiah/Manasseh.

The Sobering Reality of Lost Children

Summary: Our children and grandchildren may die unsaved and even become enemies of Christ. We will know them in eternity and may weep, but God will wipe away tears.

Evidence: Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23; Matthew 25:41-46; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 21:4.

The Necessity of Wrestling with God in Prayer

Summary: We must wrestle with God like Jacob for our children's salvation, not relying on education or training alone.

Evidence: Genesis 32:26; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4.

Hope While There Is Life

Summary: As long as our children are alive, there is hope. God may save them at the last minute, as with the thief on the cross.

Evidence: Luke 23:39-43; Galatians 1:15; personal story of 'Papa'.

Key Arguments

Multiculturalism Destroys a Nation

Summary: A nation requires common descent, land, language, and culture. Introducing foreign elements is an act of war that destroys national identity.

Evidence: Genesis 10:5, 20, 31; Albert Barnes definition; 2 Kings 17:24; Nehemiah 13:23-24.

Israel's Enemies Were Family Members

Summary: The Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites, and Assyrians all descended from Noah, Lot, or Esau, showing that enemies can arise from one's own lineage.

Evidence: Genesis 10:6-20; Genesis 19:30-38; Genesis 36:12; Judges 10; 1 Samuel 14:47-48.

Ancestry Cannot Save

Summary: Being a descendant of Abraham or having godly parents does not guarantee salvation. Esau was a grandson of Abraham but was lost.

Evidence: John 1:13; Matthew 3:9; Matthew 12:46-50.

Human Effort Cannot Save

Summary: Salvation is not by the will of the flesh or the will of man; no decision or work can save. Only God can save.

Evidence: John 1:13; Ephesians 2:8-9.

We Will Know Lost Loved Ones in Eternity

Summary: The rich man in Luke 16 knew Lazarus, Abraham, and his brothers. There will be tears for lost family, but God will wipe them away.

Evidence: Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 21:4.

One Generation Can Lose Everything

Summary: Judges 2:7-11 shows that after Joshua's generation died, the next generation did not know the Lord. Apostasy can happen quickly.

Evidence: Judges 2:7-11; Acts 20:28-30.

God's Sovereignty in the Timing of Salvation

Summary: God determines the day and hour of spiritual birth, just as He does physical birth. Paul's conversion illustrates this.

Evidence: Galatians 1:15; personal story of 'Papa'.

Scripture References

Genesis 10:1-5

Context: Read at the opening to introduce the generations of Noah's sons and the division of nations.

Psalm 127:3-4

Context: Quoted to establish that children are a heritage from the Lord.

Proverbs 17:6

Context: Cited to show that grandchildren are the crown of old men.

Genesis 10:5, 20, 31

Context: Used to demonstrate the biblical pattern of nations divided by families, tongues, and lands.

Genesis 25:16

Context: Shows that Ishmael's sons were twelve princes according to their nations, illustrating the one-head principle.

Genesis 25:22-23

Context: God tells Rebekah that two nations are in her womb, referring to Jacob and Esau.

Deuteronomy 32:8

Context: God divided the nations and set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

Acts 17:26

Context: God determined the times and boundaries of nations.

2 Kings 17:6, 24

Context: Assyria's conquest and relocation of Israel, and the importation of foreigners, illustrating the destruction of a nation.

Nehemiah 13:23-24

Context: Children of mixed marriages spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, showing confusion and loss of national identity.

Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23

Context: Jesus teaches that few find the narrow way and many will be told 'I never knew you.'

Matthew 25:41-46

Context: The goats are sent into everlasting punishment, showing the reality of eternal judgment.

Genesis 10:11, 22

Context: Asshur, son of Shem, built Nineveh, showing Assyria's origin from Noah's family.

Genesis 25:20; 28:5

Context: Rebekah and Laban are called Syrians, linking the patriarchs to Syria/Assyria.

Deuteronomy 26:5

Context: The confession 'A Syrian ready to perish was my father' ties Israel's ancestry to Syria.

Judges 10:6-18

Context: Lists Midianites, Amalekites, and others as enemies, and God's rebuke for serving Amorite gods.

1 Samuel 14:47-48

Context: Saul fought against Moab, Ammon, Edom, Philistines, and Amalekites—constant enemies.

Genesis 10:6-20

Context: The descendants of Ham include Canaan, Philistim, and the Canaanite tribes—all enemies of Israel.

Genesis 19:30-38

Context: Moab and Ben-ammi (fathers of Moabites and Ammonites) were born of Lot's incest with his daughters.

Genesis 36:12

Context: Amalek was the grandson of Esau, making the Amalekites relatives of Israel.

Historical References

Albert Barnes

Context: Quoted for his definition of a nation: descended from one head, has its own land, language, and families.

Matthew Poole

Context: Comment on the word 'isles' in Genesis 10:5, signifying countries separated by sea from Judea.

Bill Thederer

Context: Quoted stating that the name Assyria is derived from Asshur, son of Shem, who founded Nineveh.

Assyrian Empire

Context: Founded by Asshur, son of Shem; later became a great enemy of Israel, conquering the northern kingdom.

King Ahaz and King Hezekiah

Context: Ahaz was a wicked king who introduced idolatry, yet his son Hezekiah was godly. Hezekiah's son Manasseh was wicked.

Dearborn, Michigan

Context: Used as a modern example of lack of assimilation and imposition of foreign culture.

Important Quotes

Multiculturalism, multilinguistics, and aliens do not make a nation. They destroy a nation.

Significance: Summarizes the sermon's argument that a nation requires common descent, language, and culture, and that diversity undermines national identity.

Israel's enemies were of their own family. They were all related.

Significance: Highlights the shocking truth that the enemies of God's people came from Noah's own descendants, applying it to the potential for our own children to become enemies.

Those who are saved are born of God. Salvation is of God alone.

Significance: Emphasizes the core doctrine that salvation is entirely God's work, not dependent on human ancestry, effort, or decision.

We must come to the conclusion and the realization that only God can save our children and grandchildren.

Significance: Drives home the application that parents must rely on God's sovereign grace, not on education or training alone.

As long as they are alive, there is hope.

Significance: Offers comfort and motivation for persistent prayer, holding out the possibility of last-minute conversion.

God gives us one deathbed conversion so that none will presume upon the mercy and grace of God. But he gives us one that none may lose hope.

Significance: Explains the purpose of the thief on the cross as the sole biblical example of a deathbed conversion, balancing warning and hope.

Discussion Questions

How does the biblical definition of a nation (common descent, land, language) challenge modern ideas of multiculturalism and immigration?

Context: Based on the teaching from Genesis 10 and Albert Barnes' definition.

Why is it significant that Israel's enemies—Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites, etc.—were descendants of Noah, Lot, and Esau? How does this relate to our own families?

Context: Drawing from the genealogies in Genesis 10, 19, and 36.

What does John 1:13 mean when it says we are born 'not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man'? How should this affect our view of raising children in the faith?

Context: Explaining the three negatives in John 1:13.

How should the reality that we may know our lost loved ones in eternity (Luke 16) and that God will wipe away tears (Revelation 21:4) impact our prayers and evangelism?

Context: Discussing the rich man and Lazarus and the promise of no more tears.

What does it mean to 'wrestle with God' for our children's salvation, and how can we practically do this?

Context: Referencing Jacob's wrestling in Genesis 32 and the call to persistent prayer.

How does the example of one generation losing the faith in Judges 2 warn us today? What steps can we take to prevent this?

Context: From Judges 2:7-11 and Acts 20:28-30.

How can we hold onto hope for unsaved children without presuming on God's grace? What does the thief on the cross teach us?

Context: Discussing the balance between hope and presumption from the one deathbed conversion.

Applications

Pray Persistently for Children and Grandchildren

Summary: We must wrestle with God in prayer for the salvation of our children and grandchildren, recognizing that only God can save them.

Evidence: Genesis 32:26; the sermon's repeated call to cry out to God for mercy.

Do Not Trust in Ancestry or Religious Upbringing

Summary: Having godly parents or a Christian education does not guarantee salvation. We must not presume upon our heritage but rely on God's grace.

Evidence: John 1:13; Matthew 3:9; examples of Ahaz/Hezekiah and Hezekiah/Manasseh.

Teach and Train, but Depend on God

Summary: While we must educate our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we cannot depend on that education to save them; we must ask God to bless it and lead them to Christ.

Evidence: Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6; the sermon's caution against relying on training alone.

Maintain Hope as Long as They Live

Summary: We should never give up hope for our lost children and grandchildren, because God may save them at the last moment, as with the thief on the cross.

Evidence: Luke 23:39-43; Galatians 1:15; personal story of 'Papa'.

Guard Against Apostasy in One Generation

Summary: We must be vigilant to pass on the faith to the next generation, lest they arise not knowing the Lord, as in Judges 2.

Evidence: Judges 2:7-11; Acts 20:28-30.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:33:08Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:28:49Z

Clean Transcript

What About Your Children and Grandchildren?

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Genesis chapter 10. Genesis chapter 10. And we're going to read the first five verses. And we'll be looking at a number of passages, but we'll be hanging with Genesis 10 for a little while. So the title of the message, you may think it's strange right now, but the title of the message is, What About Your Children and Your Grandchildren? You'll see. Look in Genesis chapter 10, verse 1.
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Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
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Now the word of God tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord. In fact, that's what he said in Psalm 127 verses 3 and 4, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth." And so children are indeed the heritage of the Lord.
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But the Bible also says in Proverbs chapter 17 in verse 6, "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." So it's true that grandfathers always dote over their grandchildren, that is for sure. We love our children, and our grandchildren especially. We adore them. I've often said, since I had four daughters, if you hurt one of my daughters, I could hurt you real badly. But if you ever hurt one of my grandchildren, I could chew you up and spit you out and smile while I was doing it. Because children, grandchildren especially, are precious, that is for sure. And grandparents always enjoy spoiling those grandchildren and giving them right back to their parents.
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So the message today is a message really that must be preached. And yet I'm going to tell you up front, it is not a very enjoyable message. But it is a truth that must be taught. And it's also going to convey a truth that will hurt in time, but it will certainly be cleared up in eternity as well. But for now, in time and history, there will be pain. You may not comprehend the impact or the implications of what I'm going to be sharing with you today right at the present, but by the time I get to the end of the message, I think that you will understand it.
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Now, Genesis chapter 10 gives us the divisions of the sons of Noah. After the flood, Noah and his sons and his grandsons populated the earth. They were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These were the sons of Noah, and these sons and their family were given specific territories based upon their languages and upon their families. Now, I know that the Tower of Babel incident is not recorded until Genesis chapter 11. However, Genesis chapter 10 reflects that incident in the sense that there are different tongues that are mentioned here, or different languages. For instance, look in verse 5 of Genesis chapter 10. "By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations." Now skip down to verse 20. "These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations." Now skip down to verse 31. "These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood."
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Now, it's interesting when you look back at verse 5, it says, "By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands." And Matthew Poole makes an excellent comment on the word "isles." He says the word "isles" here signifies all the countries that had the sea between them and Judea. And then he lists a number of scriptures. And then he says also that the word "isles" is oftentimes put for the inhabitants of the land, just like sometimes the word "land" and "earth" also reflects the inhabitants of the land. But before I go any further, I want to point out the significance of the word "nation," because over and over in chapter 10, you read the word "nation," for instance, in verse 5, "every one after his tongue, after their families, and after their nations."
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And you'll see this all the way through. So I'm going to give you a quote and then we'll give you some scripture. The quote comes from Albert Barnes, where he is actually defining a nation. So we talk about our nation. And what in the world do we mean when we talk about a nation? Well, look at it, if you would, in just a moment in the scripture. But here's what Albert Barnes says. "In their nations, we here note the characteristic of a nation. Here are the characteristics of a nation."
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First, it is descended from one head. Others may be occasionally grafted in on the original stock by intermarriage, but there is a vital union subsisting between all the members and the head, in consequence of which the name of the head is applied to the whole body of the nation. And you'll see that when we talk about Esau, the Edomites. Esau is Edom, the Bible says. So we're talking about every nation has one head. He says, secondly, a nation has a country or land which it calls its own.
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And certainly that is true. And then he said, thirdly, a nation has its own tongue. This constitutes at once its unity in itself and its separation from others. Many of the nations in the table may have spoken cognate tongues or even originally the same tongue. Thus the Canaanite, the Phoenician, and the Punic nations have the same stock of languages with the Shemites, but it is a uniform law that one nation has only one speech within itself. Then fourthly, he says this, a nation is composed of many families, clans, or tribes. These branch off from the nation in the same manner as it did from the parent stock of the race.
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So let me show you what he's talking about. So let's look in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 16. Genesis 25 and verse 16. Look at this. In Genesis 25 verse 16, the word of God says this: "These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations." So when we talk about a nation, now you have to remember it descended from one head and it has its own land, it has its own language, you have to remember that. And so notice, if you would now, Genesis chapter 25 and look at verse 22, let's see this.
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"And the children struggled together within her." We're talking about Rebecca. "And she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb." We're talking about Jacob and Esau. "And two manner of people," in other words, two different people, "shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." So when she was wondering what was happening inside her womb, God says two nations are in there.
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So I want you to remember this. Usually a nation descends from one head. It has its own land. It has its own country. It has its own tongue. And it may be many different families or clans are in that group, but they still descended from one head. So what I'm trying to show you is simply this: multiculturalism, multilinguistics, and aliens do not make a nation. They destroy a nation. They are not descendants of the same head. They are not of the same soil. They do not have the same language. And they're not of the same family. And they're not of the same religion. And they do not have the same values.
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So what we're seeing in the invasion of America is not its strength in diversity, it is its destruction. Now, if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 32 in verse 8, you'll see what God has done, or he has recorded it for us. Deuteronomy 32 in verse 8. I'm thinking so much of Genesis right now because I want to get to what I want to share with you. But look in Deuteronomy chapter 32 in verse 8. The Word of God says this: "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." So God then divided the nations, and He separated the sons of Adam, and He set the bounds of the people, so He is the one who sovereignly placed these people in their nations. That is why the Oriental people were in the Orient. And that is why the Western people are in the West.
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In other words, God did this purposefully and deliberately. Now, the same truth is given to us in Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. In that passage, the Bible says, "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." Before the world actually began, God appointed the boundaries of every nation is what it amounts to. Now without dwelling on this issue, God did determine the land and the boundaries of all the nations. God placed every nation within its bounds according to Deuteronomy 32 in verse 8 based upon the children of Israel. So notice, if you would, these families or these nations are made up usually of one family head. They have their own land. They have their own tongue. And thus, when you invade another land to conquer it, what you're doing basically is destroying that nation. Because everyone wants to have something that they can control that nation in and by.
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Here's what I'm going to show you. Anytime there's an invasion into a nation, it is the destruction of that people. If you will look in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17. 2 Kings chapter 17. Look if you would please, first of all, at verse 6. And I want to show you what the king of Assyria did to the Israelites in the northern kingdom. Look at this. 2 Kings, chapter 17 and verse 6. The Bible says, "In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes." So now the king of Assyria has conquered Israel, the northern kingdom. So he takes them and he moves them out of the land and he puts them in Assyria. Now, look, if you would, in verse 24, the same chapter. "And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel."
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"And they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof." Now, you can read the rest of the chapter, but notice what he has done. He's taken the inhabitants of the land out and placed them in a foreign country. So now they are surrounded by people who have a different language, who have different culture, who have different values. And he's taken these strange people and placed them in the land of Israel. And notice, if you read the rest of the chapter, they all had their separate gods. They all speak separate languages.
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They had, there was absolutely no unity. So here's my question. How could there be a rebellion against the king of Syria when there was absolutely no unity? No one could speak the same language. No one had the same values. And since you were moved out of your land and your place where you are, there's nothing now worth fighting for anyhow. So this was basically a means of destroying a people and basically
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being able to control them and enslave them. That's exactly what happened. Now if you will turn right on over in your Bibles to the book of Nehemiah, just a few pages on over, Nehemiah, look if you would in Nehemiah chapter 13. That's what has happened. Nehemiah chapter 13 and let's look now beginning there verse 23. Because of all the intermarriage, of all this that has happened now since the children of Israel came out of Babylon, in Nehemiah chapter 13 and verse 23, the Bible says this: "In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people." Here's absolute total confusion.
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So there cannot be any resistance to anyone or anything when you don't have the same language, you don't have the same religion, you don't have the same family. You're no longer a nation. You're just simply an individual there. So look, if you would, at what has happened in England. They're now fighting each other in the streets. The same thing is true in Ireland. The same thing happens to be true in France. And look, if you would, at Dearborn, Michigan.
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There is no assimilation of these people into our culture. There is no assimilation of them in taking Christianity upon themselves. No. Instead now what they want to do is impose their culture and their religion upon us and demand that we submit to what they think and how they live and how they believe. So we must understand that nations now are usually formed from one head, one family, one language, and they have one culture.
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And anything that is introduced into a nation that's contrary to those things is technically called war. Because you're basically destroying the nation is what it is.
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Now, what I want you to do today is think about the title of this message. What about your children? What about your grandchildren? Are they saved? Are they righteous and obedient before the Lord? Do you pray for them? And do you seek to have influence upon them? And do you seek to instruct them in the ways of the Lord?
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Now, I realize that when you have grown children, that they are on their own and their parents themselves, usually you have very little opportunity to direct the lives of them after they leave home. However, have you thought about this fact? And if you come to this realization, I told you it's a hard message, that your children and your grandchildren may die unsaved. Now that's a hard thought, because as parents and as grandparents, we want what is best for our children and especially for our grandchildren as well.
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As Christians, we desire to see them reared in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In fact, the word of God tells us in Ephesians chapter 6 that the fathers are to raise them in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. But yet we know, based upon the words of our Lord, that not everyone's going to be saved. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 7, if you would. Matthew chapter 7. And let's look at verses 13 and 14. Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14. Look at this.
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Our Lord says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Now skip down to verse 21. Here's our Lord speaking again. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?"
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"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Then if you would turn right over, Matthew chapter 25 and you know the story there where our Lord has separated the sheep from the goats and in verse 41 He began speaking to those on the left. Look at it. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in."
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"Naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."
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"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
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Now, let me point something out. I told you this was a hard message. Because it's a difficult thought, it's a harder thought to think that our children or our grandchildren might not be saved or they might die unsaved. I'm going to tell you something that's even a harder thought. And it's not just the fact that our children or our grandchildren might die unsaved, it's also the thought that our children and our grandchildren might turn out to be enemies of Jesus Christ and enemies of the Word of God, and even, yea, our own enemies as well. If I were to ask you to just simply name three of the greatest enemies of Israel in the Old Testament, because in the Old Testament Israel was God's covenant people, but if I were to ask you to name the three greatest enemies, I am sure that you would come up with Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria. Wow. I'll give you a surprise concerning Assyria. Here's a quote from Bill Thederer, and then I'm going to show it to you from the Bible.
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He said, and I'm quoting, "The name Assyria is derived from Asshur, its ancient capital, sitting on the Tigris River, named after its founder, Asshur, the son of Shem, the son of Noah." Now, if you look back in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 10, go to Genesis chapter 10. And here's an interesting thing. It's kind of just thrown in the mix all of a sudden. So, notice if you would, verse 11, the Bible says, "Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah." Asshur, now skip down to verse 22. "The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram." Wow! Asshur, one of the sons of Shem, built Nineveh. So Assyria originally was started by the son of Shem, which was the son of Noah.
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Now, let me point something out. Assyria was a great great country. It was a big country. And so you had then Western Assyria. So Western Assyria, that was a mouthful. And so instead of calling it Western Assyria, it was shortened in the Bible to just simply Syria. Does that ring a bell to you? You remember Abraham told Eliezer his servant, you're not going to take a wife out of Canaan for my son Isaac. You're going to go back and you're going to get someone from my country, my kindred. Well, if you look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 20, let's see that. "And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian." So it was Isaac married Rebekah the Syrian, but then Aram, the land of Aram. Ah. Well now look in your Bibles if you would to chapter 28 and verse 5. "And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother." Then if you will look in
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your Bibles, you've got to see this verse in Deuteronomy chapter 26. Look at this confession that had to be made when you came to offer a gift unto God. Look at this. Deuteronomy chapter 26 and verse 5. God tells them exactly what they have to say. Deuteronomy 26 verse 5. "And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father."
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"And he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous." Note, "A Syrian ready to perish was my father." You have to remember now, Asshur was a son of Shem. He initially and originally founded Nineveh in the Assyrian Empire. And yet the Assyrians turned out to be, and I'll explain later, turned out to be a vehement enemy of Israel in the Old Testament. Wow. Now, it is true that when you talk about Egypt and Babylon and Assyria, that they were great enemies.
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But they conquered the Israelites, that is for sure, and subdued them. But let me ask this question. Were there more enemies of Israel in the Old Testament? And the answer is yes. And were there more enemies? There were enemies continually, where Israel was constantly fighting them.
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Now, it's true that Egypt still attacked every now and then. It's true that Babylon and Assyria did every now and then. Yes, there were great captivities, but that was God's judgment. But just stop and think about all the other enemies that they had in the land, who they were fighting with constantly and perpetually. Can you name some of them? Let's name some. Let's see, there was the Philistines for sure. We could just say Canaanites in general, because all of these people lived in Canaan, in Canaan land there. So we could just call them Canaanites, but they were indeed the Philistines, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.
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You could also call the Amalekites, the Moabites, and the Edomites as well. Wow, look in your Bibles if you would very quickly to the book of Judges chapter 10. Judges, look in Judges chapter 10 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. Look at this. In fact, let's just go ahead and read beginning with verse 1. Watch carefully. "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years." There's the Midianites. And the hand of Midian, that's an interesting place also, where the Midianites came from. Wow. The Ishmaelites were Midianites, but also you remember Abraham married again after Sarah died, he married Keturah, and one of her sons was Midian. So watch this. "And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites," I'll mention those, "and the children of the east, even they came up against them."
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"And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; and I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice."
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Now, he said, look, I told you not to do this. But note, if you would, he's talking about the Midianites, he's talking about the Amorites. Hang on. You don't have to turn to all of these. Let me just quote some. In 1 Samuel 7, verse 7, "And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel." How about this one? 1 Samuel 14, verses 47 and 48. I'll read this one. "So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab," that's the Moabites, "and against the children of Ammon," that's the Ammonites, "and against Edom," that's the Edomites, "and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them." So in this chapter, we've talked about the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Philistines, and the Amalekites.
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They were constant enemies of Israel. In 2 Samuel 8, verses 10-14, you'll find also that David fought against Syria, he fought against the Moabites, he fought against the Ammonites, he fought against the Philistines, he fought against the Amalekites, and he also fought against the Edomites.
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Now, here's a question that I've got to ask you. Where did all these people come from? Who birthed these people? I mean, how is it that the people of God had so many enemies on every side that hated them perpetually and constantly and continually? Where did they originate? Before I answer that, I'm going to ask you again. What about your children and your grandchildren? Do you cry for them?
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Do you pray for them? Do you seek to reach them for the Lord Jesus Christ? And have you ever really considered that they may die unsaved, and even worse, they may become an obstinate enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ and His people.
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Now, it is true that God usually places His elect in families. He said that in Psalm 68 and verse 6. Let me read it for you. "God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." So let me lay something on you to think about. Godly parents do not always sire godly children. Godly grandparents do not always have godly grandchildren.
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I have taught in Christian schools from the fourth grade through college. I can give you many wonderful stories of children and young people that I've taught. But I have seen young people that were raised in church, went every day to a Christian school, graduated from a Christian school, and turned out to be reprobates. And I've seen children that went to a government school, never went to church, and God saved them, and they turned out extremely godly and holy. I personally know one young man right now.
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His parents were divorced at an early age. His mother was a bar hopper. She drug him around from bar to bar for years. He literally grew up in bars. And yet God saved him and called him to preach, and he's actively preaching even right now. So I'm just saying, when you look at this, and even when you consider the kings of Judah, you don't have to consider the northern kingdom in this and the northern kings because there were no godly kings in the northern kingdom. But when you look at the kings of Judah, you have to ask yourself this question.
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How could an ungodly, reprobate king like Ahaz, and he was a reprobate, he is the one that brought, he saw the altar in Damascus, and had the priest make one like it, and he put it in the house of God, and he worshiped all the gods, and he put all kind of false gods in the house of God. How could a wicked ungodly reprobate king like Ahaz produce a godly son like King Hezekiah?
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And then you would have to ask yourself this question. How could a godly king like Hezekiah sire such an ungodly reprobate like Manasseh? It just simply blows your mind. So I ask this question, where did all these people come from? I want to show you. I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 10, if you would, please. Genesis chapter 10.
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And let's begin reading with verse 6, OK? Genesis 10, verse 6. By the way, Japheth was the older son. I know we always say Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and that's how it's recorded in the Bible. But the Bible does say that Japheth was the older. He was the elder. Look in Genesis 10, verse 6. "And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth."
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He was the first tyrant. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord, literally against the Lord. Wherefore it is said, "Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord." And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
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Now here we have Asshur. "Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, and Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth." Are you looking?
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"And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad." Has anything registered in your mind at this particular point? If you'll skip down to verse 20, he says, "These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations." All of these enemies that we read about throughout the Old Testament came from Ham, the son of Noah. In other words, all of these enemies of God's people were Noah's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were descendants of Noah. That is mind-boggling. Moreover if you look in Genesis chapter 19. Genesis chapter 19. You want to know where the Moabites and the Ammonites came from? Here it is. Genesis chapter 19, look if you would beginning there with verse 30. "And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters."
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"And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab."
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"The same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day." So the Moabites and the Ammonites were sons of Lot through incest. And Lot, of course, was the nephew of Abraham. So the Ammonites and the Moabites came from Lot. What about the Amalekites?
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Well, I want you to look in Genesis chapter 36. This may surprise you. In Genesis chapter 36 and verse 12, you're going to find that the Amalekites actually were related to Esau, who was the son of Isaac. Notice, if you would, Genesis chapter 36 and verse 12, the Bible says this: "And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife." Wow. So Amalek, the Amalekites, were the grandchildren of Esau. Wow.
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Now, let me make this statement so you can see where I'm going. Israel's enemies were of their own family. They were all related. One way or the other, they were all related. Esau was just as much a son of Isaac as was Jacob. And Ham was just as much a son of Noah as was Shem and Japheth.
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Now, with this in mind, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 1. I want to show you this. Look in John chapter 1. I'm going to read a passage that probably many of you can quote, but I want to explain it so that you may see it. In John 1, verse 11, the Bible says, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
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So let me deal with these negatives first. The Bible says, "which were born, not of blood." Not of blood speaks of ancestry. Neither Grandpa Abraham nor Daddy Isaac could save Esau. Uncle Abraham could not save the Moabites and the Ammonites. And the fact that your father or grandfather were preachers does not matter. Being a direct descendant of Abraham does not matter. Esau was a direct descendant of Abraham. Grandson. Wow.
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You remember what our Lord said? When someone came to him, he was speaking and he said, they said to him, "Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." Our Lord said, "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?" But he answered and said, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What was he saying? The earthly ties are gone. You remember when those Jews came out to be baptized of John the Baptist, he said to them, "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."
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He said, Your ancestry means nothing. So many people think today that, well, those folks over in Israel, they are the descendants of Abraham. First, they are not the descendants of Abraham. And secondly, if they were, it wouldn't amount to a hill of beans. Doesn't count for one thing. So our Lord said it's not of blood. And then he says in verse 13, "nor of the will of the flesh." So the will of the flesh then speaks of natural generation. In other words, it means that we cannot ride on the coattails of our parents and our grandparents.
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It also refers to anything and everything that the corrupt heart could imagine or supposed to do. It's useless. In other words, I heard someone on the radio, a preacher, and they asked this question at the end of the message. Will you make your decision for Christ? I've got news for you. You can make all the decisions you want to. That doesn't amount to a hill of beans. It's not the flesh. It's not the flesh. So he says, "which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh," then he said, "nor of the will of man." The will of man is obviously I cannot will myself into salvation. You cannot will yourself into salvation. None whatsoever.
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Those who are saved are saved of God. Now I want you to look at this. Let's read this. And let's leave out those negatives. OK, watch this. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Now that's it. Those who are saved are born of God. Salvation is of God alone.
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The flesh, blood, ancestry, none of that means anything. If God does not save us, we are unsaved, period. Man cannot do anything and will not be able to do anything to save himself, much less anyone else, much less his children or grandchildren. Okay. Let me try to tie this together for you.
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Now, I want you to think with me. We must come to the conclusion and the realization that only God can save our children and grandchildren. And therefore, we cannot be content with education, training, human desire or sentimentality.
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Now, I know that the word of God says, "Train up a child in the way he should go." I know that the Bible says, "Fathers, bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." I know that the Bible requires Christian education. I know that. But no amount of education is going to save anybody, whether it's Christian or not Christian, because Jesus Christ is the Savior.
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Yes, we must educate them in truth. But we cannot depend upon that education to save our children. We must ask God to bless that education and use it to lead them to Jesus Christ, who can save them. You see what I'm saying? And so many times we say, well, we're going to teach our children right. And we hang on to that verse, "Train up a child in the way he should go."
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"And when he is old, he will not depart from it." Well, I know a lot of them trained and taught. And they did depart. That is a general promise. And that is saying, with the blessing of God in their lives, they will not. But if the blessing of God is not there, they're going to go away from the truth. That's all there is to it. So the point I'm trying to make is, you remember how Jacob wrestled with God?
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And the angel said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." And Jacob said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." And so that's the attitude that we have to take concerning our children and our grandchildren, we have to wrestle with God and say, "Lord, please, please have mercy upon my children, upon my grandchildren."
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Now, let me cover something else. I want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Luke chapter 16. I want you to see this. Wow. Hang on. I told you it's a hard message, and it is. Here's a good question. Will we know our children and grandchildren in eternity, those that die lost and unsaved? Wow. Will we know our children and grandchildren in eternity that die lost and unsaved?
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I could give you my standard stock answer. We're not going to be any more stupid there than we are here, and if we know them here, we're certainly going to know them there. I'll show you. Look in your Bibles, Luke 16, and let's begin reading there with verse 19. Look at this. "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."
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"But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham."
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"But if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
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Now, I want you to note something, if you would please, at this point. The rich man knew Lazarus. He knew that Lazarus was comforted and he knew that he was tormented. The rich man knew Abraham. The rich man knew his five brethren that were lost. They both also knew that there was a great gulf that could not be bridged, or a great gap, a great chasm that could not be bridged between those who were blessed and those who were cursed.
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I told you it's a hard message. But here's the hard truth. Our lost children, our lost grandchildren, our lost great-grandchildren will be condemned. And we who are saved will stand with Jesus Christ against our own flesh. We will side with Him. We will declare His righteousness, His holiness, and His justice, and we will uphold His determination.
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Now, I want you to turn to the book of Revelation, chapter 21, and I want to answer this question. Here it is. Will we weep for our lost children and grandchildren, knowing the absolute justice and righteousness and holiness of Jesus Christ? And the answer is probably yes. And that's why in verse 4 of Revelation 21, the Bible says, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." There have to be tears for God to wipe them away. Now, here's something else. I want you to understand that what happens to families, societies, and nations that forsake the Lord can happen in one generation. So I want you to look very quickly at the book of Judges, Chapter 2. I've got one more application after this. We'll look in Judges, Chapter 2. Judges, Chapter 2.
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And notice what is said. I find this extremely not only interesting, but in one sense of the word, mind-boggling. The Bible says in verse 7 of Judges 2, "And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old."
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"And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim." One generation.
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And the whole nation was gone. One generation. The loss of a family, the loss of society, the loss of a nation. You remember that passage in Acts chapter 20, where the Apostle Paul met with the elders? This is mind boggling. Let me just read it for you. He has met with the elders, and he's telling them that they should beware. Listen to this. In Acts chapter 20, beginning there in verse 28, He tells the elders, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
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And then he says this, "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." What? He said, after I'm gone, wolves are going to come in and some of you will start teaching error just to get followers. Wow. Wow. In one generation, everything can be destroyed.
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Now, I want to tell you something about our children, our grandchildren. Here it is. As long as they are alive, there is hope. God may be merciful to our children, our grandchildren, right up to the very last minute. Did you know that there is one deathbed conversion in the Bible? And only one. The thief on the cross. God gives us one deathbed conversion so that none will presume upon the mercy and grace of God. But he gives us one that none may lose hope. And just like God saved that dying thief at the last minute, God may choose to save our lost children and grandchildren at the last minute.
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I had a dear friend whom I buried many, many years ago. His wife and himself were dear friends of ours. In fact, Alice and I called him Mama and Papa, although we were not related whatsoever. He counted us both as his children. And God saved him when he was older. Up until the time God saved him, he was a drunk. I mean, he was a worker, but he was drunk.
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That's all there was to it. He also played a saxophone. He was a musician. He played it beautifully. One of his favorite songs that he played over and over was "Wasted Years, Wasted Years, Oh, How Foolish." He often said to me, "I just wish I knew when I was a young man what I know now." And he regretted all of his sins and his drunkenness for so many years.
#81 | 59:50 to 1:00:24 | cleaned
And I looked at him and I said, "Papa, let me explain something to you. If you had heard this truth when you were young, you would not have heard it. You would not have listened. God determined when you were to be born again, and that's when you were born again." The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 1, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace." Paul said, just like God sovereignly determined the day and the hour I was born physically, God also sovereignly determined the day and the hour that I was born spiritually. And that day and hour could be up to the very last minute.
#82 | 1:00:26 to 1:01:16 | cleaned
I'm just simply saying, as long as our children and grandchildren are alive, there is hope. It's a hard truth. You don't want to think about these things. But if you really understand this, it should really make you cry to God for mercy on your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Because if God doesn't save them, they'll never, ever be saved. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray for these, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren. Lord, we ask that you would have mercy upon them. We ask, Father, for a godly seed. We recognize, Lord, that our enemies can come of our own loins just like they did in the Old Testament. And Father, we do pray for understanding. We pray, Lord, that you'd help us to wrestle with thee for our children and grandchildren. And Father, we ask for your grace and your mercy in their lives. Help us to reach them and to teach them and endeavor to bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray.
#83 | 1:01:17 to 1:02:46 | cleaned
Amen.
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so so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:33:08Z

What About Your Children and Grandchildren?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

This sermon examines the biblical definition of a nation and traces the origins of Israel's enemies to Noah's own descendants, particularly through Ham. It then applies this to the sobering reality that godly parents and grandparents may see their own children and grandchildren die unsaved or even become enemies of Christ. The message emphasizes that salvation is solely of God, not of blood, flesh, or human will, and urges persistent prayer and wrestling with God for the souls of the next generations, while holding onto hope as long as they live.

Introduction and Reading of Genesis 10:1-5

The sermon opens with the reading of Genesis 10:1-5, introducing the generations of Noah's sons and the division of nations.

Children as a Heritage and the Painful Truth

Children are a heritage from the Lord, but the message will convey a hard truth: our children and grandchildren may die unsaved.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 17:6

"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers."

Biblical Definition of a Nation

Using Genesis 10 and Albert Barnes, a nation is defined as descending from one head, having its own land, language, and families. Multiculturalism destroys a nation.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:5, 20, 31

"By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations."

Now skip down to verse 20. "These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations." Now skip down to verse 31.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:5, 20, 31

"These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood."

So let me show you what he's talking about. So let's look in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 25 and verse 16. Genesis 25 and verse 16. Look at this. In Genesis 25 verse 16, the word of God says this:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 25:16

"These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 32:8

"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel."

God's Sovereign Division of Nations

Deuteronomy 32:8 and Acts 17:26 show God determined the boundaries of nations. Invasion destroys a people, as seen in 2 Kings 17 and Nehemiah 13.

In other words, God did this purposefully and deliberately. Now, the same truth is given to us in Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. In that passage, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Acts 17:26

"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation."

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:6, 24

"In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes."

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:6, 24

"And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel."

Scripture Reading — Nehemiah 13:23-24

"In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people."

Here's absolute total confusion.

The Hard Question: Are Our Children Saved?

The sermon pivots to ask whether our children and grandchildren are saved, noting that many will be lost according to Matthew 7 and 25.

Our Lord says,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Israel's Enemies Came from Noah's Family

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:11, 22

"Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 25:20; 28:5

"And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian."

So it was Isaac married Rebekah the Syrian, but then Aram, the land of Aram. Ah. Well now look in your Bibles if you would to chapter 28 and verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 25:20; 28:5

"And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother."

Then if you will look in

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 26:5

"And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father."

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:6-18

"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years."

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:6-18

"And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites,"

I'll mention those,

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:6-18

"and the children of the east, even they came up against them."

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 14:47-48

"So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab,"

that's the Moabites,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 14:47-48

"and against the children of Ammon,"

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:6-20

"And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:6-20

"And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad."

Has anything registered in your mind at this particular point? If you'll skip down to verse 20, he says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 10:6-20

"These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 36:12

"And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife."

Wow. So Amalek, the Amalekites, were the grandchildren of Esau. Wow.

Salvation Is Not of Blood, Flesh, or Will of Man

John 1:11-13 teaches that salvation is not by ancestry, natural generation, or human will, but solely by being born of God. Examples of Ahaz/Hezekiah and Hezekiah/Manasseh illustrate this.

Wrestling with God and the Reality of Eternity

Hope While There Is Life

Amen.

What About Your Children and Grandchildren?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	LQRl-ig6l4Q
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The World And Times Of Jesse James
Genre	Sermon
Date	2024-12-01
Dictation Name
Book	Book 028: The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness — Chapter 32
Source Timed Segments	85

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Reading of Genesis 10:1-5: The sermon opens with the reading of Genesis 10:1-5, introducing the generations of Noah's sons and the division of nations.
Children as a Heritage and the Painful Truth: Children are a heritage from the Lord, but the message will convey a hard truth: our children and grandchildren may die unsaved.
Biblical Definition of a Nation: Using Genesis 10 and Albert Barnes, a nation is defined as descending from one head, having its own land, language, and families. Multiculturalism destroys a nation.
God's Sovereign Division of Nations: Deuteronomy 32:8 and Acts 17:26 show God determined the boundaries of nations. Invasion destroys a people, as seen in 2 Kings 17 and Nehemiah 13.
The Hard Question: Are Our Children Saved?: The sermon pivots to ask whether our children and grandchildren are saved, noting that many will be lost according to Matthew 7 and 25.
Israel's Enemies Came from Noah's Family: Assyria, founded by Asshur son of Shem, became an enemy. Many other enemies—Philistines, Canaanites, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites—descended from Ham, Lot, and Esau, all relatives of Noah or Abraham.
Salvation Is Not of Blood, Flesh, or Will of Man: John 1:11-13 teaches that salvation is not by ancestry, natural generation, or human will, but solely by being born of God. Examples of Ahaz/Hezekiah and Hezekiah/Manasseh illustrate this.
Wrestling with God and the Reality of Eternity: We must wrestle with God for our children's souls. Luke 16 shows the lost will be known in eternity, and Revelation 21:4 implies tears for lost loved ones. One generation can lose everything (Judges 2).
Hope While There Is Life: As long as our children are alive, there is hope. The thief on the cross is the one deathbed conversion, given so none may presume but none may lose hope. God sovereignly determines the time of spiritual birth.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Multiculturalism Destroys a Nation

A nation requires common descent, land, language, and culture. Introducing foreign elements is an act of war that destroys national identity.

Genesis 10:5, 20, 31; Albert Barnes definition; 2 Kings 17:24; Nehemiah 13:23-24.

Israel's Enemies Were Family Members

The Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Amalekites, and Assyrians all descended from Noah, Lot, or Esau, showing that enemies can arise from one's own lineage.

Genesis 10:6-20; Genesis 19:30-38; Genesis 36:12; Judges 10; 1 Samuel 14:47-48.

Ancestry Cannot Save

Being a descendant of Abraham or having godly parents does not guarantee salvation. Esau was a grandson of Abraham but was lost.

John 1:13; Matthew 3:9; Matthew 12:46-50.

Human Effort Cannot Save

Salvation is not by the will of the flesh or the will of man; no decision or work can save. Only God can save.

John 1:13; Ephesians 2:8-9.

We Will Know Lost Loved Ones in Eternity

The rich man in Luke 16 knew Lazarus, Abraham, and his brothers. There will be tears for lost family, but God will wipe them away.

Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 21:4.

One Generation Can Lose Everything

Judges 2:7-11 shows that after Joshua's generation died, the next generation did not know the Lord. Apostasy can happen quickly.

Judges 2:7-11; Acts 20:28-30.

God's Sovereignty in the Timing of Salvation

God determines the day and hour of spiritual birth, just as He does physical birth. Paul's conversion illustrates this.

Galatians 1:15; personal story of 'Papa'.

Scripture References

Genesis 10:1-5: Read at the opening to introduce the generations of Noah's sons and the division of nations.
Psalm 127:3-4: Quoted to establish that children are a heritage from the Lord.
Proverbs 17:6: Cited to show that grandchildren are the crown of old men.
Genesis 10:5, 20, 31: Used to demonstrate the biblical pattern of nations divided by families, tongues, and lands.
Genesis 25:16: Shows that Ishmael's sons were twelve princes according to their nations, illustrating the one-head principle.
Genesis 25:22-23: God tells Rebekah that two nations are in her womb, referring to Jacob and Esau.
Deuteronomy 32:8: God divided the nations and set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Acts 17:26: God determined the times and boundaries of nations.
2 Kings 17:6, 24: Assyria's conquest and relocation of Israel, and the importation of foreigners, illustrating the destruction of a nation.
Nehemiah 13:23-24: Children of mixed marriages spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, showing confusion and loss of national identity.
Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23: Jesus teaches that few find the narrow way and many will be told 'I never knew you.'
Matthew 25:41-46: The goats are sent into everlasting punishment, showing the reality of eternal judgment.
Genesis 10:11, 22: Asshur, son of Shem, built Nineveh, showing Assyria's origin from Noah's family.
Genesis 25:20; 28:5: Rebekah and Laban are called Syrians, linking the patriarchs to Syria/Assyria.
Deuteronomy 26:5: The confession 'A Syrian ready to perish was my father' ties Israel's ancestry to Syria.
Judges 10:6-18: Lists Midianites, Amalekites, and others as enemies, and God's rebuke for serving Amorite gods.
1 Samuel 14:47-48: Saul fought against Moab, Ammon, Edom, Philistines, and Amalekites—constant enemies.
Genesis 10:6-20: The descendants of Ham include Canaan, Philistim, and the Canaanite tribes—all enemies of Israel.
Genesis 19:30-38: Moab and Ben-ammi (fathers of Moabites and Ammonites) were born of Lot's incest with his daughters.
Genesis 36:12: Amalek was the grandson of Esau, making the Amalekites relatives of Israel.

Historical References

Albert Barnes: Quoted for his definition of a nation: descended from one head, has its own land, language, and families.
Matthew Poole: Comment on the word 'isles' in Genesis 10:5, signifying countries separated by sea from Judea.
Bill Thederer: Quoted stating that the name Assyria is derived from Asshur, son of Shem, who founded Nineveh.
Assyrian Empire: Founded by Asshur, son of Shem; later became a great enemy of Israel, conquering the northern kingdom.
King Ahaz and King Hezekiah: Ahaz was a wicked king who introduced idolatry, yet his son Hezekiah was godly. Hezekiah's son Manasseh was wicked.
Dearborn, Michigan: Used as a modern example of lack of assimilation and imposition of foreign culture.

Important Quotes

Multiculturalism, multilinguistics, and aliens do not make a nation. They destroy a nation.

Summarizes the sermon's argument that a nation requires common descent, language, and culture, and that diversity undermines national identity.

Israel's enemies were of their own family. They were all related.

Highlights the shocking truth that the enemies of God's people came from Noah's own descendants, applying it to the potential for our own children to become enemies.

Those who are saved are born of God. Salvation is of God alone.

Emphasizes the core doctrine that salvation is entirely God's work, not dependent on human ancestry, effort, or decision.

We must come to the conclusion and the realization that only God can save our children and grandchildren.

Drives home the application that parents must rely on God's sovereign grace, not on education or training alone.

As long as they are alive, there is hope.

Offers comfort and motivation for persistent prayer, holding out the possibility of last-minute conversion.

God gives us one deathbed conversion so that none will presume upon the mercy and grace of God. But he gives us one that none may lose hope.

Explains the purpose of the thief on the cross as the sole biblical example of a deathbed conversion, balancing warning and hope.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the biblical definition of a nation (common descent, land, language) challenge modern ideas of multiculturalism and immigration?

[Context]

Based on the teaching from Genesis 10 and Albert Barnes' definition.

[Question]

Why is it significant that Israel's enemies—Canaanites, Philistines, Moabites, etc.—were descendants of Noah, Lot, and Esau? How does this relate to our own families?

[Context]

Drawing from the genealogies in Genesis 10, 19, and 36.

[Question]

What does John 1:13 mean when it says we are born 'not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man'? How should this affect our view of raising children in the faith?

[Context]

Explaining the three negatives in John 1:13.

[Question]

How should the reality that we may know our lost loved ones in eternity (Luke 16) and that God will wipe away tears (Revelation 21:4) impact our prayers and evangelism?

[Context]

Discussing the rich man and Lazarus and the promise of no more tears.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'wrestle with God' for our children's salvation, and how can we practically do this?

[Context]

Referencing Jacob's wrestling in Genesis 32 and the call to persistent prayer.

[Question]

How does the example of one generation losing the faith in Judges 2 warn us today? What steps can we take to prevent this?

[Context]

From Judges 2:7-11 and Acts 20:28-30.

[Question]

How can we hold onto hope for unsaved children without presuming on God's grace? What does the thief on the cross teach us?

[Context]

Discussing the balance between hope and presumption from the one deathbed conversion.

Applications

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