Psalms 78:6 “That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.”
The “works of God” are so many and so mighty that it would not be possible to enumerate and illustrate them all. But, the Psalmist is referring to those things that can be learned and understood from the Word of God. As with Old Testament Israel, when the Children of God are well blessed and prosperous and at ease in safety, then they begin to be lax in their worshipful attention to “the works of God”, they begin to spend less and less time reading and learning the Word of God, they begin to not take time to teach it to their children, and they begin to not attend Church regularly. As time goes on, they eventually “forget the works of God” and they raise up another generation after them that knows virtually nothing about “the works of God”! Consequently, they produce “a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit” is “not stedfast with God”. This ignorance of “the works of God” is like a devastating plague that spreads rapidly through the people; for, they are attracted to carnal things, and they are guided by the lusts of the flesh. Thus, they plummet themselves into spiritual lethargy and greatly imperil themselves, and they lose the joy of our God’s gracious and merciful and loving deliverance and care in this present life. Israel was warned: “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.” (Hosea 13:9). And many in our day are similarly “willingly … ignorant of … the word of God” (II Peter 3:5). And Paul warns us to not make their mistake: “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:20-22). Let us take heed, and “Consider the work of God” (Ecclesiastes 7:13) that we might worship the Lord our God and enjoy the blessings of His grace and mercy in this present life!