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: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
God requires that His works, word, teachings, law, and requirements be taught from one generation to the next, so that children yet to be born will learn them and in turn arise and declare them to their own children. The purpose is that each generation may place its hope in God, remember His works, keep His commandments, be trained to serve and obey Him, and avoid the rebellion of those who went before. The psalm preserves the history of the rich blessings God bestowed on His people and their poor return for all His benefits, showing how Israel constantly worked against a good God and through disobedience brought upon themselves the sure result of their own course. God had these dealings composed into song so the people could keep them in memory as they journeyed, and they were written for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come, to be studied by the youth for reproof, warning, encouragement, and rich promises. That instruction recounts God's deliverance of Israel and the promises of the coming Redeemer by figures and symbols to fix the lessons in memory, and it lays a solemn duty on parents and all believers to faithfully train children and to make earnest, self-sacrificing efforts as fishers of men for those who do not know the truth.
History Preserved in Song
The psalm recounts the rich blessings God bestowed upon His people. It sets beside those benefits their poor response and poor return for all He had done for them. Its history was kept so that the generation to come would know it. It records that the children of Israel worked constantly against a good God, and that through their disobedience they were brought into the state that was the sure result of their own course of action. Under rebuke and chastisement they repented, but under temptation they fell again through self-indulgence and self-gratification.
God had His dealings with Israel composed into song so that as the people marched in the wilderness they would keep time and step together as they journeyed. That song was for the same end, that the generation to come would know those dealings and would arise to declare them to their children. It was written for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come. It should be made an object of study in schools, giving youth meat in due season in reproof, in warning, in encouragement, and in rich promises.
Passing Truth to Generations
God's works, word, teachings, testimony, law, and requirements are to be taught from one generation to the next, so that children yet to be born will learn them and in turn arise and declare them to their own children. That transmission belongs to parents and to the whole people, carrying what God has spoken and done forward without break into the unborn future. The instruction includes recounting God's deliverance of Israel and the promises of the coming Redeemer, using figures and symbols to fix the lessons in memory.
Its purpose is that each generation may place its hope in God, remember His works, and keep His commandments. By it the young are trained to serve God and obey His law, and are guarded against repeating the rebellion of earlier generations. Faithful parental training that tells children of God's wonderful works is part of the Christian's duty to bless others and represent Jesus.
The verse also lays a solemn work on God's people to be far in advance in understanding eternal realities and to arouse to the duty of explaining the truths of the Word to those who do not know them. That duty is to be done by beginning earnest, self-sacrificing efforts as fishers of men for those perishing in their sins, with the certainty that those who sow the seeds of truth will reap a rich harvest of good no human mind can estimate. It calls for unity, harmony, and coming into line instead of division, with J. H. Kellogg uniting more with ministers of the gospel and ministers changing their attitude toward him, especially so the world is not given a testimony of division over health reform. It reproves dishonoring God by branching out to consult lawyers and leaning on the arm of the law rather than coming into harmony with the church, which greatly displeases God and gives a wrong example, like going to the god of Ekron to inquire.