The Characteristics of the New Generation of Fighting Men: #7 – Be the Priest in Your Home

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Posted by rfathers on January 20, 2010

As Joshua prepared the people of Israel for his own death, he brought them together to recount to them the goodness of God and how God had kept them over the years. He charged the people to make a deliberate decision to serve the Lord. Joshua gave them a choice to serve the gods of Abraham’s ancestors, the gods of Egypt, the gods of the Amorites or the one true God Jehovah.

Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.

But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15 NIV)

Joshua spoke on behalf of his household as leader and priest of his family. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Every man, husband and father needs to make this same declaration today – if you have not done so already – that your household will serve the Lord.

Apparently, even at the point when Joshua was near his own end, about 50 years after coming into the Promised Land there was still a problem with false gods in Israel. In verse 23 of Joshua 24, He told the people to put away … the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

This shows that idolatry was still an issue among the Israelites even years after leaving Egypt and after the old generation of fighting men had been consumed in the dessert. Was this a prime reason why the old generation of fighting men refused to take the Promised Land that God had promised them? Were they powerless to fight because they were not serving the Lord?

Idolatry never stops being an issue because the enemy never stops trying to separate us from God. But also, as long as we are in the world we will have outside influences that help to make false gods look attractive. That is why God had laws against the marrying non-believers (Deuteronomy 7:3; 2 Kings 11:2) because they could entice us to follow other gods. And that is why the Apostle Paul told us:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV)

We must protect what God has given to us and be sure not to entertain that which can set us against God.

There are still false gods – even among Christians today – that need to be weeded out. That is why every man needs to be a priest in their own household and proclaim that as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

What is the Role of a Priest In the Home?

1. First off the man in responsible for his own salvation. That is, he is responsible to submit to God and to serve God.
2. Second, the man, husband, father is responsible to lead the members of his household in receiving the Lord the Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Yes, only the Holy Spirit can do the saving – but, the man, husband, father must follow the Lord and create an atmosphere where each individual has the opportunity to come to the Lord.
3. Third, the man, husband, father is responsible for creating the atmosphere where everyone has the opportunity to develop in their walk with the Lord. Yes, everyone is responsible for their own submission to the Lord, but the man should set the tone. Active family involvement in prayer and the study of God’s word is only the first step. This must be followed by careful regulation of outside and un-Godly influences being present in the home. Jesus made it clear, either you serve God – or you don’t (Matthew 6:24).

Are you a priest in your home? If not, are you ready to move to that level?

Let us know how this post impacts you. Please give us your comments below.

This is the last of seven posts on the Characteristics of the New Generation of Fighting Men.

In our next post we will begin a new series of seven entries on the Characteristics of the Fighting Army. You might ask, “What is the difference?” In the first series on the Fight Men we looked at what each man is individually responsible for while the series on the Fighting Army will talk about the structure, organization and approach of the Army as a whole – as an institution – and how it facilitates for the development of the men and the nation.

Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.