There is a parable about generational cycles, stating that “My grandfather walked 10 miles to work, my father walked 5 miles, I drive a Cadillac, my son a Mercedes, my grandson a Ferrari, and my great-grandson will be walking again.” The reason given for this is that “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times” (Original quote by G. Michael Hopf). Too much comfort can make future generations less strong and less disciplined. This may lead to new challenges.
The biblical Book of Judges shows this idea of generational cycles in detail. We can see a clear pattern of sin, repentance and deliverance. Deliverance leads to prosperity. And with prosperity comes a return to moral decadence, then the children of Israel fall into sin once again. We often forget that the stories in the book take place over more than 300 years, not just one year. This gives us enough time to see this principle in action. Peace achieved by the “strong men” (Judges) leads to the complacency and moral failure of the next generation, thus creating the conditions for the cycle to restart.
This generational pattern is an important theme in the Book of Judges. As someone who wants to watch over your world, you soon learn to study and understand these kinds of generational patterns. You must be able to see the truth about your home, community or industry. And see where things are headed if God does not intervene through you. The solution to this generational problem is to raise strong disciples in every season. That way, we will always have “strong men” in every generation. When you begin to prosper, do not lower the Christian standard.
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