Hear the Trumpet

In the Old Testament, God raised up Ezekiel to speak to the people of Judah living as exiles in Babylon, a consequence for their idolatry. He was called to be a watchman, to let his voice be a trumpet warning to them.

“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’” - Ezekiel 33:1-6

Fast forward to today, a trumpet is being blown.

In 2006, Barna Group released an alarming report about the next generation. In the study, it was found that 60% of young people that grow up active in the church will leave the Christian faith by the time they are adults. Since then, additional research has shown a noticeable rise in the number of Americans who identify as religiously unaffiliated, especially in the younger generations. In fact, according to another Barna study, atheism has doubled among Generation Z. For at least two decades now, the statistics have been sounding a warning: Christians are losing the battle for the next generation.

Amos 3:6 says, “When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble?”

As Christians, what is our response? Does the news stir up any reaction in us? Are we going to heed the warning and take action or remain unmoved as the enemy fights for the souls of the young people in our homes and churches?

Now is the time to hear the trumpet. Now is the time to fight for the next generation!

The great news is God has given us the battle plan to victory.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

In this passage, God calls parents to a life of discipleship. We are to wholeheartedly love God and follow Him. It is through this daily talking, walking, and standing on God’s Word that we pass on our faith to our kids.

Jesus modeled this with his life. He loved God above all things and faithfully obeyed Him, a daily surrendering of His will to do the will of God the Father. The result is that he made disciples, and those disciples, at the command of Jesus, went out and made disciples. As present-day Christians, we stand as proof that discipleship works.

Yet the trumpet sounds. Why? If discipleship works, then why are the majority of Christian-raised kids walking away from Jesus?

As parents, we need to humbly examine our lives to answer this question. Does the fruit of our lives show a passionate love for God and desire to follow Him at any cost? Or do our lives show a love and pursuit for the things of this world: possessions, pleasures, popularity, and power?

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

God loved the Israelites, which is why he sent people like Ezekiel to sound the trumpet to call them to repent and turn back to Him. God also loves us. As sinners prone to wander, let us humble ourselves before God and repent of our idolatrous ways. Let us trust that God is faithful to forgive us and heal our families.

There is a spiritual battle for the next generation. Praise God that He is sounding the call. Let us hear the trumpet and take action. Let us boldly follow Jesus and equip our children to do the same. No matter where we find our families in the battle right now, let us remember David’s words to Goliath, “The battle is the Lord’s.”