How does Exodus 10:2 connect with Deuteronomy 6:7 about teaching children? Passing Down the Story of God’s Power Exodus 10:2: “and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how severely I dealt with the Egyptians and what signs I performed among them, so that you may know that I am the LORD.” Deuteronomy 6:7: “And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Shared Purpose: Generational Knowledge of the LORD • Both verses place the responsibility for spiritual memory on parents and grandparents. • Exodus emphasizes recounting specific, historic acts—God’s judgments and signs in Egypt. • Deuteronomy emphasizes continual instruction in God’s commands, weaving truth into every moment of daily life. • Together they reveal that knowing the LORD comes through both remembering His mighty deeds and obeying His timeless Word. What Exodus Adds to Deuteronomy • Content of instruction: the factual, miraculous interventions of God in history. • Motivation: when children hear how God judged Egypt and delivered Israel, reverence and faith are stirred (Psalm 78:4–7). • Proof of identity: the plagues visibly answered the question, “Who is the LORD?” (Exodus 5:2). What Deuteronomy Adds to Exodus • Method of instruction: diligent, repeated conversation, integrated into home life, travel, rest, and work. • Scope: not limited to dramatic stories; includes every command and precept (Deuteronomy 6:1–6). • Atmosphere: teaching is relational, conversational, and constant, not merely event-based. The Unbroken Chain 1. God acts in power (Exodus). 2. Parents witness and remember. 3. Parents testify and teach (Exodus 10:2; Deuteronomy 6:7). 4. Children gain knowledge and fear of the LORD (Psalm 103:17–18). 5. The next generation repeats the cycle (Joel 1:3). Practical Takeaways for Families Today • Tell the story: regularly recount biblical history—creation, Exodus, cross, resurrection—so children know God is real and active. • Tie truth to life: connect every command you teach to what God has already done; obedience grows from gratitude. • Use every setting: meals, drives, chores, and bedtimes become natural platforms for Scripture talk. • Involve all generations: grandparents share testimonies of God’s faithfulness, strengthening family faith roots. • Keep it literal: present the plagues, Red Sea crossing, and Sinai as actual events, reinforcing confidence in Scripture’s reliability. Supporting Passages • Psalm 78:4: “We will not hide them from their children; we will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD, His might, and the wonders He has performed.” • Joshua 4:6–7: memorial stones prompting children to ask about God’s miraculous river crossing. • 2 Timothy 3:14–15: Timothy’s faith nurtured from childhood through the sacred Scriptures. Exodus 10:2 supplies the substance—God’s mighty works. Deuteronomy 6:7 supplies the strategy—diligent, daily teaching. Joined together, they form a clear mandate: fill the minds and hearts of children with the factual acts and faithful commands of the LORD so each generation personally knows and honors Him. |