Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
Train Up a Child
Today’s Audio Devotion:
Train Up a Child
Tradition from the biblical world records a practice of mothers with their newborn infants. To stimulate the nursing reflex, a mother would rub the juice from a crushed date on the lips and palate of the infant to stimulate the sucking reflex. That idea is consistent with the meaning of the Hebrew word for “train up” (or “start”) in Proverbs 22:6. The word for “train up” is also translated as “dedicate”—as in dedicating a house or a temple (Deuteronomy 20:5; Ezra 6:16; 1 Kings 8:63).
Initiate, start, dedicate, train up—all are in the semantic range of meaning when it comes to raising a child so he will not leave the moral and spiritual “way” when he is old. The book of Proverbs suggests two primary means for raising a child in “the way”: instruction and correction (discipline). Instruction identifies the way and starts him on it; correction puts him back on the way should he stray from it.
If you are a parent or grandparent, keep these two priorities in clear focus for the children in your family.
Children need to be trained, not just in the facts of life, but in the ways of life.
Anonymous
For Your Phone or Tablet
Official Mobile App and Lock Screens
Some 2,600 years ago, God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream. In this dream, the king saw a five–part statue made of five different metals (see Daniel 2). Each section represented an empire, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. Four of these empires have already risen and fallen in history—a clear fulfillment of Daniel's prophetic interpretation. The fifth and final empire indicates a future Europe—a ten nation coalition that will unite under the Antichrist's rule.
You can read about the King's dream and Daniel's interpretation in Daniel 2, but let's take a quick visual look at what you will find:
-
King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Daniel's words to the king are clear. "You are this head of gold" (Daniel 2:37–38).
-
Medo–Persian Empire
The Medo–Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC and remained in power for approximately two hundred years (Daniel 5:28).
-
Grecian Empire
Greece's Empire succeeded the Medo–Persians (Daniel 8:21).
-
Roman Empire
When the Grecian empire was conquered by Rome, all the lands and peoples of the previous kingdoms were assimilated into the Roman Empire through the strengths of the "iron legions of Rome" (Daniel 2:40).
-
Future European Coalition
This empire has not yet risen. Daniel foretells a time when the Roman Empire—Europe—will consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. The future Roman Empire will be present on the earth when God sets up His earthly kingdom (Daniel 2:44).