Aspects of the Hebrew Way: Passing Original Culture Parent to Child

There is a story in the Bible which illustrates another unique aspect of our Original Culture & Story. We find this story in the 18th chapter of Genesis where Abraham prays in behalf of the few righteous people who lived in the city of Sodom and Gomorrah and asks God that it not be destroyed just yet:

…but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

After the angels saved Lot from being pulled into a crowd of angry men, the Lord waited for him, the one last right-living man in the city, to leave before destroying it. This story can show us that when there is one who honors God and looks to Him to be saved, God will preserve that life. After generations of families looked to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to preserve them, they passed on Abraham’s legacy of exactness in duty, honor, loyalty, and right-doing and living. This righteousness is shown in the Levitical lineage performing priestly rites at the Tabernacle. In an Ancient time, when a Levite Father held the responsibility to serve at the Tabernacle, that privilege was bound with a covenant and promise that was so sacred, rather than break that promise, he would die like the animals slain on the altars in the temple. It was a literal life and death commitment. Those covenantal responsibilities were passed down from Father to Son.

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Today, passing down the responsibilities of Priesthood duties is still a privilege and honor. It may not always be passed from Father to Son or be practiced in the same way, but when a Father and Mother make covenants with their God, it holds a similar weight. Husbands and wives pass on the heritage of faith by teaching their children truth they have received from previous Patriarchs and Matriarchs to "love the Lord their God with all thine heart, with all thine soul, and with all thine might, and talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Duet. 6:7). These “commandments…statutes…and judgements” are held so sacred that faithful, right-doing parents choose to dedicate their lives to nurturing their children and grandchildren in the words "which the Lord your God commanded” "thou shalt teach...diligently unto thy children." (Deut. 6:1, 7) Their covenant obligation to their God and their offspring is held in such exactness and honor that they would die as the animals on the altars in the tabernacle rather than violate these sacred promises because they understood the devastating effect it would have on their offspring.

The Early Semitic Pictographic Alphabet

Nature reveals this same pattern for those who have eyes to see. Built into each living plant is the potential to produce another like it. When the seed of an oak tree produces fruit of its own kind from its innate ability and potential, we see this continuation of the seed of the next generation. The acorn, by Divine design, produces more oak trees in the same manner it was created. Since we are much more than acorns, as sons and daughters of God, we can find Divine purpose and mission in continuing our House through our right-doing choices, commitments, teaching and living. To not “continue our house” through this God-centered family culture would be to pervert our natural, innate ability and potential.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)

We can see this principle illustrated in this simple Jewish parable.

If there are 20 right-doing men in the world, my son and I will be among them.
If there are 10 right-doing men in the world, my son and I will be among them.
If there are 5 right-doing men in the world, my son and I will be among them.
If there are 2 right-doing men in the world, they will be my son and I.
If there is one right-doing man in the world, I will be that man.

Like this parable, we were born to be and do. We can become that man or woman who carries on the right use of truth by showing and nurturing our children in this way as we mentor them in following their right-doing heart's desires. We can trust that God not only has planted in our hearts the Divine seed of potential He sent us here to become and blossom forth to the world, but that He will also provide all we need for that endeavor. We can also be encouraged by remembering “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26) and that it is never too late to start these efforts if for any reason there has been a breach in our family house. We can start planting new and different seeds today that will eventually yield the harvest we desire; the harvest God has planned for us.

Oliver and Rachel DeMille have so wonderfully illustrated this principle in their book "The Phases of Learning" where they shared,

"a wonderful story of a farmer in the Great Depression who is busily working on his farm in the summer heat. His friends gather at the local coffee shop and discuss why he would be planting when everyone knows prices are too low for him and if he plants a crop he can't get government subsidies. It's hot, it's humid, his planting will actually lose him money--has he gone crazy?

One of the farmers agrees to go ask him these questions. It turns out that this hard-working farmer is aware of all the many reasons that may justify others not to plant, but he keeps planting, "Oak trees," he says.

You can imagine what his friend must think: "What? Oak trees? You've gone 'round the bend! Your work will have no value until at least fifty years have passed!" The farmer replies that the oak trees aren't for him. They are for his grandchildren.

Our purpose in life is to plant, nurture and become oak trees, and to help others do the same. That is grandparenting: planting oak trees! We are growing the oak trees of the future today. All of us should realize our true purpose and mission--to make the world better for our grandchildren and their children."

How are you continuing our Original Culture & Story? What are the stories you are telling to your children and grandchildren to help them develop such commitment and righteousness? Will you be among those right-doing women and men?

~ Excerpt from The Hebrew Model: Restoring Our Original Culture & Story. To get on the list to receive notice of this upcoming book, add your email HERE. Learn more on HouseoftheBook.org