The Dilemma of Youth (No. 41)

Christian Churches of God No. 41

The Dilemma of Youth

(Edition 2.0 19940709-20040504)

The writer relates his experiences with problem youth and their rehabilitation. The meaning of the biblical words for the young are examined. The necessity of service for both young and old is the message that the nation must learn.

Christian Churches of God PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA

Email: [email protected]

(Copyright ã 1994, 2004 Storm Cox)

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The Dilemma of Youth

The writer worked as a coordinator in a to the 1890s when our young country boys, training program for the long-term who were breaking their backs pioneering our unemployed youth aged between 15 and 20 hard and brutal country, could still, at an years. This involved interviewing many young instant’s notice, pack their bags, catch their people with drug problems, alcohol problems, horses and trek to the Boer War. In 1915, home violence and street crime. when our country said, "Son, there's no time for roving ... there's work to be done" they At one point a 20 year old young man, who went in their scores. They called it war fever. could neither read nor write was interviewed. He had been smoking marijuana since he was These men, who were working for their 12 years old; he had been physically abused at families, in order to create a future for our home for years and he drank great quantities communities, would die without question so of alcohol each week. His behaviour was that our people were safe. They worked something that had to be seen to be believed. themselves to death so that we could survive. He showed evidence of amphetamine abuse, Their sons, likewise, would carry themselves which could explain his extreme difficulties in to war, following a long rebuilding struggle, concentrating for any length of time. to fight again. A man does not go off to war because he feels it could be fun. He does it to In another interview a 15 year old youth who serve his country, his people and his family. had long matted hair, was waving his drug banner, proud of his drinking problem and However, this dedication was lost after the also was only minimally more literate than the Second World War. It is not the intent to previous person. He admitted to hating his glorify war here but to try to show an attitude parents and wasn't really sure where they were of loyalty, commitment and love. Our at that time. When asked what he wanted to be forebears weren't afraid to go to war, because when he grew up he said a drummer in a rock they believed in God. band and play thrash metal, just like his favourite band which was a death metal band Following the Second World War, there were known for its plug for violence and its raw boom times. The fifties were a period of aggression. economic viability for the west, hand in hand with the Cold War. The children of the fifties, While being interviewed he scrawled a the baby boomers, in America grew up with symbol on a piece of paper. It was three jumping under the table exercises ‘in case of upside down crosses and he wrote 666 above nuclear war’. They were taught to hate them. He then proceeded to pick a cut on his communists, fascists, blacks, Mexicans, forehead, caused blood to appear, then pressed anyone who wasn't American really. his thumb to his wound and then put his thumb print in blood over this seal. When To overshadow these inadequacies, the youth asked why he felt he had to do this he just were allowed more freedom. The economic said, "I don't know. Satan's cool." Also among growth and improved methods of production these young people were daughters of allowed more cars to be produced en masse. prostitutes with their own extreme problems There were many young people eager for and stories to tell, and many other young work. Thus for the youth, jobs started to people heading toward the courts, jail, the become economically viable for the first time streets and, for some, premature death. in history. The easy access to motor cars gave the youth new-found freedoms. The movie Faced with all this the writer was forced to sit industry began to boom. New attractive faces down and ask “Why?” Why is this happening of Dean and Brando, faces hidden behind to our youth? Why is it being allowed to wafts of cigarette smoke, on motorbikes, in happen? In comparison one could look back fast cars, with pretty girls, and that led to Page 4 The Dilemma of Youth rebelliousness that this generation found hard The other group was the Berkeley type, who to resist. woke up. They realised the sixties political rallies of flower and rock festivals was The youth began imitating their heroes. becoming tedious and studied to meet the new 'Hanging out' became popular. The freedom to economic demand of the seventies and get away from their families and their new eighties - the YUPPIE was born. So too were image problems allowed new sexual freedom, the designer drugs - cocaine, ecstasy and which in turn was emphasised in the new chronic homosexuality was born from it. popular music and in movies. The youth, due to the fact that they were hanging out together There was so much destruction in such a short in large groups away from their homes, time. Now we see the examples occurring that became a political force in their own right were mentioned before -- the side effects of with the financial status to keep them above the youth rebellion. We will now look at what water, so to speak. the Bible says about youth and where we see them today and we'll consider what our youth This new economic status allowed the youth may be doing tomorrow. to demand products which suited their insatiable desires. The sixties saw an What does the word youth mean? explosion in the music industry, the sports The Bible has many words that describe the industry, cinema and television, and, young - painfully, the drug industry. "Fun" was in. The music told the story. Drug references, bahur, na'ar, yeled, neanias, neunfskos. These fashions, all brought about by the new words mean lad, boy, young son, young 'coolness' of drug use. warrior, army, servant, boy, child and man.

The youth understood their new power and neoterus, alma, nea, neotera. All refer to the with the likes of Leary travelling across the feminine younger woman, damsel, maiden, country spreading his 'gospel' of virgin, - also girl, maiden, lady-in-waiting. 'consciousness expansion', there was a surge bhurot, nurim, nour, nvrot, sird, yaldot, in the use of psychedelic drugs. Acid and LSD neotes. All refer to youth, childhood, a child, were as common amongst teenagers as was boyhood. The Greek word for youthful is alcohol. The feeling that was empowered was neoterikos. The words used in the Bible for a deeper level of understanding, a new way of young person are not clearly delineated from looking at the world. A pseudo or false each other and do not signify the age of a wisdom, lacking in rational judgment or any person with exactness. For instance, let us form of logic, but they felt more in touch, examine the Hebrew word na'ar and its more free, and thus the rebellion continued. feminine, na'arah. These words have been applied in many different age groups. Let us However, things started to fall to bits in the look at Exodus 2:6 seventies. Two schools of thought had emerged amongst the youth culture. One, the She opened it and saw a baby. He was crying and working class non-academic types that she felt sorry for him .... produced the Hell’s Angels and such like -- they dropped out altogether. The American The word used here for baby is na'ar and dream was nowhere in reach and they knew it. refers to a three month old baby. The expansionist drugs of the sixties gave way to the abusive use of marijuana, alcohol 1Samuel 1:22 Hannah did not go. She said to her and heroin -- all downers or depressants. The husband, 'After the boy is weaned, I will take him ongoing situation was violence, anger, hatred, and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.' indicative of the psychotic behaviour that abuse of these substances ultimately lead to. Here we see the term used to describe a young child, a baby still, and again in 1Samuel 2:11. The Dilemma of Youth Page 5

groups according to age, and twenty appears as the Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy lower age limit of the group most highly valued, ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest. therefore presumably in the prime of life. The census taker counted the population from twenty Samuel here performed services such as one years old upward (Ex 30:14). These were subject to the poll tax, and the males at this age were ‘able to would while assisting the high priest -- still as go forth to war’ (Num 1:3). From Num 14:29 we a young boy. may also infer that moral responsibility arrived with the age of twenty. But Levites were not Genesis 25:27 The boys grew up and Esau became admitted to service in the tent of meeting until they a skilful hunter, a man of the open country, while are twenty-five (Num 8:24). Yet despite the limit Jacob a quiet man, staying among the tents. suggested by Num 1:3, the soldier is often called na’ar, and the upper age limit of ‘youth' is not a Here na'ar refers to boys growing up. In fixed number. Genesis 21:17 we read: It is probably that the term 'youth' was sometimes used merely to denote immaturity. Several biblical God heard the boy crying and the angel of God personalities refer to themselves disparagingly as called to Hagar from heaven and said to her ... 'young'. Thus Jeremiah says nothing clearly about his numerical age when he protests: 'Ah, Lord Here the word is used to describe Ishmael at God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am an age of 14 or more. only a youth' (Jer 1:6), nor does King Solomon when he prays: ‘O Lord my God, thou hast made Genesis 37:2 Joseph, a young man of seventeen, thy servant king ... , although I am but a little child' was tending the flocks ... (1Kings 3:7); they only display a becoming modesty. Cf. Judg 6:15. Exodus 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. The Moses As 'the beauty of old men is their grey hair,' so 'the would return to camp, but his young aid and glory of young men is their strength' (Prov 20:29), Joshua, son of Nun did not leave the tent. and when 'fair virgins' and 'young men ... faint for thirst' (Amos 8:13), the ultimate in tragedy is at The use of na'ar was often, but not always, an hand. adult. The young, of coarse lack the experience and the wisdom of their elders; therefore the repeated We see here that the meaning of youth is with admonitions in such a book as Proverbs, where the us from birth until we reach adulthood. The 'sons' addressed are everyman’s sons (eg. Prov Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, on page 7:24). These youth are invited to find wisdom and 928, states that youth is The time, with no gain understanding (Prov 8:32-36 and often), and they are warned to shun the ‘loose woman’ who fixed limit, beyond infancy and before a lies in wait for youthful victims (Prov 7:4-12). person's prime, a time of vigour and opportunity, though not of judgment and But Koheleth, aware of the infirmities of old age maturity. Prime here is not only referring to (see Age, Old) begs youth to have its flung 'before physical strength. the evil days come': ‘Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth’ (Eccl 11:9; 12:1). The concept, then, of youth is quite broad. What constitutes adulthood? Not infrequently, Israel's early history is poetically termed its 'youth' and either regretted as the time of The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. national perversity (Ezek 23:19) or fondly remembered as a time of good faith between God 4, page 925 states that and people (Hos 2:15-17), according to the writer's mood or purpose. The numerical age intended is by no means clear. The word na’ar is used at times even for infants or the very young (Ex 2:6; Judg 13:8; 1Sam 1:22; So we see that, to reach adulthood, we shed 4:21), for whom there are also other words (see ourselves of the immaturity and recklessness Child), but it is used for the fully grown as well (cf. that is considered to be part of the youth Gen 34:19; 2Sam 18:5). Lev 27:1-8 might suggest characteristic. the age of twenty as the time when one passed from youth to maturity. There, for the purpose of fixing a scale of values, persons are divided into Page 6 The Dilemma of Youth

Roles and Responsibilities of man may live, let him enjoy them all. Everything to come is meaningless. 9 Be happy, young man, Youth while you are young and let your heart give of joy It is important to understand the roles and in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your responsibilities that we should play in the heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. 10 community in order to attain a correct biblical So then banish anxiety from your heart and cast off position. In Luke 22:26 Jesus states: the troubles of your body, for youth and vigour are meaningless.' But you are not like that. Instead, the greatest among you be like the youngest, and the one who Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember your creator in the rules like the one who serves. days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, I The NIV Study Bible, in its commentary on find no pleasure in them. this passage, is interesting. It says: Perhaps this is what has happened. The youth Jesus urges and exemplifies servant leadership - a enjoyed their time but forgot their Creator. trait that was as uncommon then as it is now. Youth is a time for enjoyment, but it goes hand in hand with devotion to truth. It is However, this trait is a function of our Church interesting to note that Israel's early history is and must be. This statement by Jesus is called 'youth' and is fondly remembered or important in that it tells us of the youth regretted according to your viewpoint. Israel's position as regarded by Jesus. He was youth was perverse from Ezekiel 23:19, but intimating that the young should perform the Hosea 2:15-17 fondly remembers its youth as humble tasks. Acts 5:5,10 reiterates this. a time of good faith. Thus the values of youth are to use our daring and strength to serve our 5 Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell communities, use our energy and passion to down and died. And great fear seized all who heard devotion and learning so that our time is spent of it. The young men came and wrapped up his well on earth and our judgment is not too body, then carried him out and buried him ... (NRSV) great.

10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. The writers of the Bible, in dealing with youth When the young men came in they found her dead, in terms of warrior/servant use the word na'ar so they carried her out and buried her beside her (Judg. 7:10). This shows how the youth were husband. (NRSV) regarded. The importance of their strength was great. Their strength and energy made the This shows that the youth must learn to serve young the greatest workers and they worked before they can be physically served hard to serve their community. The old, in themselves. This servant process is how the their wisdom through experience, guided the young attain wisdom. affairs of the community and relied on the young for life and the young relied on the old Throughout Proverbs the father is the teacher, for knowledge. This system is sustainable. the son is the student. This attribute is the attitude that God wants us to have. All men/women served the other group so that Proverbs 4:1 Listen my sons to a father's the community as a whole could function in a instruction, pay attention and gain understanding. I correct and proper Godly manner. give you sound learning so do not forsake my Somewhere, this all broke down. teaching. The youth don't understand that their wish for A young person must listen to his teachers freedom, understanding and adulthood with a humble attitude of acceptance and prematurely, before wisdom has been gained, discernment through the Bible. Times are hard is the cause of violence, drug problems and for the young now. the general community attitudes they feel are so wrong. The sixties was a time when Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 7 Light is sweet and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. 8 However many years a materialism amongst the young exploded. The Dilemma of Youth Page 7

Music, cars, fashion, sport, etc. were being The unsustainability of the system lies in this demanded constantly, and the adult sectors of generation gap. our community responded in greed and self- orientation. All the violence in this world now amongst the youth drug cultures stems from one sin -- IKings 12:6-14 6 Then King Rehoboam took the sin that all evil has been created from. counsel with the older men who had attended his When Satan chose to consider himself greater father Solomon while he was still alive, saying 'How do you advise me to answer this people?’ 7 than God, he started a chain reaction of They answered him, 'If you will be a servant to this similar thought processes in mankind to this people today and serve them and speak good words day. All men wish to consider themselves to them when you answer them, then they will be greater than they are. The youth culture of the your servants forever.’ 8 But he disregarded the sixties tried to make itself greater and the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted youth wanted equality with the adults -- the with the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. 9 He said to them “What do same concepts as Satan's -- the same concept you advise that we answer this people who have that allows man to make Jesus equal with said to me 'Lighten the yoke your father put on God. By doing this we justify our own us.’” 10 The young men who had grown up with weaknesses of pride and desires for personal him said to him, “Thus you should say to this self-aggrandisement. people who spoke to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us’; thus you should say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker The calling of youth is to obtain wisdom and than my father’s loins. 11 Now, whereas my father to pursue wisdom at all costs. Wisdom is our laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. greatest calling. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’” 12 So Jeroboam Proverbs 8:1-22 1 Does not wisdom call, and does and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights, as the king had said, 'Come to me again the third beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her day.' 13 The king answered the people harshly. He stand; 3 besides the gates in front of the town, at the disregarded the advice that the older men had given entrance of the portals she cries out: 4 'To you, O him 14 and spoke harshly to them according to the people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. 5 O advice of the young men ... (NRSV) simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. 6 Hear, for I speak noble things, 1Kings 12:19. So Israel has been in rebellion and from my lips will come what is right; 7 for my against the house of David to this day. (NRSV) mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my We read here the result of listening to the mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or advice of the young and immature people. The crooked in them. 9 They are all straight to one who king rejected the wisdom of the aged and understands and right to those who find 10 adopted the recklessness of youth. The end knowledge. Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 for result was violence and hatred between wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may communities. The hearts of the fathers were desire cannot compare with her. 12 I, wisdom, live turned against their sons, and the sons against with prudence, and I attain knowledge and their fathers. The youth demanded and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. advised and the leaders listened. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. 14 I have good advice and sound wisdom; I have insight, I have strength. 15 The young saw the hypocrisy in the system. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 The people of America, who claimed to be by me rulers rule, and nobles, all who govern God fearing and peaceful men - and still the rightly. 17 I love those who love me, and those who 18 children had to scramble under tables to seek me diligently find me. Riches and honour are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My survive a nuclear war that their God loving fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my Christian men worked so hard to arrange. yield than choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of When the youth rebelled -- rather than make righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 servants of themselves through guidance, endowing with wealth those who love me, and 22 wisdom and discipline -- they turned to self filling their treasuries. The Lord created me at and thus the distance between youth and the beginning of his work. (NRSV) adults grew. They call it the generation gap. Page 8 The Dilemma of Youth

Servitude is the only process. The youth must Thus the first justifications for the beast learn to serve again and adults must, in the system are born. same way, learn to serve their youth in return. Otherwise the system will not survive. What young people can do if they are serious about helping solve the problem, is to seek Why did this happen? wisdom at all costs. Flock to wise people, The view is that the youth rebellion was seek the truth in the Bible. There is much allowed to occur for a very important event in work to be done in aiding the troubled and the end time. The products of this rebellion confused; side effects of the ongoing rebellion have been vast and deadly. The drug culture against God that began millions of years ago. has given birth to corruption, murder, suicide, To this day men are still scrambling for power street violence, home burglars, auto theft and and position above their fellow men. on and on and on, to where even the elderly If today you will be a servant to these people and are being beaten and their property stolen so serve them and give them a favourable answer, that the junkies can have their fix. they will always be your servants.

Ultimately, the government will crack down Note: biblical quotes are from the NIV except in the form of a very controlled system. The where indicated as New Revised Standard governments will say that the young people Version. have created this mess and the corrupt q governing bodies are unable to cope with it.