And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Luke 1:17 (KJV)
1:17 the fathers to the children. One of the greatest sins of God's OT people had been the failure of the fathers to love their sons and daughters enough to teach them the ways and commandments of God (see Mal 4:6). With the coming of John and the gospel of Christ, the hearts of the fathers will return to their children.
(1) This is a clear statement that one of the key goals of the gospel is to reestablish God's will for the family in a correct relationship between fathers and children. Through the preaching of repentance and the lordship of Christ, fathers will become dedicated to their children in an attitude of righteousness.
(2) If the church today fails to become what God wants it to be, one factor may be that once again the fathers' hearts have forsaken their children by failing to love them, spend time with them, and teach them God's Word and righteous standards. As a result, the children will reject God's ways (Mal 4:6).
(3) The following are important passages relating to fathers and children: (a) fathers teaching children faithfulness to God's ways: Ex 10:2; 13:8; Deut 4:9-10; 6:6-25; 11:18-21; Ps 78:5-8; Is 38:19; Joel 1:3; Eph 6:4; 1 Thes 2:11; (b) fathers loving and correcting children: Ps 103:13; Pr 3:12; 13:24; 23:13-14; Mal 4:6; Luke 11:11-13; 2 Cor 12:14; Eph 6:4; Col 3:21; 1 Thes 2:11; 1 Tim 3:4-5,12, 5; 5:8; Tit 2:4; Heb 12:7; (c) fathers praying for their children: Gen 17:18; 2 Sam 12:16; 1 Chr 22:11-12; 29:19; Job 1:5; Eph 3:14-19.
--taken from KJV Life in the Spirit Study Bible notes
