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Honor Your Mother and Father
October 20, 2018

For several weeks we have been looking at how the ten commandments apply in our life, most recently considering the Sabbath. Many look at the first four commandments as identifying what we need to do in our relationship with God. The final six commandments show what we must do in our relationships with others on earth, and just like life started for us through a mother and father, the final six commandments begin by considering how we are to interact with our parents. Simply stated in Exodus 20 we are to honor our parents that we may have a long life. It is the only commandment with this tpe of promise, much like if we honor God we will spiritually have a long, eternal life. Honoring parents has many different elements to it. Based on the Hebrew word transliterated as kabad, honor means to make great, to glorify. Instead of selfishly focusing on the self at a time in life when many have self-indulgent youthful desires, the key to longer life through this commandment is to instead honor your parents. Parents want their children to be happy and successful as adults. Strangely, honoring parents and not indulging the self is the key to this successful longevity. Parents raise children with values important to the family, and hopefully these same values are aligned to what is taught in the Bible. These values promote a successful and abundant adult life. The big key to attainment is honoring your parents. Those who seek to honor their parents will take care to never do anything that could in some way harm their parents; spiritually, physically, emotionally, or financially, and in doing so also take care to avoid those things which could bring harm to the self.

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Some think the ten commandments do not have to be obeyed, yet Paul cited the fifth commandment when specifically addressing children and parents. Paul knew that by listening to parents giving Biblical advice, children were much more likely to have a smooth ride in life. Heading into life with no support can lead to many mistakes being made. By listening to parents, children are much less likely to make the serious life-ending or negative life-changing choices. Paul also reminded parents of reciprocity; to not provoke their children and rather to encourage the children to consider why God's laws work, why no matter what decade or century, God's laws have always worked.

Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

When parents age, it can be easy for older children to forget that without their parents, children would be nothing. A Bibllical promise is made to those who curse their parents; darkness will envelope thier life and anything that seemed good will go away.

Proverbs 20:20
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

The fifth commandment is the first commandment with promise, a promise of long life. Children, do listen to and honor your parents, and parents do not provoke your children to anger.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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