HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER

The Lord God gave Moses The Ten Commandments written on two tablets of stone with His fingers (Exodus 20:1-17). The first four commandments refer to worshipping the Lord God and the rest are about respecting human beings in the world. The first of the six commandments pertaining to human beings is about honouring your parents which carry a definite blessing which will prolong your life on this earth. Honour Thy Father and Thy Mother is the 5th Commandment (Exodus 20:12). Keep all the commandments for they give life to us.

Parents would include birth parents, adopted parents, or legal guardians. Some parents die and some who have no children themselves adopt them. Grandparents, uncles and aunts act sometimes as legal guardians.

This is the first promise God gave regarding length of days on the earth. He promised that children who obey their parents will live long on the earth. They are to keep the sabbath for God has led them the right way. Do not let go of instructions lest they stumble.

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.

Leviticus 19:3

• Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 5:16

• Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Proverbs 4:10-13

• Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
• 
  I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
  
• When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
• 
  Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

Proverbs 5:7

• Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

Ephesians 6:1

• Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
• 
  2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
  
• 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Colossians 3:20

• Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

This commandment is interesting in that both the father and the mother are given equal consideration. People are commanded to honor both mother and father, not simply the father and not the mother to a lesser degree. This stands in contrast to other commandments and other parts of the Bible where women are given a subordinate status.

It is probably because both are equally important in forming the child. Either the father or the mother alone cannot make a child. God formed Adam from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7) and man became a living soul. Isaiah 49:5 proclaimed the Lord formed him from the womb. Thus God created the parents and all mankind, and they should obey the Lord God in honouring His creation.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament bear the curse that children who inflict their parents with a curse lead them to unavoidable death. Children are forewarned of the severity of their actions.

OLD TESTAMENT

Proverbs 23:26

• My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Exodus 21:17

• And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 20:9

• For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.

Proverbs 20:20

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

NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew 15:4

• For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or his mother, let him die the death.

Mark 7:10

• For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

To enter into eternal life, one must keep the commandments of God, and the fifth commandment is to honour your parents. There is no other way. Keeping the commandments was proclaimed in the Old Testament, and reiterated in the New Testament.

Matthew 19:16

• And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
• 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
• 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
• 
  19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mark 10:17

• And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
• 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
• 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Luke 18:18

• And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
• 
  19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
• 
  20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Amidst difficult and changing relationships, it is quite easy to forget to be thankful for our parents. Parents are a gift from God given to us as role models of the goodness of authority and love. When parents fail, as we certainly do, we can be thankful that they gave us life, provided the necessities of life for us, and almost always desire the best for our lives. We should be thankful for those things, and we should more frequently give God thanks and to express our gratitude to our parents as well. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1Thes.5:18).

DO NOT JUDGE YOUR PARENTS

All human beings have failings, and ourl parents have faults, sin, and disappoint us at times. But knowing the sins we have ourselves and the acquittal we received in Christ (Eph 4:32; Matt.7:1-5), we should be careful not to condemn our parents. Judge not that ye be judged. God alone should be the judge of mankind.

Violation of the 5th Commandment was a capital punishment in the Old Testament. Nowadays, it is not so strict with the present laws of the country. The law is more lenient now.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21

• If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
• 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
• 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
• 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

Exodus 21:15,17

• And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death ...
• 17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

The Lord God is good and righteous and He does not want you to dishonour your parents unless they are wicked and forced you to do dishonest deeds. If your parents tell you to lie, of course, you should not. If they ask you to steal, do not listen to them and if they counsel you to commit murder, you should flee from them. You should try to counsel them, but if they do not listen to you, just be pleasant and grateful to them for their past care for you. If your parents are poor and find difficulty to survive, you must not hesitate to help them in any way you could and the Lord will bless you.

Ephesians 6:1

• Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
  2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
  3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Obeying the 5th Commandment of Honouring Thy Father and Thy Mother has three blessings, namely, you are honouring God and He returns your obedience with a blessing. Secondly, it is the first blessing of long life on earth, and lastly, it promises the gift of eternal life. Your life on earth will be great and successful as you await the blessing of eternal life in heaven.

Amen. Praise the Lord God.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM: TEN COMMANDMENTS http://hubpages.com/hub/rom10commandments10-18-09