Exodus 20:12 ESV [12] “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Ephesians 6:1-3 ESV [1] Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [2] “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), [3] “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Exodus 21:15 ESV [15] “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. Exodus 21:17 ESV [17] “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death. Deuteronomy 21:18-21 ESV [18] “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, [19] then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, [20] and they shall say to 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] Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Wow! Did you catch all that? In the OT law a child’s duty was a very serious matter. Don’t make your parents have to kill you! To honor our parents is intrinsically connected to honoring God. The 5th commandment begins our duty to man. Jesus said all the commandments can be summed up in two, love the lord and love your neighbor. This 5th commandment is the beginning of loving our neighbor. How can we love our neighbors if we don’t love and honor our parents first? How can we honor the lord and our neighbor if we refuse to submit to authority? Our relationship to our parents teaches us honor. Teaches us submission. Teaches us obedience. Honor is defined by submission and submission is how we honor God and man. The position of this commandment begins the inward journey of the law written in our heart. Murder, theft, adultery, lying, covetousness, all are born of a prideful and rebellious heart. Jesus took these actions to the extreme in the sermon on the mount. He said to have hate in your heart is to murder. All lawlessness is born from a dishonoring heart.
The example of two dishonorable sons. 1 Samuel 2:12 ESV [12] Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord. [22] Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. [23] And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. [24] No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. [25] If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. The behavior of these sons and their father’s unwillingness to deal with it brings horrible consequences on this entire family. 1 Samuel 4:10-21 ESV [10] So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. [11] And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. [12] A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. [13] When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. [14] When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. [15] Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. [16] And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” [17] He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” [18] As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. [19] Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. [20] And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. [21] And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
Ichabod, the glory of the Lord has departed. This family suffered tremendous consequences due to the dishonorable behavior of Eli and his sons. God takes honor very seriously. The opposite is also true. God rewards honor with long life. The promise he attaches to this commandment is significant. Not only will our honor impact our own lives, but will impact future generations. It is significant to recognize that all civilizations that hold honor in high esteem continue. Those who do not cease to exist. In fact, even sons have murdered their on fathers to obtain rule. We have an example of such a son in Absalom. King David’s own son sought to slay his father in his effort to take his crown and it cost him his life. In these last days we see this dishonor on full display. Luke 12:51-53 ESV [51] Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. [52] For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. [53] They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” This prophecy of Jesus is on full display today. Nevertheless, let us as children honor our Lord by honoring one another beginning with our parents.
We have several articles on Knowing the Lord’s will. Take a look at our post on The Three Fold Will of God