Why Honouring Parents is Essential for Family Harmony
December 19th 2024; 18th Kislev 5785. The fifth Commandment: This commandment is unique because it comes with a specific promise!!
Deuteronomy 5:16 “Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you, that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.” WEB.
What does it mean to Honour Your Father and Mother in today’s society? This includes your in-laws!! Ruth 1:16 and Genesis 31: 4-7.
Family life and its traditional historical structure has been eroded by today’s enlightened leaders. Family no longer represents father and mother as heads of a unique tribe based on biblical values and the sacredness and holiness that surrounds not only two people united as one under God, but all resulting offspring both children and grandchildren to 1000 generations. Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that Yahweh your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness to a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments. WEB.
When members of a family, united under God turn their back on their father and mother and their values, they tear away at the very fabric of their peculiar tribe. They are no longer unique having the peculiar imprint of family present in their very DNA. They begin to tear away at all the blessings prepared for them by divine design. Blessings and protection may cease to flow as God our heavenly Abba designed and purposed; His divine provision and equipping was to be passed down as a gift from the creator of all things so that all should blossom in their peculiar gifting.
This divine flow allows all to enjoy and share their unique personality that was divinely inspired. It allows all blessings to continue to flow both downwards from the parents to siblings and to all whom they come in contact with. It is embedded for perpetuity flowing through their offspring. Many family members may have differences of opinions and even values. Family life gives a unique opportunity to understand others opinions and points of view. In a secure family setting members can learn how to incorporate others values and opinions and be enriched by them; understanding that all things do work together for the betterment of all.
Fathers and mother’s beliefs set in place a sure foundation upon which family members can build and adapt for their generation. Growing in self confidence in themselves and also in learning to cooperate and accept others values even through times of rejection is made possible because of the sure foundation of faith.
In times of growing up a valid part of the process may be to challenge the values and the very foundations of a family’s belief structure; either embracing the principles set down or rebelling against them; breaking away to start a new tribe of their own; rejecting the foundation of the faith of their parents.
Lacking maturity and disregarding any future long-term consequences some will clearly blame the parents for everything that happens in their lives; making dad or mum out to be the villains who in their view have caused them to not be able to cope with life. They may even scapegoat their parents and by so doing tear away at the very foundations that were meant to be a blessing and turn them into a curse. By so doing they will be effectively cursing themselves and filling themselves with bitterness and left unchecked even hatred. In honouring your parents whether they were good or bad releases to you the blessings, protection, guidance and wisdom that the heavenly Abba intended in His wonderful plans for each and every family.
This is hard to digest at times because many parents, due to human flaws, act contrary to biblical principles; even brutally attacking their children physically, emotionally or spiritually whether deliberately or unknowingly. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, don’t irritate your children and make them resentful; instead, raise them with the Lord’s kind of discipline and guidance CJB. However honouring the station of parents as your God-given father and mother will hold them accountable which will enrich both you and them. Station definition: the place or position in which something or someone stands or is assigned to stand or remain
Caring for ageing parents is a part of honouring. Even if the parents have given you a lot of grief it is your responsibility to respond with maturity and love because you are the family that God created and intended to bless and enrich all of your lives through.
At times this may seem to be very counter intuitive but it is a foundational principle of the Kingdom of God. Abba’s love is extended to all who will receive it but is still there in the spirit and it is not removed because someone rejected it. So it is with families; blessings intended for a family are still there in the spiritual realm. By honouring your parents the intended blessings will continue to flow even if they have been mean spirited and treated you badly or totally ignored you.
Lay hold of the blessings intended for you by forgiving the cruel actions of selfish parents; understanding that even if they have not lived a Godly inspiring life you should not feel short-changed; but understand that through the bloodlines the intended blessings from the heavenly Abba will flow to you, your offspring and to future generations. Not honouring your parents in practice and precept will harm or hinder the release of the heavenly impartation and operation of the Abba’s best for you. Practice and Precept definition: a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by disrespecting your parents or blaming them for not giving you what you wanted; honouring you for all the good things you do or acknowledging the good person that you see yourself as being.
The family structure is God’s perfect way of relating practical examples of His love at work to instruct, guide and protect you from the plans of the evil one.
Family should be a safe stronghold where you can always retreat to for a time of refreshing; secure in the knowledge that you are loved no matter what the world thinks of you. Your part is to honour the ones who gave you life and provided for you a safe environment where you could encounter the true Godly love of a loving heavenly Abba in very practical ways.
They enabled you to be you. Never forget this reality and remember to care for and respect them as this will continually release Abba’s heavenly blessings to you and yours.
Mother-In-Law: Ruth 1:16-17Through this honouring of a mother-in-law the lineage of Yeshua was secured and established as a divine principle.
Ruth 1:16-17 But Rut said, “Don’t press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried May Adonai bring terrible curses on me, and worse ones as well, if anything but death separates you and me.” CJB.
Father-In-Law (Lavan): Despite the bad treatment from his father-in-law Jacob hung in there and was blessed and his offspring formed the very foundation of Israel. A divine principal regarding father-in-law’s was established in the Holy Torah.
Genesis 31:4-7 So Ya‘akov sent for Rachel and Le’ah and had them come to the field where his flock was.He said to them, “I see by the way your father looks that he feels differently toward me than before; but the God of my father has been with me.You know that I have served your father with all my strength, and that your father has belittled me and has changed my wages ten times; but God did not allow him to do me any damage.” CJB.
King Saul 1 Samuel 24:17-21. Despite the horrible treatment from his father-in-law, David honoured him and the station of Yahweh’sanointed. The kingdom of David established the forever lineage of Yeshua, Yahweh’s Messiah.
Children Obeying Parents: The fifth Commandment: This commandment is unique because it comes with a specific promise!!
Ephesians 6:1-3Children, what you should do in union with the Lord is obey your parents, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” – this is the first commandment that embodies a promise – “so that it may go well with you, and you may live long in the Land.” CJB.
