Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you – Ex. 20:12
The “Ten Commandments” came directly from God and are written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18). These commandments are grouped into two categories. The first category is vertical, namely man’s relationship to God (Ex. 20:2-11), and the second category is horizontal, namely man’s relationship to the community/society (Ex. 20:12-17). Today’s verse talks about the first commandment with a promise, and the promise is, if you follow, “your days are long upon the land.”
As the generation changes, from Baby Boomers to Gen X to Millennials to Gen Z, honoring parents is also going down. The below verses talk about what if we don’t honor our father and mother.
“In you they have made light of father and mother” (Eze. 22:7). The result of this is, “I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries” (Eze. 22:15).
Matthew 15:4: For God said,’Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’
Proverbs 20:20: If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
Proverbs 30:17: The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
1 Timothy 5:1: Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.
As our father and mother gave their entire life for us, let us honor them with our words and works.