Honor your father/mother!
This is One of the sayings, A part of the Covenant, Exodus 20:11, and held up to day by those wanting you to just do what I want. It has become a major control function by those not deserving what they demand. With all of the manipulation involved in this command, how does the LORD
Does Commandment Five really mean that? Does it really mean that you are to be a slave you parent?
NO! That is not what is intended. You are not to be a slave to you parents. BUT. . . .you are to show respect and learn from them. If not what to be, then what not to be. You are not required to act like them either.
Exodus 20:4 ….I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
If you learn to act in the same evil that your father does, you also will earn your fathers position. It is only the 3rd or 4th generation that may learn to do better. You can see this function in the Kings that come after King David. Daivd was good but that does not make his children good or bad, for he was a good role model. This also demonstrates that it is easy to be bad and requires effort to be good. It is worth the effort.
Exodus 20:11 Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
So that is the LAW.
Do you have to be evil like your parents?
Ezekiel 18:14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins, which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, . . . .
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father with him, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son with him; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
You are responsible for your actions, do what is right. There is of course much more in the Written Torah and in the complete Tanakh regarding this. Actually it is demonstrated throughout the complete Tanakh.
Let us define: Honor or Honour.
The first Google search displayed:
hon·or
ˈänər/
noun
noun: honour
1.
high respect; esteem.
Oxford Dictionaries agreed with that.
The Free Dictionary:
“honour (ˈɒnə) or honor
n
1. personal integrity; allegiance to moral principles . . . . “
It seems that to either give or receive honor/honour, one of these definitions should apply, preferring that both apply. That being, that one should not only be worthy of Respect and Esteem, but are so because of Personal Integrity and Moral behavior.
In the case of Exodus 20:11, we, personally must respect our Father and Mother, if for no other reason than that they brought us into this life/world. Beyond that, as they age and need protection or assistance, we should do what we can. Even if they, in your opinion do not deserve such assistance. Why should you? Easy, to demonstrate to your children, and for those that see you, good behavior and respect, for you, THE LORD willing, will also get older and need assistance.
Yet, if your Father and Mother demonstrated personal integrity and moral values by keeping the Laws by Hand Of Moses, then you should listen and observe how to get to their position with the Almighty or better.
An example of not learning from you Father can be seen with: Samuel the Prophet.
1 Samuel Chapter 8:
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. . . . .
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.
5 And they said unto him: ‘Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’
Another example is David, King Of Israel. Every king that followed him is compared to David by The LORD, of which none are as good as David. While many people have found fault with David, He is what we should aspire to be like, in every way. For the LORD’S Love of David does not falter, even in the World To Come.
Last example is GOD Our FATHER. HE meets the reasons for deserving of Honor and Respect and MORAL VALUES. HE is also the FATHER of your Soul, which if you learn from HIM, will out live you human form beyond your expectations. Of course there is the other side, that of not following HIM or learning from HIM and rejecting HIS teachings which will earn you a length of time equal to the days of life of your dirt.
SO, if you do not have a Father and/or Mother worthy of honor/respect, you show him/her/them respect and honor to teach your children how to behave along with those that see you. The FATHER of your Soul is also watching, waiting for HIS Children.
IT is to our benefit to HEARKEN until the LIVING GOD OF ISRAEL, and to our pain and shame to do otherwise.
My prayer is that The LORD grant you eyes that see, ears that hear and an understanding heart, then you return unto HIM soon!
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Shalom,
Yaakov