The Fifth Commandment- Honor Your Parents

The family unit is the building block of the kingdom of God, and God therefore takes rebellion within the family unit VERY SERIOUSLY.

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
(Exo 20:12)

"And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. . . . "And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. (Exo 21:15, 17)

"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 who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear. (Deu 21:18-21)

I'm not advocating stoning our rebellious kids, but I think the above scripture makes the point that rebellious children are a poison to their families and to their community, and if not dealt with, will result in much evil.

How many thefts, rapes, and murders, might have been prevented had outward rebellion in children been effectively handled by the home and the community?

Interestingly enough, the Biblical record shows that despite strict laws against outward rebellion in the children, the Israelite people were a stiff necked and rebellious people when it came to their relationship with God (and even with their authorities as we're seeing in 1 Kings which we are teaching through on Sunday mornings here at Calvary Chapel Space Coast).

We, as humans, are just plain rebellious at heart. (To hear more about this you can listen to our service live tonight at 7:00 p.m. on WPIO 89.3 FM, or drop by and visit us- we have coffee and cold drinks cafe style in the sanctuary on Wednesday nights and have a relaxed time around God's Word).

So what's the answer? Teach children to honor their parents, and teach everyone that respecting ALL authority is commanded by God. Pray for your parents, and for ALL THOSE IN AUTHORITY.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
(1Ti 2:1-3)

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.