Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12
Warnings about the Bible’s commandments and instruction are mostly accompanied by the judgments that will follow for disobedience. But not the Fifth Commandment! Instead of threatening punishments for disobedience, this commandment offers blessing for obedience. In his letter to Ephesus, Paul reminds us (Ephesians 6:2-3) that this is the first commandment with promise. And it’s not a small promise either; we all want a long life. Why would God attach such a generous promise to such a simple commandment?
Those who honour their parents as they should have a special quality – respect. They recognize and acknowledge the position of authority and leadership of their parents. They appreciate the commitment and the sacrifices of those parents, and they respect them for it. People who honour their parents as they should tend to honour others in positions of authority and in roles of good leadership. And such people will also be the most likely to honour God as they should. Of course, a wise God will honour those who honour Him and those He has placed around us.
We don’t need to examine the Ten Commandments for long until we will realize that the keeping of them will contribute to good health and good relations with others. The things that place a threat on our life will be reduced. Although this will not guarantee a long and healthy life, it will certainly greatly improve the chances of such a life.
The Fifth Commandment is another of God’s reminders that He delights to bless those who honour Him and His Word. -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/uHK64YKbnZ4