Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. Deuteronomy 21:15-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Today’s excerpt from Deuteronomy, Chapter 21, contains two distinct passages on how the Israelites were to deal with sons.
In the first passage, we see where the rights of the very firstborn son were upheld, even if the father engaged in polygamy. The scenario given involves “a man (who) has two wives and…loves one but not the other…both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love”. With these circumstances in place, there would be a danger that “when (the father) wills his property to his sons”, he might give “the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love”. This would be in direct violation of the Israeli customs regarding firstborn sons and be unjust. The actual firstborn son would be penalized just because his father loved his mother less than his other wife.
So clear direction was given to assure that the firstborn son was taken care of. The father was to “acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has”. For scripture affirms that the firstborn son was “the first sign of his father's strength”...the first product of his procreative power…and thus “the right of the firstborn belong(ed) to him”. And once again we see justice is a priority in God’s word.
Speaking of justice, we also see it evident in the second portion of our scripture. Only this time it isn’t so good for the son. Why? Because the son in this scenario is “stubborn and rebellious”…one “who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him”...a profligate (one who fully lacks moral restraint) and a drunkard”. This was in direct violation of God’s commandment to “"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)
We see where the consequences for an obstinate disobedient child were severe. When the parents had done all they could do to get the son under control, the next step was to take the son “to the elders at the gate of his town”. There, after the parents had told the elders about the son’s unwillingness to comply with their guidance and the moral expectations of society, “all the men of his town (would) stone (the stubborn son) to death”. The stubborn child would not get to live long in the land the lord gave Israel just as God’s commandment promised. That was the message sent to all children when any child who chose to violate that guidance was stoned.
Of course, this cultural norm would not work well today. But this doesn’t mean that God’s expectation that children honor their father and mother has changed any. No…it is just as valid and yet how often is it violated today? I would wager to say it is violated far more than it ever was during the days of early Israel…and that is truly sad. I often wonder how God feels about that. I can’t imagine he’s too pleased with us.
So why do so many children have such an issue with respecting their parents? Well, often it’s because parents mistreat them in some way and thus lose their respect. And yet, does God’s word give us an out clause when it comes to honoring our parents. Try to find one…it doesn’t exist. Why? Because we’re not to be the ones who judge whether our parents deserve honor or not. That’s God’s job. And trust me when I say He will hold parents accountable for any wrongs they commit against His children…because that’s who they are...His children entrusted to worldly parents for proper care. Worldly parents have an awesome responsibility and assume an equally awesome accountability. God will not accept failure in this area.
One final thought on honoring parents. We all have one Father when it comes down to it. We are His children and He expects us to honor Him always with everything we do. So how well do we do in this? Are we not disrespectful and dishonorable way too much of the time? If we lived in the days of Ancient Israel, how many of us should be dragged outside the gates of our towns and stoned for the way we have behaved before our Almighty Father? And yet, here we are. Not despised but loved…not condemned but forgiven. All because we have a Father who shows us grace and mercy despite our rebellious, sinful spirits. Could we not extend that same grace and mercy to our own parents…following God’s example? If we did, we would live in a better world today…a world where we leave the judging to God while we ever seek to honor Him by living as His Son, Jesus, lived. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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