THE DECALOGUE by J. W. Watt

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 8, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 49.

THE DECALOGUE.

By J. W. Watt

The Fifth Commandment.

“Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Ex. 20:12.

This is the first commandment with promise. The first four precepts of the law relate to our duty to God; this one relates to our duty to our fellow-men—our parents.

Evidently when the Lord created the world, He designed that its inhabitants should dwell together in well-regulated families, and that there should be family government such as He could approve; therefore the family relationship is a sacred thing in the mind of God. How consistent it is that after God has set before us in His law our duty toward Himself, the next point brought to view should be the family! From the families of earth must come the men who will carry forward the work of God in the earth, also those who rule the world in civil affairs.

The idea prevails that this commandment is for children, and some have used it as a whip to bring about a kind of forced obedience in their children,—an obedience which had no love in it, and was contrary to the law and to the spirit of the Lawgiver.

Duty of Parents.

To the mind of the writer the duty of the parent properly to instruct the child in the ways of God is just as clearly brought to view in this commandment as is the duty of the child to honor the parents. Let us note some things which the Lord has said to fathers and mothers:—

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. 6:6, 7.

The love of God and the principles set forth in His law were to be so perfectly written in the hearts of the fathers and mothers of Israel that they would continually talk of them before their children.

“And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. 11:19. “For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children; that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” Ps. 78:5-7.

The above scriptures are an expression of God’s will concerning the duty of parents to instruct their children in the way of life and salvation. Parents must teach their children the love of God by a consistent life of godliness as well as by precept. In fact, we may say the parents must obey the first four commandments of the law if they would have their children obey the fifth. If the character of God is seen in them, if the parents are merciful and gracious, long-suffering, full of goodness and truth, tender-hearted and forgiving, always manifesting the tenderness and love of God in every word and act of life, so that their children can see that their religion is a reality and not a sham—it would be a strange child indeed that would not honor such parents. But how many who profess to be servants of God show more of self in their family government than they do of the true character and Spirit of God! How necessary that there be a reform upon the commandments of God before the Saviour comes again!

Duty of Children.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right.”

How are children to obey their parents?—In the Lord. What kind of parents are they to obey in this way?—Parents who are in the Lord. Parents who are in the Lord will do by their children as the Lord Himself would do, were He in their stead. Children are not commanded to obey their parents if the demands made by the parents are not in harmony with the revealed will of God. Children are not to yield to a demand of Satan, altho made by father or mother. But when a demand is made in harmony with the Lord’s will, then it is a grave sin for the child to disobey; for in so doing he violates a plain precept of God.

“Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Col. 3:20. This scripture is in accord with all other statements made in the Bible on this subject. They are to obey in all things, not out of the Lord, but in the Lord.

Children delight to obey parents and honor them when they see in the parents the characteristics of heaven; and, altho sin has wrought such a change in the world from what would have been seen had men always obeyed God, yet the time will come when every child in the world will obey the fifth commandment; for sin and sinners must be destroyed, and God’s original design carried out. In the world to come, God will have us carry out in all things His first design in creating man. The family

will then be what it would have been had man not sinned; but children who refuse to honor their parents in the Lord in this life will not reach that heavenly country, neither will parents who are not “in the Lord” reach that place. Therefore both parents and children should strive with all their power to be in the family what God would have them be, and what they must be to enter heaven.

Children should early in life seek God. He will hear them pray, and will comfort, guide, and strengthen them if they obey Him, just the same as He will their parents who trust Him. It is obedience that God loves in His creatures. We remember that when the Saviour was here among men, He took even small children in His arms, and blessed them, and said, “Of such is the kingdom of heaven.” What an encouragement this should be to children as they try to honor their parents by obeying the Lord!

The Promise.

This commandment has a promise connected with it: “Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” What land has the Lord promised to give us?—He has promised us the earth. “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; but the earth hath He given to the children of men.” Ps. 115:16. God gave the earth to man in the beginning. At that time the earth was very beautiful, and was a pleasant home, where man could dwell and be happy; and had he not sinned, the earth would have remained as beautiful as it was when God made it. There would have been no death. This entire world would have been a land of living green; all nature would have glorified God. This was God’s original purpose in creating the earth, and He will not allow sin and Satan to thwart His purpose. Satan can only mar the fair universe of God for a little while; then God will destroy Satan and sin and all the effects of sin, and man will live on the earth made new, brought back again to its Eden purity and glory. The earth will be the eternal home of God’s people.

This is the land which the Lord has promised His children. See Gen. 13:14, 15; 17:8; 26:3; 28:14; Rom. 4:13; Matt. 5:5.

As showing that the earth is to be renewed, see Isa. 65:17-23; 66:22, 23; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Rev. 21:1, 2, read the entire chapter, also the twenty-second chapter.

Much more might be given, but these texts show what the promise embraces. Children can well afford to honor their parents by obeying God, that they may have a home in the earth as it will be when again restored to its former beauty and loveliness; the New Jerusalem, the golden city which Christ is preparing for His people, will be the capital of that country, and every Sabbath all the saved of earth will go to the city to worship the Lord. What a privilege it will be to walk these golden streets with harps of gold in our hands, making music sweet and melodious unto God and the Lamb. All this and much more we may learn by the study of the fifth commandment of the law. With such a promise as this connected with the law of God, how anxious we should be to keep all the law just as God has given it, that we may be among the number who shall enjoy the wonderful blessings God has promised to His people!

May the Lord by His Spirit aid both the writer and the reader to obey Him in all things, and thus be prepared for a home in the earth made new. J. W. WATT.