p. 6 | THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT by E. S. WALKER

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 3, 1861

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

By E. S. WALKER

INTENDED FOR CHILDREN.

"Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." This is the fifth commandment in God's law, and is the first commandment with promise. The apostle Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honor thy father and mother: which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth." Have you ever considered the promise contained in this commandment. If you honor your parents, the promise is "that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." What land is it that is here promised? Certainly not this earth in its present state, where thorns and thistles grow, where trouble and sorrow dwell, where children who obey their parents, as well as those who do not, sicken and die, and are laid away in the grave; this cannot be the land, for our days are not long upon this land.

According to the word of God, the days of no one are long upon this earth in its present state. Job says, "Man is of few days and full of trouble: he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not." The psalmist David says, "The days of our years are three score years and ten: and if by reason of strength they be four score years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow, for it is soon cut off."

The apostle James says, "But what is your life? it is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away." And again we read in Isaiah, "The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner." And according to Peter's testimony, "the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

Then according to the Scriptures, our lives in this world are compared to a shadow, to a flower that is cut down, and to a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. And we find that the earth is to wax old like a garment, and finally to be burned up.

So then in addition to what we see around us, we have the evidence of good men—of inspired men—that this is not the land promised. Well then, I think I hear you ask, Where then is it? Where is that land which God has promised to give us, in which our days shall be long? Let us examine the Bible and see if we cannot learn something of it. God has made the promise, and he has certainly told us in his word where this land is, and what it is like. But before looking for it, let us bear in mind that God has promised that our days are to be long in it, and if God says our days are to be long, we may rest assured that we shall be permitted to live there a great while, for we are informed that a thousand years in his sight are as but yesterday when it is past.

We will now proceed with our examination. Peter says in speaking of the destruction of this earth, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness," or wherein the righteous will dwell. Then there must be a promise that when God destroys this earth by fire, he will create new heavens and a new earth; let us examine Isaiah's prophecy. In chap. lvi we find the promise: "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind."

We can now understand Paul's language where he says, "Honor thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth." Then is it not plain that the land promised in obedience to the fifth commandment, and the earth spoken of by Paul, upon which those who honor their parents are to live long, I say, is it not clear that it is the new earth? Yes, after this earth is destroyed by fire God has promised to create new heavens and a new earth. And in this new earth there will be no more death; none of the inhabitants will grow old and feeble as they do here. There will be no aching head or tired limbs, nor anything to hurt or destroy in all the earth. And there will be no ravenous beasts there.

We read that the wolf and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion shall dwell together, and a little child shall lead them. There will no noxious weeds grow there, no thorns nor thistles, but beautiful flowers will grow there abundantly, much nicer than anything that grows on this earth, and they will never fade. Here, what flowers we have bloom but for a short time, and then fade and die away. Not so there; they will bloom forever, and never fade nor die. And then there will be beautiful rivers, clear as crystal, beautiful trees, and the most delicious fruit. There will grow the tree of life, which bears twelve different kinds of fruit, and yields its fruit every month, and those who eat of it will live forever.

Here in this earth persons build nice houses, and have to die and leave them for others to live in. Not so in the new earth. There they will build houses and live in them. Here persons plant vineyards and orchards, and frequently have to die before they are large enough to bear fruit. Not so in that country. There they plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. There will be a beautiful city there with its streets paved with gold. But I cannot tell you about that at this time, nor can I tell you a hundredth part of the beauties and glories of the new earth.

If you use your eyes and look upon every thing beautiful in this world, and then use your ears and listen to every thing that you can hear that is melodious, and then think of every thing that you can think of that is beautiful and nice, and after you have done all this you can have no idea of the beauties of the new earth. For it is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

Then will you not all strive to love God with all your heart, to do all that he has commanded you in his holy Book, and especially honor your parents by obeying them in all things, so that you may receive the promised reward—be permitted to dwell long on the beautiful new earth?

E. S. WALKER.