In Exodus chapter twenty, verse eight, to honor father and mother is the fifth commandment that includes all necessary acts of kindness, material support, respect, and obedience to one’s parents. It prohibits unkind words and harmful activity. In chapter twenty-one, verses fifteen and seventeen, God required the death penalty for anyone who hit or cursed their father and mother: This is according to the Old Testament. The punishment shows how much importance God placed on respect for parents. Related is the duty of the father and mother to love their children and teach them the fear of the Lord and the ways of God. Doing this will prevent such temptation for children to express disrespectful ways and wrong activities.
To honor father and mother is the fifth commandment which is unique. The first four commandments focus on God, which makes sense. After all, He is the Creator, the maker of all things. However, the last five commandments center on personal conduct concerning others. The fifth commandment stands on its own because it focuses on His creation.
To honor father and mother sets the foundation for them in life for the future. If a child treats their parents disrespectfully, they will face the same fate when they become parents. However, to what degree only God knows because all of us reap what we sow eventually in all areas of our life. The important thing we must do is what the Bible says to get the results we expect. Children who honor their parents and help take care of them to the end most often receive a blessing. If not from the parents directly, they will get it from God at some point in their life. Everyone knows deep within if they treat their parents with love, care, and respect. God knows because He sees how we are living with them.