Hearken Unto Your Father - Proverbs 23:22

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse twenty-two of Proverbs Solomon said, “hearken unto your father that begot you” where we read,

Hearken unto your father that begot you,

and despise not your mother when she is old.

The verse begins, “Hearken unto your father that begot you, ...” Solomon began with the words, “hearken unto your father” or “listen, understand and give heed to your, Solomon's son's, immediate male progenitor and ancestor” “that begot you” which means “who birthed and brought you, Solomon's son, forth”. Solomon instructed his son to listen to and obey his male progenitor. 

The verse continues, “... and despise not your mother when she is old.” Solomon added the words, “and despise not” or “and do not hold in contempt, as insignificant and disrespected” “your mother” which means “your, Solomon's son's, immediate female progenitor and ancestor” “when she is old” or “at the time and moment she, Solomon's son's mother, become aged and decrepit”. Solomon told his son not to disrespect his “mother” at the time she become aged and decrepit. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how his son was to listen to his “father” and respect his “mother” even when she becomes aged. Jehovah God gave this commandment to Moses, “honor your father, and your mother” (See Exodus 20:12), and Paul the apostle wrote, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor your father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” (See Ephesians 6:1-3) We are to obey this command. God loves us, and when we honor our parents, we honor Him. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we humble ourselves, repent of our sins and believe and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us the value of listening to our fathers and revering our mothers even as they age.

Next time Solomon says, “buy the truth, and sell it not”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".