LESSON XXIV. The Fifth Commandment

Questions to Lesson 24^{*Repeat the fifth commandment. What does Paul say of the fifth commandment? What is of first importance? To whom should we feel under greatest obligation? Who has done most for us? Who next? Our duty to parents is next to what? What is the promise in this commandment? What land has God promised to his people? What will those do who obey their parents in the Lord? Of what are many young people fond? What ornament is best? Repeat Proverbs 1:8, 9. Honor to parents is more becoming than what?}

Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.BIC 56.1

The fifth commandment of the ten, “is the first commandment with promise.” It is also the first upon that table which teaches our duty to each other. It is the first that children can understand, and it is of the first importance too that all obey it.BIC 56.2

Reason would teach us, if we had no Bible, that our parents are entitled to our first regard; we should love them that have loved us, and to those that have done the most for us, we should feel under the greatest obligation. God has done more for us than any other being could do, and therefore, is entitled to our greatest love and highest honor. Next to our duty to God is our duty to our parents. Our relation to our heavenly Father, and that to our earthly parents is very much alike. It is no wonder then that duty to parents should be placed next, in the decalogue, to our duty to God.BIC 56.3

The Scriptures abound with instructions and admonitions concerning this duty; with promises of blessings to the obedient, and awful threatenings to the disobedient. We have room for but a few of them, but refer to the following, hoping you will take your Bible and read them. Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 27:16; Proverbs 1:8; 30:17; Jer. 35; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20.BIC 56.4

Long life is the promise in the commandment; and as Jesus promises eternal life to commandment-keepers, we think this promise is not confined to this world alone, but reaches to the new earth, as the land that God has promised to those that love them. The blessing promised to those who obey God, does not end with this life; and those who obey their parents “in the Lord,” will obey God in the other commandments as well as the fifth.BIC 57.1

Many young people are fond of ornaments; but the best of all ornaments is “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” A meek and quiet spirit will heed the instructions of parents. Proverbs 1:8. “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother; for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”BIC 57.2

Dear friends, these ornaments are more becoming than jewels and chains of gold.BIC 57.3