Proverbs 15:5
A fool despiseth his father's instruction:
But he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
I have spent many years working with dysfunctional families. I have seen and heard of many a father unworthy of the title. Such is the iniquitous world in which we live. I therefore could not expound on this proverb solely towards the submission to earthly fathers. It would be abuse. Only a husband who submits in love to the Almighty can earn a wife who submits in love to him. Only a father who yields to his own Heavenly Father is worthy of children who in turn yield to him.
The Hebrew word used for ‘father’ is ‘ahv’. Each Hebrew letter has a meaning. The first letter of the word father is ‘strength’, the second is ‘house’: the strength of the house. The Semitic nomads did not live in houses but in tents. The word ‘ahv’ therefore refers to the strength and stability of the main pole holding the tent up. The ancient meaning therefore of the word father was: ‘the tent-pole’. He holds the structure of the house together.
Not every father is a spiritual giant, but such a father who holds his family together, who works hard, loves his wife, spends time with the children has accomplished a lot and deserves to be looked upon. One who has done all that is the ultimate Father and Creator of us all.
Our Almighty Father is the ultimate example to follow. His wife cheats on Him but He does His best to preserve the marriage. His children stray but if they only but look back in His direction he runs towards them crying. He is just, but merciful. He is merciful, but not lenient. He is not lenient but He still takes upon Himself the price of our backsliding. A tough act to follow.
It is the Instruction of such a Father that we should not despise. It is the regard of His reproof that is birthed of prudence, and His Word is to submit to our earthly fathers as much as we can. On this issue the apostle which Yeshua sent to us wrote in these terms,
A fool despiseth his father's instruction:
But he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
I have spent many years working with dysfunctional families. I have seen and heard of many a father unworthy of the title. Such is the iniquitous world in which we live. I therefore could not expound on this proverb solely towards the submission to earthly fathers. It would be abuse. Only a husband who submits in love to the Almighty can earn a wife who submits in love to him. Only a father who yields to his own Heavenly Father is worthy of children who in turn yield to him.
The Hebrew word used for ‘father’ is ‘ahv’. Each Hebrew letter has a meaning. The first letter of the word father is ‘strength’, the second is ‘house’: the strength of the house. The Semitic nomads did not live in houses but in tents. The word ‘ahv’ therefore refers to the strength and stability of the main pole holding the tent up. The ancient meaning therefore of the word father was: ‘the tent-pole’. He holds the structure of the house together.
Not every father is a spiritual giant, but such a father who holds his family together, who works hard, loves his wife, spends time with the children has accomplished a lot and deserves to be looked upon. One who has done all that is the ultimate Father and Creator of us all.
Our Almighty Father is the ultimate example to follow. His wife cheats on Him but He does His best to preserve the marriage. His children stray but if they only but look back in His direction he runs towards them crying. He is just, but merciful. He is merciful, but not lenient. He is not lenient but He still takes upon Himself the price of our backsliding. A tough act to follow.
It is the Instruction of such a Father that we should not despise. It is the regard of His reproof that is birthed of prudence, and His Word is to submit to our earthly fathers as much as we can. On this issue the apostle which Yeshua sent to us wrote in these terms,
. . . we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Hebrews 12:9-10.
If we expect our children to mind our ‘torah’, let us make sure that we ourselves mind the ‘Torah’ of our Father.
If we expect our children to mind our ‘torah’, let us make sure that we ourselves mind the ‘Torah’ of our Father.
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