Did you know that some species of the Mayfly only have a lifespan of half an hour. Luckier varieties live for up to a full day or two. Evidently, kinder Mayflies have not mastered the art of honoring their parental ones.
Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the lord your God is giving you.
It comes with an implied threat. Honor your parents or you may not live long enough to regret it. Adultery, false witness, stealing? Those are just straight forward “thou shalt nots.” Punto final. But dishonor your parents and your days on this earth are numbered.
And, if we can take God, by metaphor and extension, as the ultimate of parents, our Father if you will, then the same holds true of the other commandments that relate to honoring God as well. There’s an implicit or not so implicit threat for each one: You can’t have any other Gods and if you do, there’s great “iniquity”…’cause, um, he’s admittedly a Jealous Father-Type.
You take His name in vain, and you “won’t be held guiltless.” Threat.
But covet your neighbor’s male servant. Or donkey. Or wife? That’s just a don’t-do-it-one. There’s no threat or consequence issued.
Fascinating.
I just got off the phone with the-people-I-honor-most-because-I-want-to-live-longer-than-a-Mayfly. Give me strength.
I’m guessing somebody knew whose parents they were dealing with when they wrote these commandments. They don’t let you kill them, and they don’t let you curse them out, either.
Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the lord your God is giving you.
It’s not a threat. It’s a promise. Looks like you’re in for some long days ahead, son.
https://instagram.com/p/37Ij-ihku-/