At least among Christian sects, this Commandment pertains literally to a long earthly life. One article issues a "disclaimer" (not sure if that's the right word) that a suicide would negate the promise. Suicide aside, I know people who were devoted to their parents to the point of denying their own earthly wants and needs, yet their life spans were shorter than those of their own children who treated them shabbily. Many, many examples. So much chaos; so few answers.
Some parents are not worthy of being honored. Being fertile and having sex are hardly universal indicators of fine character. On the other hand, when I was doing free home repairs for folks, I saw some very nice elderly people being treated like crap by their kids and grand kids (homes broken into, valuables and medications kept under heavy lock and key by necessity.) And I agree: lots of chaos and very few answers.
Actually the commandment doesn’t indicate a long life but rather a prolonged life. First, it is assumed that those following the commandments are Godly people and the parents of children are instructors in the ways of not only righteousness but guides for everyday life. For those reasons children are supposed to obey (honor) their parents e.g. come when called, eat and drink what is healthy, watch out for that snake. In other words, children are supposed to listen to and heed the advice of their parents. Learning from the experience of Godly parents does honor to the parents and heeding their advice will indeed prolong one’s life. Not doing so and snagging onto that poisonous snake against the parents teachings will shorten one’s life.
Here is what I hold unto: from Psalm 91 (Living Bible) 14 For the Lord says, “Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in my name. 15 When he calls on me, I will answer; I will be with him in trouble and rescue him and honor him. 16 I will satisfy him with a full life and give him my salvation.”
Actually, Ephesians 6:1-3 uses "long." Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” And again I say, many of my peers have treated their righteous parents worse than those parents treated their own parents, yet lived longer lives. Some other peers were not as long-lived as their parents even though that particular group of peers near worshipped their moms and pops. Not sure what the difference is anyway between "long" and "prolonged."
Uh, there’s quite a bit of difference. A person with a life threatening ailment can Prolong their life by taking whatever medicine. It doesn’t mean that the person will have a long life but a longer one than if he or she didn’t take the medication. Now, in reference to Ephesians, do please look at that verse especially the area that you are trying to point out. Living long in the land can indeed be confused with a long life but they are really not the same. Note how many times the Israelites were driven out of their land because they were disobedient and even honored other gods. Godly parents will teach their children in the ways of righteousness and the warning that children should heed / honor their parents teaching. It was only 3 generations into their freedom from Egypt that the people of Israel “forgot” how to honor God by following the Law and they even forgot how to fight for what they were given. Ref. the book of Judges.
And if you were a loving child, and adult, and righteous, and the second coming of Mother Teresa, and you believed in the Christian afterlife then ..... why the hell would you want to live a long earthly life? Die young and the next time you awaken, you're in heaven.
Person can live a long life after taking their miracle medicine. Looks like a semantics p------g contest is brewing here. Misses the whole point of the issue. Chaos continues to rule; the questions still linger.
Your point, as I took the OP, was an antithesis to the Commandment of honoring one’s parents. I’ve come upon so many Bible students in my teaching and lecturing life who twist and turn a verse or scripture until it no longer even resembles what the truth is. When people try to twist Biblical concepts to favor their own reasoning it is no longer Biblical, it’s personal and based on emotion. “For above all things the heart is deceitful and terribly wicked; who can know it?”. Jeremiah 17:9 I’ve used two or three examples but it looks like you dearly Want the Commandment to be incorrect and it just doesn’t work that way. Maybe it would be easier to accept some of the words you want to change if you simply looked them up. Honor for one and prolonged for another. You don’t have to have a Greek lexicon or a Strongs dictionary nor even a commentary but a lousy old Webster’s dictionary will do. Again....II Tim. 2:15
Getting away from the "long"/"prolonged" non-issue, I do not see the promise in the Commandment applied consistently. There's probably an answer but I've yet to hear it. Trust me on one thing: I do not want the Commandment to be wrong.
Tell me, when you were a lad, did you do anything against your parent’s wishes and get hurt? No need for an answer, you did. I venture to write that everyone has. The scripture is simply telling the offspring to listen to the wisdom, experience and whatever knowledge that a GOOD parent has to offer. It’s called honoring one’s parents. Yes, some people who were reared by Godly parents go out and do their own idiotic things and live long lives but who is to say how long they might have lived if they had listened. And, just as a tease, would that unGodly person who lived that long life enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for an even longer life?
6 Practical Ways to Honor Your Parents Conclusion "God calls every child of every age to show honor to our parents, to refuse to dishonor our parents. He calls us to honor them as the outflow of honoring him. He calls us to be people who respect his sovereignty by respecting the parents he saw fit to give us. In what ways is God calling you to show honor to your parents"?
I was a good son in general, respecting, honoring, and loving them, but sometimes took them for granted despite the fact that their sacrifices for me and my brother went above-and-beyond their own wants and NEEDS. I outlived both of them despite the sacrifices they made for their own parents far exceeded anything I did for my parents. Frankly, Brother Riley, your post is as confusing as those I have received from Reverend Cole. By the way, what are the six practical ways to which you alluded.