Heb. 12:3-11, Transferrable Concepts Part 2

In today’s post we want to list some family-related principles found in the OT that are useful in our homes as we live under the NT.  This is by no means exhaustive, and we are just noting a few illustrations.  I hope you are encouraged.

·       God related principles.

o   Honor God above your children.

§  Gen. 22:12: Abraham honored God to the point of offering up Isaac.

§  Lev. 10:1-7: Aaron did not morn the death of his oldest sons out of reverence for God.  Among those who approach me I will show Myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.

§  1 Sam. 2:27-36: Eli dishonored God by failing to discipline his sons. Those who honor me I will honor but those who despise me will be disdained.

§  Psalm 128: God’s blessing is on homes where the family fears the Lord.

o   Teach with application God’s principles to your children.  Deut. 6:4-9: First, honor God above all.  Then teach your children as you and they go through life.  Teach them in the context of life experiences.

o   Honor God above your possessions. Deut. 6:10-12: For Israel the command was, after you enter the land and are blessed, don’t forget the LORD who brought you out of Egypt.

o   Share God’s wonderful works with your children.  Deut. 6:20-25: A monument was erected to remind people of the Exodus.  We should pass along God’s works in our family to our descendants.

o   Pray for your children.  Job 1:5: We do not offer sacrifices like Job, but we can, through prayer, bring them to the LORD.

·       Life related principles.

o   Take a stand for God in your family.

§  Josh. 24:15: Joshua called for a family commitment to serve the LORD.

§  Acts 16:31: The jailer’s entire family believed after the jailer brought Paul and Silas to his home to care for them.

§  Jer. 35:6: The Rechabites are a great OT illustration of this principle.

o   Model a righteous life. 

§  Gen. 7:1: Noah, whom God found to be righteous in his generation, was followed by his entire family.

§  Prov. 3:33: The LORD “blesses the home of the righteous.”

o   Discipline your children as God our Father disciplines us.

§  Prov. 13:34; 19:18; 23:13; 29:15; 29:17: All these emphasize the principle.

§  Heb. 12:3-11: Any good father will discipline his children in love.  Verses 5-6 are a quote of Prov. 3:11-12.

We will conclude this exercise in our next post.