5. Commandment number five is followed by a direct blessing.

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“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” 

This is the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20, and it is also the one commandment that is followed by a blessing. It is worth noting that God’s gift of long life is much more than a lengthy number of days. It is a promise of His provision, protection, and guidance every day of our lives. Honoring our parents was included in the 10 Commandments because God ultimately wanted His people to honor Him. Treating our earthly parents with due respect is just a hint of how we honor and glorify God.

Even when relationships are fragmented and parents seem unworthy to receive honor, there is great blessing when we choose to obey the fifth commandment. God knows. He understands. And He is faithful in keeping His promises.

6. All but one commandment is upheld in the New Testament.

From the very first command to have “no other gods,” to the commandment against coveting, all but one of the commandments are backed up by Jesus and His disciples. (See Matthew 5:17-32, Mark 7: 9-13, Luke 18:20, 1 Corinthians 8:5-61, Corinthians 5:10-11, and Colossians 3:5).

Keeping the Sabbath is the only commandment that is mentioned differently in the New Testament. As Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

Hebrews chapter 11, verses 9-11, gives us more insight into the new covenant we have through Jesus Christ. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”

For Christians, our Sabbath-rest isn’t the observance of a particular day of the week, but instead, a covenant relationship with the Son of God unto salvation—not by works, but by faith in Christ.

Having said that, I do believe God’s example of working for six days and resting for one is not only honorable to Him, but beneficial to us—especially if we set aside a day to worship, pray, and fellowship.

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