Honor Your Mother
On May 12, 1907, Anna Jarvis held a memorial to her deceased mother, Ann Maria Jarvis. By 1914, she had successfully campaigned to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday.1 Since that time, mothers have received cards and gifts each year on the 2nd Sunday in May.
Before I go any further, let me take a moment to extend a few words to every mother who is reading here:
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
What God Commands...
It's great to have a special day for children to honour their mothers, but realize that the Bible commands us to honour our mothers at all times. The Law of Moses had several commands relative to one's relationship with father and mother:
Honor your father and your mother... (Exodus 20:12)
...he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21:15)
...he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21:17)
Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father... (Leviticus 19:3)
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother [he will be put to death]... (Deuteronomy 21:18)
Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt. (Deuteronomy 27:16)
It is vitally important that children treat their mothers properly. We see how serious the LORD is about respect and suitable conduct towards our parents in the penalties prescribed for those who would strike, curse or rebelliously disobey. All such, under Moses' law, were to be put to death.
Though we are no longer under Moses' law, and unruly children are not subject to physical death now, God is no less concerned with how we treat our parents. Exodus 20:12 was quoted by Paul and bound upon all in Ephesians 6:2. There, the apostle states,
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:1-3)
“Though we are no longer under Moses' law, ...God is no less concerned with how we treat our parents.”
We are as responsible to honour our parents as those under the old law, not under penalty of physical death, but with the understanding that our soul's are at stake.
A Couple Amazing Bible Moms...
Consider a few thoughts about some of the wonderful mothers recorded in the Bible. Perhaps these will remind us of the same godly traits in our own mothers, or for those who are mothers, will serve as an example to follow.
ABIGAIL - A "woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance" (1 Samuel 25:3), who saved her family from David's vengeance. What love and devotion, risking her own life to save them!
HANNAH - Unable to bear a child for a lengthy time, but God heard her prayer and blessed her with Samuel. She had vowed to give him to the LORD, and did so after he was weaned (1 Samuel 1:22, 27-28). Her love for him is manifest in her continued tending to him, though he was at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:19).
Indicative Of God's Love!
God uses the love of a mother to speak of His love for us. Consider a few examples:
Surely I have clamed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:2)
As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 66:13)
Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. (NKJV) (Isaiah 49:15)
What a blessing our mothers are; let us appreciate them as we should, and honour them as the Lord would have us do. And, may we learn through the compassion and love of a mother part of the character of God.
1) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day
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Answering The Atheist
Complaint:
Did Enoch die? Hebrews 11:13 indicates that he did, while Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11:5 indicate that he did not. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
Moses records in Genesis 5:24 that, "...Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." As the questioner has suggested, this text reveals that Enoch did not die.
We move to the New Testament, in the book of Hebrews, and we read:
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)
The Bible could not have been more detailed on what it means when Moses wrote that "...God took him." The Hebrew writer specifically tells us that Enoch "...did not see death..." That's plain, that's simply, that agrees with Moses' record.
So, what about Hebrews 11:13? Does it say otherwise? There we read:
These all died in faith, not having received the promises...
I guess the questioner is including Enoch among "these". However, if we go back to the Old Testament and consider to whom a promise of a land was given, the promise began with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). Those mentioned before Abraham (Abel, Enoch, and Noah) were not recipients of the promises, and therefore are not among those whom the writer identifies as having died, not receiving the promises.
Aside from that, the writer specifically tells us in verse 5 that Enoch did not die; therefore, it ought to be understood by any reasonable person that he is not included among those who all died in verse 13.
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible.