Our confession and Romans 2 state that the moral law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, was written in man’s heart when he was created in God’s image. Every human being, even if not saved, knows deeply in their conscience that it is wrong to disobey or dishonor parents, or to commit murder, adultery, and theft. You do not have to be a Christian to recognize that; because you are human, it is written on your heart.
Our confession outlines six wonderful uses of the law of God. First, it cannot save anyone, but it serves as a rule of life. It reveals the sin in our hearts and lives, shows us our need for Christ, restrains sin, and obedience to it brings wonderful blessings.
Even in this life, if you observe His providential blessings, it is consistently the children—even unbelieving children—who at least outwardly respect and honor their parents that prosper and achieve in this life. Conversely, for children who break God’s law, nothing seems to work out for them. Likewise, for those who love their wives and avoid adultery, family life is deeply blessed, while others see their lives shattered.
God originally gave the law as a path to man’s greatest happiness. The last commandment acts as a foundation for all Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not covet.” If you harbor covetousness, your life becomes miserably dissatisfied and unhappy. You will end up breaking all the other commandments—unable to worship God because of discontentment, lacking gratitude, ready to break the Sabbath to fulfill the desires of a covetous heart, dishonoring parents out of covetousness, and committing adultery, theft, and falsehood out of envy. Thus, the Tenth Commandment forms the base.
What God did with Israel as part of the Old Covenant was to give them three categories of law. The moral law, which was already written on man’s heart, He codified in writing. In addition, He gave them the ceremonial law and the judicial law. Our confession states that the ceremonial and judicial laws passed away with the Old Covenant. We do not offer sacrifices today or enforce the specific judicial laws given to the nation of Israel, but there are general principles we can learn from them, as we have seen through the first seventeen chapters of Leviticus.
Leviticus 17 functions as the central hinge upon which the two halves of the book turn. The first seventeen chapters focused primarily on ceremonial aspects, but from chapter 18 onward, God highlights aspects of the moral law that apply to all people everywhere. For instance, in chapter 18 we studied forbidden sexual sins. Is that ceremonial or moral law? It is moral law, forming part of the Seventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Notice that God states the land vomited out the gentile Canaanites and that He would punish them severely. Why? Because whether someone is a Canaanite or belongs to any other nation, all human beings are bound by the moral law. If they do not follow it, they will face God’s judgment, even in this present life.
Today we come to Leviticus chapter 19. We see the summary of the Ten Commandments presented in this chapter—not in their original numerical order, but interwoven with ceremonial directives for ancient Israel.
Verses 1 and 2 lay the foundation for these commands:
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.'”
Though originally spoken to Israel, according to the New Testament, believers in Christ are the new Israel. God says: “Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” As My people, you are called to imitate Me; be holy.
We often have a wrong understanding of holiness and recoil when we hear the word. The original concept behind holiness is closely tied to the English word wholeness—being complete, having together all the parts that were intended to be there, and functioning as they ought to function. All our misery stems from being damaged by sin. If we are to be truly happy, we must be whole, just as God is holy. God is entirely filled with peace and wholeness; He dwells in absolute wholeness. Looking at us in our brokenness, He says: “Be whole, as I am whole.” We naturally long to be whole people.
If we ask, “Lord, how can we be holy?” He shows us the path by listing the Ten Commandments in this chapter. Why? Because the Ten Commandments reflect the character and nature of God. The only way to be truly happy is to reflect His nature by walking in obedience to His law, which reveals how to be holy. In this chapter, we will learn basic principles of holiness—what it means to be made whole.
Interestingly, this section begins with the Fifth Commandment in verse 3, which will be our focus today. Here is the first basic principle of holiness.
The Foundation of Holiness
Here is the foundation to being made whole, happy, and blessed in life. Look at the first principle He sets down in verse 3:
“Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.”
Notice the very first instruction: “Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father.” It is remarkable that this is the first principle of holiness set before us here. We know this as the first commandment on the second tablet of the law, and the first commandment with a promise. If you want God’s blessing on your life, it is not enough merely to pray, “Bless me, God, give me victory.” Obedience is what brings blessing. Here is the signpost that leads to a blessed life.
While the Fifth Commandment in Exodus says “Honor your father and your mother,” here the wording goes further with a striking command: fear or revere your parents. What does this mean? It refers to a reverent, healthy fear. The Hebrew word used here (yaaree) is the same word used for fearing God in verse 32.
It means having a genuine hesitation to disobey them, fearing to do anything that would displease or anger them, and recognizing that their blessing or displeasure carries weight. It means refusing to yell at them, criticize them, argue with them, demean them, or rebel against them. It means resisting the urge to mock, insult, or even grumble against them under your breath. Instead, you hold them in awe and reverence.
Someone might object: “Pastor, what generation are you living in? Don’t take this so seriously! We are modern people, Gen Z—we don’t take these things so rigidly.” But look closely at what the text says to emphasize its solemnity: “Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father… I am the Lord your God.”
This command is not an outdated religious tradition or a human invention designed merely to keep domestic peace. It is backed by: “I am the LORD.” The sovereign, all-caps Yahweh—who holds absolute authority, gives life and breath to every person, and determines future blessings, status, and success—is the One who issued it. Jesus, under whose feet all authority now rests, has spoken. Not only is He the Lord, but He is also the Creator and God who will judge every individual. He says, “I have commanded you.” This carries the divine, authoritative final seal of God. This command is not a suggestion, a cultural preference, or a human rule; it is a non-negotiable decree from the Lord God, and there are serious consequences to ignoring it.
One might say: “My parents are from an older generation, and we cannot listen to everything they say. I am from Gen X or Gen Z. They don’t understand us; we have so many dreams, and there is a huge generation gap. I think my way is right for me, so I won’t respect my elders.” But when you disobey them, you are not merely disobeying human beings.
This is the first commandment on the second tablet, representing the foundational horizontal obedience God expects before pouring out His blessing. The law of God is a rule of life to guide us along the right path. Like traffic regulations, if you ignore the signals and speed ahead at full throttle, you will eventually crash and suffer serious harm. You may be driving at high speed, but God has posted a speed limit. If you ignore the sign, disaster follows. The rule board remains, exposing our sin, showing whether we are heading in the right direction, and pointing us to Christ.
Well-meaning parents may sometimes overlook disobedience out of affection, but God records every violation against His holy law. Traffic cameras track signal violations and accumulate fines; in the same way, God’s divine oversight evaluates the heart, noting every act of dishonor, disrespect, or rebellion toward parents.
The phrase “I am the LORD your God” should sober every heart. Mark this truth: breaking this law carries real consequences. “Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father.” Fear them, respect them, and honor them. Never mock them, rebel against them, or treat them with sarcasm.
Notice also how verse 3 pairs this command with keeping the Sabbath. It links respect for family (a social duty) directly with obedience to God (a divine duty). In God’s eyes, setting aside reverence for parents and setting aside the Sabbath stem from the same root of disobedience.
Why should we revere our parents? When you fear God, your eyes are opened to wisdom, and you recognize parents as God-given authorities. It was God, in His providence, who used your parents to bring you into existence. Revering them means honoring the source of life and acknowledging that God placed you under their authority. Disrespecting parents is not merely disrespecting human beings; it is rejecting God’s authority and wisdom.
If you desire your life to be whole and blessed by God, revere your parents. Before God exalts or blesses anyone, He tests them under the authority He has placed directly over them. If a person fails there, they cannot pass elsewhere. God Himself is invisible to human eyes, so He tests our heart’s submission through visible earthly authorities: parents and teachers for children, governments for citizens, and employers for workers.
Consider Romans 13:1–2:
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”
Parents, elders, and teachers possess a God-given measure of authority over you. The way we treat our earthly parents mirrors how we view our Heavenly Father. If you resist them, you resist God’s order and bring judgment upon yourself.
The Mother Mentioned First
Notice that in Leviticus 19:3, the mother is mentioned before the father—unlike the phrasing in the Decalogue in Exodus. Why? Possibly to emphasize the necessity of revering the parent who might be easier to neglect or presume upon. A mother’s gentleness or natural affection might sometimes be taken for granted, making her the easier target for disrespect. By placing the mother first here, Scripture ensures that both parents receive equal honor and reverence.
Revere them so that, like Esau, you do not forfeit God’s spiritual blessings in your life. Desiring to avoid their curse and seek their blessing is recognized across many cultures as a key factor in receiving God’s favor.
Furthermore, the command does not say, “Every small child shall revere his parents.” It says: “Every one of you” (or as the KJV renders it, “Every man”). Whether an individual is 20, 30, 40, or 50 years old, they should maintain a reverent respect that prevents them from yelling at or mistreating their parents.
Some might ask: “Isn’t this purely Old Testament teaching?” Consider the New Testament instruction in Ephesians 6:1–3:
“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.'”
Paul writes that this is “right,” meaning that natural law itself testifies to it. Even nature and human conscience confirm this truth. Beyond that, God presents this as a divine principle for a blessed life.
The Lord, who reigns over all authority and orchestrates world events to fulfill His promises, declares: “Here is the map. Follow it, and it will go well with you.” It will go well with your studies, your work, your aspirations, and your daily life. Moreover, He promises a long and healthy life on the earth.
A person may not be the most brilliant, talented, or naturally gifted individual, but learning this basic principle of holiness puts them on the path to true success. God ensures that those who walk in His ways are sustained. Conversely, if one chooses sarcasm, rebellion, and disrespect, then regardless of talent, intelligence, or ambition, they will encounter closed doors in divine providence. Life becomes increasingly difficult.
This is not merely a memory verse to recite; its warning is real. Unless there is genuine reverence and honor, things will not go well, and life will be cut short from its full potential. Leviticus places a divine seal upon this command, marking it as a matter of serious weight. It is a foundational principle of holiness. Without it, a person lives in compromise, missing the fullness of God’s blessing.
What should you do if your parents make decisions you disagree with? If you submit in the fear of God, He will protect you and cause things to work out for good. What if their plans conflict with your personal dreams? Submit in the fear of the Lord, and trust God to fulfill His purpose for your life. That requires genuine faith—believing that as you honor God’s order, He will take care of your future. Nothing truly good is achieved through rebellion.
Obedience is not tested when parents ask you to do something you already enjoy. True obedience is demonstrated when you disagree or when you are asked to set aside your personal preference, yet you submit out of reverence for God. Parents are not perfect; they may make mistakes or lack complete understanding. But the test of your obedience is whether you will honor God in how you respond to them.
Today, many mistakenly assume that maturity means doing whatever one pleases. That is actually a sign of immaturity and self-centeredness. True maturity is choosing to act in ways that bring honor to your parents and please God, trusting Him to direct your destiny.
What does it mean to honor them? It means placing their peace and respect above selfish demands. God promises to honor those who keep His commandments. As Ephesians 6:3 assures: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
Look at biblical history to see the contrast:
Examples of Those Who Submitted:
- Joseph: He had extraordinary prophetic dreams, yet he remained humble and obedient to his father Jacob. In God’s providence, Joseph was elevated beyond all his expectations.
- David: He was obedient to his father and remained respectful even toward his father-in-law, King Saul, who sought his life. David refused to raise his hand against the anointed of the Lord, leaving judgment to God. Consequently, God exalted him to the throne.
- Jesus: He is the ultimate model of obedience. Though He created all things, He submitted to His earthly parents during His youth. Though equal with God, He submitted to His Heavenly Father even unto death on the cross, and God has highly exalted Him above every name.
Examples of Those Who Rebellied:
- Absalom: He was handsome and gifted, but he harbored bitterness over family failures and rebelled against his father David. Despite his talents and charm, his rebellion led to a tragic, humiliating end, leaving his memory as a warning against dishonoring parents.
- Samson: Possessing immense physical strength and a divine calling, he repeatedly disregarded his parents’ godly counsel—starting with his demand to marry outside the covenant: “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.” His path of self-will led to capture, blindness, and bondage.
- Simeon and Levi: When their sister was mistreated, they bypassed their father Jacob’s authority and took violent revenge in anger. Their impulsive rebellion brought trouble upon the family and resulted in Jacob’s ultimate rebuke.
Revering your parents is a primary, foundational principle of holiness. If you seek God’s blessing upon your life, generic prayers for victory are not enough where basic obedience is ignored. Obedience brings blessing, and this commandment is the divine signpost leading to a truly whole and blessed life.
The first step of holiness is clear: Fear Parents. The life of holiness begins at home. God places the command to revere parents directly after the command to be holy, making it the first practical step in true obedience.
Now, when you revere them, you mature in that holiness.
Maturity in Holiness: Societal Reverence
That maturity is visibly demonstrated in a person’s behavior out in the community. Leviticus 19:32 states:
“You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.”
Parental reverence in the home must mature into societal reverence in the community. The respect cultivated within the household must extend to the elders of society.
This calls for active respect. The command is physical: “rise” or “stand up”—a public, visible sign of submission and honor in their presence. It means expressing a deliberate token of respect. It means not sitting carelessly cross-legged while an elder stands, but showing tangible courtesy. It means addressing them respectfully rather than casually using first names—using terms of honor such as “Sir,” or appropriate titles of respect for older men and women.
We need to cultivate respect for the aged in our culture. Do not interrupt them when they are speaking. Greet them politely, look them in the eye when conversing, open doors for them, and offer assistance. In doing so, you are not merely honoring an individual; you are honoring the wisdom, life experience, and history they carry.
For young people, one of the greatest needs is wisdom. Practical, authentic wisdom does not come from short-form videos or social media feeds, which are often filled with triviality from unknown sources. Today, people sometimes boast that a young child can navigate social media, yet that content often imparts no practical life wisdom for school or future responsibilities. A generation raised in front of screens can easily lose the art of proper conduct. In previous generations, much wisdom was gained simply by sitting quietly and listening to the thoughtful conversations of elders. Tapping into the vast deposit of wisdom found in the elderly helps prevent costly, life-altering mistakes.
Consider the biblical account of Rehoboam. When he inherited the wealthy kingdom from his father Solomon, he faced a critical decision for the nation. The people of Israel asked him to lighten their labor and tax burdens. The experienced older advisors urged him to be gracious:
“If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
Instead, Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the elders and consulted his young peers. They advised him to increase the burdens, telling him to say that his little finger would be thicker than his father’s waist. He listened to his inexperienced peers instead of the wise older men, and as a result, he lost 90% of his kingdom. His foolish refusal to listen to mature counsel fractured the entire nation, leading to a permanent split into two kingdoms that frequently fought against one another.
Respect the elderly. They possess accumulated wisdom, having lived through decades, navigated complex decisions, and learned from both successes and failures. In families and in the church, we should seek their counsel. Whether considering educational paths, career decisions, buying a house, taking on debt, or choosing a spouse, ask for their guidance. Do not act as a “know-it-all” and make irreversible mistakes. Seek out their wisdom; it is unwise to ignore such a resource.
The Sacred Connection: “Fear Your God”
Notice that Leviticus 19:32 links rising before the gray-headed directly with the phrase: “and fear your God: I am the Lord.” Why is this phrase repeated here? Because honoring the elderly is not merely social etiquette; it is an act of worship. Disrespecting the elderly is disrespecting the God who granted them long life and experience.
A true fear of God makes a person sensitive to those who are vulnerable. The elderly can become physically weak and frail, lacking the power or influence of the young. While society often caters to the strong, people can be tempted to overlook or mistreat the weak. But God commands respect for them, reinforcing it with His divine authority.
Look at Leviticus 19:14:
“You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord.”
A blind or deaf person poses no physical threat to you, but God takes their defense personally. You must fear God, because He is the righteous Judge. If anyone carelessly tramples upon the vulnerable—including the frail elderly—they answer directly to Him. Malicious abuse and mockery of the vulnerable are severe sins in His sight.
A society that fails to honor the elderly is a society on the brink of moral collapse. Consider the solemn warning in 2 Kings chapter 2, when a group of forty-two young men mocked the prophet Elisha, shouting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” Their public mockery of God’s appointed elderly prophet resulted in swift divine judgment. God takes the treatment of the aged and His servants with absolute seriousness.
The Test of Holiness: Standing Against Cultural Rebellion
Maturity in holiness is demonstrated outside the home, but out in the world, you will face pressure from peers, media, and popular culture encouraging you to rebel against authority and despise wisdom. That is where the test of holiness lies.
Much of modern culture, media, and entertainment subtly promotes rebellion, urging youth to reject legitimate authority, standard paths of discipline, and the wisdom of previous generations. Content is often designed to foster cynicism toward authority, present quick wealth as the ultimate goal, and promote covetousness—which is the root of breaking God’s law.
Culture tells the young: “You have your own plans and ambitions; don’t listen to your parents or elders. Rebel, and you will succeed.” But those claims are false and impractical.
If you want a true, guaranteed path to a blessed life, reject those worldly pressures and choose to obey God.
Refusing the Marks of Rebellion
Leviticus 19:27–28 states:
“You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.”
In ancient times, the surrounding Canaanite nations engaged in pagan rites, cutting their hair, trimming their beards in specific ritual patterns, and marking or mutilating their bodies with tattoos to honor false gods, idols, or the dead. These indelible marks were symbols of allegiance to pagan deities and cultic practices.
God instructed His covenant people not to adopt these pagan customs or deface their natural appearance. While specific ceremonial details pertained to Israel’s context, the underlying moral principle remains: do not deface the body or conform to pagan practices of rebellion.
Honor for parents and gratitude for the life God has given leads to respect for one’s own body. The body is not a canvas for grotesque disfigurement, lawlessness, or symbolic rebellion.
Throughout history and modern culture, extreme body modifications, intentional disfigurement, and certain subcultural trends have often functioned as deliberate symbols of anti-establishment rebellion, non-conformity, and rejection of divine authority. When young people raised with godly values choose to rebel, outward symbols of non-conformity are often the first visible signs.
While we should not swing to the opposite extreme of artificial legalism or isolated monasticism—striving instead to be sensible, balanced, and presentable in society—we must not adopt trends simply because they are popular, especially when their roots lie in lawlessness and self-exaltation.
God made our bodies in His image. For the believer, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is not our own to deface, disfigure, or alter out of pride, arrogance, or a desperate craving for worldly attention. A rebellious generation seeks to conform to the world; a holy generation is marked by its distinctness and reverence for God.
Notice how these commands close with the divine seal:
“I am the LORD.”
This is the ultimate reason for obedience. Righteousness in the home, respect in the community, and distinction in daily life all flow from one source: a covenant relationship with the Lord.
The Contrast of Two Generations
We live in a culture where disrespect toward parents and elders has become rampant. Scripture accurately describes this pattern.
Consider Proverbs 30:11–14:
“There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.”
Notice that a generation that curses its father and dishonors its mother is also characterized by pride, self-righteousness, and arrogance (“how lofty are their eyes”).
In contrast, hear the exhortation of Proverbs 1:8–10, 15–16:
“My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent… My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.”
Conclusion
If you truly desire a happy, fruitful, and blessed life, God’s word calls you to holiness.
The foundational level of holiness begins with the fear of God. A person who fails to revere mother and father (Leviticus 19:3) will fail to honor the elderly (Leviticus 19:32), and will ultimately adopt the rebellious practices of the world (Leviticus 19:27–28), because they never learned the primary lesson of submission to God-given authority.
Romans 1 describes the grim trajectory of a society that rejects God: they become filled with covetousness, arrogance, and malice; they become “inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents”—heading toward divine judgment.
Choose instead the path of holiness: revere your parents, honor the elderly, seek true wisdom, and keep yourself unspotted from the rebellion of the world. That is the path that brings honor to God and true blessing to your life.