What commandment is a lamp and what teaching is light?

When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
- Proverbs 6:22-23 (NAS)

This morning during family devotions we continued our trek through Proverbs. Today we looked at Proverbs 6:20-23. In the context of the passage the commandment and the teaching that are being referenced are the commandment and teaching of parents. If we keep reading, in verse 24 we learn the reason for the parental instructions. The parents are sharing wisdom "to keep [their son] from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress." Although the world is a much different place today than it was during Solomon's time, we still have these same immorality problems. Sin seems to transcend time but so does The Word of God. The principles found in the Proverbs still applies for us today.

Children are commanded to honor their father and their mother; this includes obeying them. The commandment and teaching of the parents in Proverbs 6 are basically their interpretation and application of the Torah in the daily life of their family. In the Torah, Adonai commands us not to commit adultery. In Proverbs 6, these parents share some insights with their son explaining to him how he can avoid adultery by telling him what or who to stay away from. They also explain to him the consequences if he does succumb to this serious transgression.

As parents, we must impart godly wisdom to our children. We have to take the time to teach them the Word of God and to help them apply these principles to their lives in our modern society. The times have changed but the Word of God remains the same.



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