Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Exodus

[Shiny]

Why did God promise a longer life in the 5th commandment when you can die earlier and go to heaven earlier and spend more time in heaven

[jimwalton]

"Living long" was an idiom communicating God's blessing. By promising a long life, God is showing them that a person who honors their parents will be blessed. It points not only to blessing from God, but also the benefits of a stable, respectful, and harmonious society on Earth. It's not as much the promise of a long life as the promise of a life well-lived.

Todd Daly writes that the Old Testament describes the prolonging of one’s days as a reward for obedience (Ex. 20.12; Dt. 5.33; Prov. 3.1-2). Conversely, the dwindling length of human life in the first few chapters of Genesis suggests that wickedness shortens life (e.g., Gn. 6.3). Indeed, the wicked will not live out half their days (Ps. 55.23). However, the Bible also reminds us that wisdom can prolong one’s limited life span (Prov. 9.11).

God is not guaranteeing a long life. It's a proverb, not a promise. Long life was believed to be the result of knowing God and following His ways, and being righteous. People who honored their parents were not being guaranteed a long life, but clearly such was seen to be a clear sign of God’s blessing. Anything that brought long life, in their minds, was a sign of God’s blessing for a life well lived. While long life is not automatically a sign of God’s blessing, one could hope that as one lives God’s way, the result will be long life and prosperity. All things being equal, those who honor those God has put in authority over one in life will live longer than those who spur authority and rebel against it.