OUR MEETINGPLACE

Our title is a takeoff from a popular television show which ran during “the golden age of tv”: the 1950’s to 1960. It was a time when shows like “Leave it To Beaver,” “Ozzie and Harriet”, “I Love Lucy” and other family shows ran. In many of those shows Fathers were portrayed in a positive light. 

This got me to thinking of various fathers or father like figures in the Bible. Some of their instructions, words of wisdom, and actions would be good for modern day fathers, 

When speaking of Job, we often think of his suffering. However, we can learn from him as the Patriarch of his family. “4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus, Job did regularly.” (Job 1:4-5) During the Patriarch Dispensation, God spoke directly to the head of the family. Men such as Adam, Cain, Abel, Noah, and Abraham were such men. They acted as priest offering sacrifices to God, and prophets in charge of instructing their families. 

In Job, we see his spiritual leadership and concern. There is nothing to say that his children were spiritually apostate but he was concerned over their spiritual condition. Today children need spiritual leadership in the home. Many families no longer have fathers in them due to divorce, others have dead beat dads, and still others never had a father in the home. 

Fathers should be involved in their children’s spiritual upbringing, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) Often dads are involved with the physical part of their children’s lives, such as playing ball, going camping, or some other type of activity, but are they teaching their children about God? 

Eli in many ways served as a “father figure” to Samuel. Samuel was a young child when his mother gave him to Eli. On one occasion, Samuel was in bed and heard someone call him. Thinking it was Eli, the boy went to the priest to find out what he wanted. But Eli had not called him. This happened a second time, but then the prophet told the young boy what to do. “8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So, he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’” (1 Samuel 3:8-9). 

Eli’s instructions to Samuel showed great wisdom, “Go lie down” in other words, go and be prepared for a fourth time. “If He calls you”, Eli did not know for certain what would happen, therefore, he used the conditional if. “Speak Lord, for your servant hears” which means to listen to what God says. 

God calls us today in The Gospel of Christ. Godly fathers today need to teach their children to be prepared, be receptive to the words of God. To listen to Him and not our society, not what they want God to say, but what He actually says to us through His Son.

David’s final instructions to Solomon also showed great wisdom. “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 2:2-4) David understood his departure was near. He wanted his son to “be strong”. Many times, in the Bible the term be strong is followed with, be courageous or of great courage. Strength is having the faith to do what God says and not man. It takes courage to stand against false teaching, to withstand the wiles of the devil. “Keep the charge of the Lord” followed by keeping God’s law. 

Fathers need to teach their children to be willing to stand alone and to keep the charge. For young men, this means to be the head of the household, to serve as Elders, Deacons, and be preachers of God’s word. Men need to teach their boys to be men and not the woke version of manliness nor the self-centered version either. Being a man means loving y The Prodigal Son’s father also comes to mind. As the wayward son came back home the father met him outside the house. “21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15:21-24) The father was not an enabler of sin but a forgiver. He did not hold a grudge or refuse to speak to his son he wanted his son to return back home. Our children should know where their home is. They can repent and come back to God. our wife, raising your children, and serving God. 

These are some lessons we can learn from four fathers in the Bible . – Dennis Tucker