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Marriage - a physical
union and a divine
institution (Pt. 4)
‘Grandparents’
Frank Borg
Grandparents are so
important to the healthy
development and
upbringing of children
and grandchildren.
Unfortunately, seniors
or grandparents are
often seen by this world
as not having much
value. The older the
grandparents, the more
they are seen as having
gone past their ‘sell by
date’. In this final
article on the series on
family, we shall see
that this cannot be
further from the truth.
As time goes on, there
seems to be more
disrespect towards
grandparents by their
grandchildren and
others, yet God has
given grandparents a
serious responsibility
within the family, and
even society!
Grandparents play a most
pivotal and vital part
of healthy family life!
We must always remember
that grandparents are
the forerunners of
parents in a family.
They taught, trained,
nourished and
unselfishly devoted
their time and energy
into family before their
own children became
parents. What they
taught their families,
and what they continue
to teach, is passed on
to future generations:
“And he shall turn the
heart of the fathers so
the children, and the
heart of the children to
their fathers…” (Mal.
4:6). Grandparents are
the ‘foundation’ of a
family unit, and need to
be seen as such by every
family member!
The Bible demonstrates
that nations are
families grown large
(Gen 12:2), descending
from patriarchs. The
bible tells us that
families are built upon
a system of
patriarchs. [For
example, Heb. 7:8 refers
to Abraham as a
patriarch. Jacob’s
twelve sons were also
patriarchs or founders
of a tribe or family and
so on. These twelve sons
were the fathers of the
tribes of Israel as
spoken of in the Bible.]
The word ‘patriarch’
appears in the Bible and
is a translation from
the Greek word ‘patriarches’.
Strong’s Concordance
tells us that this word
could be translated as
“progenitor”, meaning “a
biologically related
[male] ancestor,
predecessor, the
originator”.
Dictionaries define the
word “patriarch” as:
“the male head of a
family, a venerable old
man”, while the word
“grandfather” is defined
as “the founder or
originator of a family”.
If we put all this
together, we can see
that the “patriarch” of
a family is “the leading
older man”, or “grandfather”
in the family!
Evidently,
grandparents play an
important role in the
family!
Before becoming a
grandfather, the father
had the responsibility
of teaching and loving
his children as we saw
in earlier segments of
this series. As
grandfather, the burden
is naturally alleviated
but, the responsibility
of teaching and loving
grandchildren does not
change. A grandfather
will always have a
responsibility towards
his grandchildren as
much as he does towards
his own children. In 2
Chronicles 21:12-20 we
see that Jehoram did not
live by the good lessons
and standards taught by
his grandfather, Asa.
Because of this he was
rebuked by Elijah, and
was eventually cursed
with plagues and
diseases. This should be
a reminder to
grandparents on the
responsibility they have
towards their
grandchildren and,
importantly, should
indicate how carefully
grandchildren need to
heed the positive
lessons of their
grandparents!
Grandfathers have a
tremendous
responsibility towards
their grandchildren and
vice versa.
Obviously, the
responsibility of
teaching and loving
grandchildren also
extends to the
grandmother. 2 Tim. 1
gives us a good example
of a grandmother (verse
5) teaching valuable
lessons to her grandson.
Titus 2:3, 5 emphasize:
“The aged women
likewise, that they be
in behavior as becometh
holiness, not false
accusers, not given to
much wine, teachers of
good things…to be
discreet, chaste,
keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own
husbands, that the word
of God be not
blasphemed..”. The “aged
women”, or the
grandmothers, have a
responsibility to teach
by example and wise
counsel that they have
gained through time and
experience.
Grandparents should set
a standard through
example in conducting
oneself in a Godly
manner. By their
example, grandparents
help lay the foundation
for the building of
God’s Family. Young
people need an example
in how to build families
and should get this from
members of their family
that have knowledge,
experience and wisdom.
This is a serious
responsibility placed on
the shoulders of parents
and grandparents.
Titus 2 is an important
chapter for grandparents
to review.
Due to the wisdom that
has been gained through
age and experience,
because of the skills
acquired over a
lifetime, and as a
result of the love that
grandparents are to
extend towards
grandchildren, it would
be logical to say that
grandparents are the
backbone of the family.
As such, God demands
that they are respected:
“Thou shalt rise up
before the hoary head,
and honour the face of
the old man, and fear
thy God: I am the Lord”.
Grandchildren should
take note! Another
Biblical example
indicating how serious
God is about family and
how we fulfill our roles
within it, is recorded
in Dan 5:17-29 where
King Belshazzar was
rebuked by Daniel the
prophet for not
following his
grandfathers’ positive
example. As a result,
that same night,
Belshazzar was slain
(Dan 5:30)! How
important it is for
grandparents to set the
right example and for
grandchildren to submit
to it and apply it!
There are certainly many
biblical examples that
show us how much
emphasis God places on
the institution of
marriage and family! God
does not want us to take
family lightly, or for
granted, because of what
it pictures: the Kingdom
of God! Throughout this
series we have
endeavored to take a
look at the importance
of the roles of every
family member! Now it is
up to us to individually
apply our roles and
resist Satan, society
and self. We must work
hard at building and
strengthening our
families, ensuring that
we resist all of Satan’s
attacks to destroy this
divine institution!
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