The Responsibility of Old Testament Fathers: Daughters

We’re going to be continuing to look at...

…the Role and Responsibility of Fathers...

...in the Era of the Old Testament, tonight...

And specifically, as it pertains to...

…their responsibility toward their daughters.

-Now, The fact is that the Bible doesn’t specify...

…a ton of father-daughter specific responsibilities.

But, the responsibilities given to children in general...

…certainly apply to both genders...

But, those specifically concerning daughters...

…are much less than...

…those that specifically governed sons.

(It was just a male-centered society)

(Most of the particular focus was on sons)

-However, the things that ARE stated...

…show us that the OT...

...did value daughters as well...

And, that a woman living in the theocracy of Israel...

…fared MUCH better than...

…one living in any other nation at the time!

Hopefully, we’ll see all of that...

…as we go through our study.

For now, let’s go to the Lord in prayer...

Then we’ll jump in to our study:

Pray

-I’m going to mix up the order...

…from the way it is in our book.

I’m going to begin, where Kostenberger ended:

The Father’s Duty to Instruct his Daughters in the Ways of the Lord

This is nothing new, of course.

We saw the same impetus before...

…when we looked at, both:

The father’s general responsibilities

The father’s responsibilities toward his sons.

Chiefly, we saw that duty enumerated, here:

Deuteronomy 6:1–2 (ESV)

1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,

2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.

Deuteronomy 6:5–7 (ESV)

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

But, what I want to clarify, is that...

(unlike many religions in the ancient world)

(some today, such as Islam)

…Christianity, along with OT Judaism...

…expected a living, active, and participatory faith...

…for their women as well.

For example:

Deuteronomy 31:9–13 (ESV)

9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths,

11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

12 Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law,

13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”