Pro 20:20 | KingComments | STEP | He who curses one of his parents will die in utter darkness ( ). For such a person “the black darkness has been reserved forever” ( ). The law commands that father and mother must be honored ( ; ; ). Failure to do so is already a serious violation of the law. What happens here goes even further. It is the opposite. Instead of honoring the parents, they are cursed. Only severe judgment can be passed on that ( ; ; ; ). The lamp, here the symbol of light and life, is extinguished in utter darkness. The curser not only dies, but ends up in utter darkness. All connection with life and light is severed. He himself ends up in that which he wished for his parents. An inheritance is not given to someone until the testator has died ( ). The issue here is an inheritance that is acquired too soon. This means that it was acquired illegitimately and unjustly, with greed being the driving force. There is no patience to wait for the time God determines, but there is anticipation. It fits the mentality that is omnipresent today: wanting to have something and wanting it NOW. We find an example of this in the parable of the prodigal son. He had no patience to wait for his father’s death and asked him for the portion of the inheritance to which he was entitled ( ). In doing so, he prematurely declared his father dead. He quickly lost his property and ended up with the pigs. It is also possible for someone to drive his parents out of their inheritance by making life impossible for them ( ). He who wants to snatch an inheritance in an evil, unjust way will always find a means. But he “will not be blessed in the end”.

‏ Proverbs 20:20

To Curse and Pluck Parents

He who curses one of his parents will die in utter darkness (Pro 20:20). For such a person “the black darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 1:13). The law commands that father and mother must be honored (Exo 20:12; Deu 5:16; Eph 6:1-3). Failure to do so is already a serious violation of the law. What happens here goes even further. It is the opposite. Instead of honoring the parents, they are cursed.

Only severe judgment can be passed on that (Exo 21:17; Lev 20:9; Deu 27:16; Mt 15:4-6). The lamp, here the symbol of light and life, is extinguished in utter darkness. The curser not only dies, but ends up in utter darkness. All connection with life and light is severed. He himself ends up in that which he wished for his parents.

An inheritance is not given to someone until the testator has died (Pro 20:21). The issue here is an inheritance that is acquired too soon. This means that it was acquired illegitimately and unjustly, with greed being the driving force. There is no patience to wait for the time God determines, but there is anticipation. It fits the mentality that is omnipresent today: wanting to have something and wanting it NOW.

We find an example of this in the parable of the prodigal son. He had no patience to wait for his father’s death and asked him for the portion of the inheritance to which he was entitled (Lk 15:12). In doing so, he prematurely declared his father dead. He quickly lost his property and ended up with the pigs. It is also possible for someone to drive his parents out of their inheritance by making life impossible for them (Pro 19:26). He who wants to snatch an inheritance in an evil, unjust way will always find a means. But he “will not be blessed in the end”.