Many Bible believers today still find themselves celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day—with good intentions—wanting to show love, respect, and appreciation for their parents. And while honoring our mother and father is indeed righteous (as commanded in the 10 Commandments Exodus 20:12), we must examine how we’re doing it. Are we following our Father, The Most High YAH’s way, or the ways of the nations and man-made traditions?
Most don’t realize that these modern-day holidays (Mother’s Day & Father’s Day included )—though dressed in light—stem from dark ancient pagan traditions. The same way our ancestors once turned aside to worship the “queen of heaven” and bake cakes for her (Jeremiah 7:18), many are now unknowingly walking in similar customs. Ezekiel 8:14 shows the weeping for Tammuz—a practice tied to pagan worship that mirrors some of today’s mainstream traditions.
YAH is not looking for us to mimic the world’s calendar & holidays. He’s calling us back to His appointed ways.
Parental Honor and Reverence Is a Daily Command—Not a Once-a-Year Sunday Holiday
In addition to The 10 Commandments, The Scriptures repeatedly tell us plainly to honor our parents, and honor our Father YAH:
“Each one of you shall revere his mother and his father, AND guard (keep) MY Sabbath Days. I am YAH your Elohim.”
Leviticus 19:3
Notice the connection in that verse above again—honoring parents and guarding the Sabbath (Shabbat) go hand-in-hand, easily seen in this one verse commandment.
YAH commands us to walk in His instructions (Torah) week by week, month by month—not through once-a-year Mother’s and Father’s Day rituals, but through daily living that reflects obedience, compassion, and reverence for those who raised us—especially when their guidance is grounded in Torah.
Where Did Mother’s and Father’s Day Come From?
The roots of Mother’s Day trace back to ancient pagan festivals like the worship of Cybele in Rome, Isis in Egypt, and the “queen of heaven”as was previously referenced in Jeremiah—They exalted “mother goddesses.” Father’s Day has ties to solar worship and male pagan god celebrations. These customs were absorbed and adapted over centuries, and now many unknowingly participate in modernized versions that still carry the spiritual imprint of their origins. As always, don’t simply take my word for it, look into it further for yourself, but for now, let us again see what The Word has to say:
YAH clearly warns us in Deuteronomy 12:30–31:
“Do not inquire about their mighty ones (gods & goddesses), saying, ‘How did these nations serve their mighty ones? I also will do the same.’ You shall not worship YAH your Elohim in that way…”
YAH’s people are called to be set-apart—not imitators of worldly customs.
Sunday Church Services, Father’s & Mother’s Day, Connected in Disobedience to Scripture
Many who attend Sunday church services on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day believe they are righteously honoring their parents and The Most High. Yet, by participating in these man-made traditions, they unknowingly engage in unscriptural customs that reinforce pagan, Sunday worship and undermine true Biblical obedience. Simply put, celebrating these days is not doing the will of the Father—it is living in opposition to it.
The Most High YAH gave us a specific day for set-apart weekly worship observance, and its not Sunday, its the Shabbat day—which is the 7th day of the week, not the 1st. We are commanded to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, the set-apart and the common (Leviticus 10:10, Ezekiel 22:26). Blending worldly practices with our worship of YAH is the very mixture YAH tells us to distinguish between and avoid. And again, I will keep driving this point home, we are commanded to honor our parents everyday, not on man-made holiday Sunday observances, once a year.
Shabbat: The True Set-Apart Day for Honoring the Father
Instead of gathering on man-made holidays, why not honor our Heavenly Father on the day He sanctified?
Every week, YAH invites us into His rest on Shabbat (Genesis 2:2–3; Exodus 20:8–11). On this set-apart day, families can pause from their labor to gather in worship, love, and honor of our Father in heaven. In doing so, children also learn to love and honor their earthly parents in righteousness—just as Scripture commands.
This is how we show true love—by obedience to Biblical commands:
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” – John 14:15
“For this is the love of YAH, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,” – 1 John 5:3 BSB
Back to the Ancient Paths — The Wisdom of Our Fathers — The Way
Jeremiah 6:16 calls us to return:
“Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient (and righteous) paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls.”
King Solomon also shows us what it looks like to honor both father and mother ultimately in a way that honors our Father in Heaven—obedience to YAH’s Torah (His Biblical instruction) is always The Way:
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction (which come from Torah), and do not forsake the teaching (Torah) of your mother. For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.” Proverbs 1:8-9
“My son, keep your father’s commandment (Torah), and do not forsake your mother’s teaching (Torah). Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.” Proverbs 6:20-22
It’s throughout the book of Proverbs indeed, but it’s first established in “The Shema” which is in Torah of course. Parents are supposed to teach the truth, and in doing so, honor & respect of YAH and our earthly parents would be our standard. This is The way:
“Hear, O Israel: YAH our Elohim, YAH is One. And you shall love YAH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Read and obey the entire chapter, but to keep this as brief as possible let us skip towards the end:
“In the future, when your son asks, “What is the meaning of the decrees and statutes and ordinances that the YAH our Elohim has commanded you?” then you are to tell him, “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes YAH inflicted great and devastating signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his household. But He brought us out from there to lead us in and give us the land that He had sworn to our fathers. And YAH commanded us to observe all these statutes and to fear YAH our Elohim, that we may always be prosperous and preserved, as we are to this day. And if we are careful to observe every one of these commandments before YAH our Elohim, as He has commanded us, then that will be our righteousness.”” Deuteronomy 6:20-25
Honoring our parents isn’t about cards, flowers, or presents. It’s certainly not about Sunday church services on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, nor about Father’s Day BBQs and Mother’s Day brunches. True honor for our fathers and mothers is shown by listening to, receiving, and living out the Torah—the Biblical instructions parents are commanded to teach their children. That is the legacy, the tradition, and the honor our Father YAH desires. That is The Way. It is His will for us as honorable parents & children.
Final Thoughts: A Set-Apart People for a Set-Apart Father
Let’s close with the main point: It is good to love, cherish, and honor our parents—but never at the expense of obedience to our Father in heaven.
Let us not hold to the traditions of men by celebrating Mother’s and Father’s Day on designated Sundays. Instead, let us return to the good and life-giving commandments of YAH. Remember to keep His Shabbat set apart, and walk daily in His righteousness—honoring both our earthly parents and our heavenly Father, just as He commands.
I know—most of our parents didn’t teach us these truths. They didn’t raise us in the spirit & truth of The Scriptures according to the commands of The Torah. But as you read this, know that hope is not lost. As the saying goes, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Honor your heavenly Father now, and honor your parents in the way that Scripture instructs—with truth, obedience, and love from this day forward.
And if you have children: teach them the commandments. Teach them to honor you by walking in YAH’s truth, not man-made tradition. Let us guide the next generation back to the ancient path—not merely in words, but in action. Many of us were raised following the customs and traditions of the world, but now we have the opportunity to align our lives with the truth of Scripture.
Honor your parents daily—and even more importantly, honor your Father in heaven—according to Torah not tradition of opinion, every moment of every day family.
Honor Our Father and His set apart day—the Shabbat—and leave the pagan Sunday Father’s Day to the pagans!
And if you continue to wrestle with pressure from family and friends over not celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, remember the words of the Messiah in these passages:
“Do NOT assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have NOT come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is NOT worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;”
Matthew 10:34-37
“While Jesus (Yahoshua) was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him. Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.” But Yahoshua replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the WILL (keeps The Torah) of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.””
Matthew 12:46-50
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Lastly here are some lesser read Scriptural passages:
“Hear me your father, O children, and do thereafter, that ye may be safe. For YAH hath given the father honor over the children, and hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the sons. Whoso honoreth his father maketh an atonement for his sins: and he that honoreth his mother is as one that layeth up treasure. Whoso honoreth his father shall have joy of his own children; and when he maketh his prayer, he shall be heard. He that honoreth his father shall have a long life; and he that is obedient unto YAH shall be a comfort to his mother. He that feareth YAH will honor his father, and will do service unto his parents, as to his masters. Honor thy father and mother both in word and deed, that a blessing may come upon thee from them. For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children; but the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations. Glory not in the dishonor of thy father; for thy father’s dishonor is no glory unto thee. For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father; and a mother in dishonor is a reproach to the children. My son, help thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth. And if his understanding fail, have patience with him; and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength. For the relieving of thy father shall not be forgotten: and instead of sins it shall be added to build thee up. In the day of thine affliction it shall be remembered; thy sins also shall melt away, as the ice in the fair warm weather. He that forsaketh his father is as a blasphemer; and he that angereth his mother is cursed of Elohim.” Ecclesiasticus 3:1-16 KJVAAE
I AM:
Hebrew—by blood
Israelite—by covenant
American—by way of birthright citizenship
Awakened—by The Word & Spirit of YAH
I blog about things that we often all see around us, things that we see in person, online, or on TV— and I offer functional & Scriptural perspectives on such matters. I believe that Scripture is key to understanding this thing we call life:
“ALL Scripture is breathed out by Elohim (God) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work.”
Timotiyos Bĕt (2 Timothy) 3:16-17 TS2009 https://bible.com/bible/316/2ti.3.16-17.TS2009
And that everything we do in life will be judged by The Creator of life, so it's best to understand the conclusion of The Matter:
“Let us hear the CONCLUSION OF THE ENTIRE MATTER: FEAR ELOHIM AND GAURD (KEEP) HIS COMMANDS, for this applies to ALL mankind! For Elohim SHALL bring EVERY work into right-ruling (judgment), including ALL that is hidden, whether good or whether evil.”
Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 12:13-14 TS2009 https://bible.com/bible/316/ecc.12.13-14.TS2009
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