Topical Bible: Children As a Blessing

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In the Bible, children are consistently portrayed as a blessing from God, a gift that brings joy, responsibility, and hope for the future. This view is deeply rooted in the Scriptures, where the presence of children is often associated with divine favor and the continuation of God's covenant with His people.

Biblical Foundations

The concept of children as a blessing is introduced early in the Bible. In Genesis 1:28, God commands Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it." This command not only establishes procreation as a divine mandate but also underscores the value of children in fulfilling God's plan for humanity.

In Genesis 17:6, God promises Abraham, "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you." Here, the promise of numerous descendants is a sign of God's blessing and covenant with Abraham, indicating that children are integral to the unfolding of God's promises.

Psalms and Wisdom Literature

The Psalms and Proverbs further emphasize the blessing of children. Psalm 127:3-5 states, "Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." This passage highlights children as a divine inheritance and a source of strength and protection for their parents.

Similarly, Psalm 128:3-4 describes the blessings of a family: "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house, your sons like olive shoots around your table. In this way indeed shall blessing come to the man who fears the LORD." The imagery of a fruitful vine and olive shoots conveys prosperity, peace, and continuity.

New Testament Perspectives

In the New Testament, Jesus' attitude towards children further underscores their value. In Matthew 19:14 , Jesus says, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Jesus' welcoming of children and His declaration that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them highlights their importance in God's eyes.

Moreover, in Ephesians 6:1-4 , Paul instructs, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' (which is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.' Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." This passage emphasizes the mutual responsibilities of parents and children, reflecting the blessing of a harmonious family life.

Cultural and Theological Implications

In biblical times, children were seen as a source of labor, security, and legacy. They were essential for the survival and prosperity of the family and community. Theologically, children are viewed as a continuation of God's covenantal promises, as seen in the genealogies and narratives of the Old Testament.

The blessing of children also carries a responsibility for parents to nurture and instruct them in the ways of the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 commands, "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." This directive underscores the importance of spiritual education and the transmission of faith across generations.

Conclusion

While the Bible presents children as a blessing, it also acknowledges the challenges and responsibilities that come with parenthood. The Scriptures provide guidance for raising children in a manner that honors God and fulfills His purposes, ensuring that they are not only a blessing to their families but also to the broader community and the kingdom of God.

Topical Bible Verses

Psalm 127:3
See, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
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Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
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Psalm 127:3-5
See, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Topicalbible.org

Colossians 3:20
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
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Library

Christ Blessing the Children.
... CHRIST BLESSING THE CHILDREN. (See Frontispiece). Jesus had left Galilee, and was
journeying toward Jerusalem, where He was to be put to death. ...
/.../mother stories from the new testament/christ blessing the children.htm

Blessing the Children
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 56 Blessing the Children. [This chapter is based on
Matt.19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17.] Jesus was ever a lover of children. ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 56 blessing the children.htm

The Blessing of Little Children. (Luke, xviii. 15-17; Matt. , xix. ...
... As the Saviour was leaving a certain place in Peraea, where he had deeply impressed
the people, they brought their little children to receive his blessing. ...
/.../section 225 the blessing of.htm

Blessing Children. Concerning Childlikeness.
... Part Sixth. From the Third Passover Until Our Lord's Arrival at Bethany. (Time:
One Year Less One Week.) XCIX. Blessing Children. Concerning Childlikeness. ...
/.../the four-fold gospel/xcix blessing children concerning childlikeness.htm

The Blessing Secured
... Ghost"? Oh, children of God, have you never felt a hope rise within you,
"I may have this blessing, I hear of from others"? Will ...
/.../murray/the deeper christian life/v the blessing secured.htm

The Blessing of God.
... their GOD would have been upon them; and receiving His blessing themselves, they
would have become a blessing to the world. We who are now the children of GOD ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part ii the blessing of.htm

The Teaching of Matthew 13 Proves that no Era of Millennial ...
... The Teaching of Matthew 13 proves that no era of Millennial blessing precedes Christ's ...
by the Lord Himself: just as the wheat represents the "children of the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/2 the teaching of matthew.htm

The Blessing of Full Assurance
... The Blessing of Full Assurance. ... to the churches and to believers in Christ should
make you bow the knee and cry to God to put you among the children, that this ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 34 1888/the blessing of full assurance.htm

How Jacob Deceived his Father
... Now Isaac prayed to Jehovah for his wife, because she had no children; and Jehovah ...
as a deceiver, and I shall bring blame upon me and not a blessing." But his ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/how jacob deceived his father.htm

The Restoration of Israel is Only Made Possible by the Second ...
... the Return of Christ, that Israel's restoration will result in great blessing to
the ... shall no more say, The Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/3 the restoration of israel.htm