Zech. 13:3

3 And it shall come to pass, that when any ['iysh] shall yet prophesy [naba'], then his father ['ab] and his mother ['em] that begat [yalad] him shall say ['amar] unto him, Thou shalt not live [chayah]; for thou speakest [dabar] lies [sheqer] in the name [shem] of the LORD [Yahovah]: and his father ['ab] and his mother ['em] that begat [yalad] him shall thrust [daqar] him through when he prophesieth [naba']. KJV-Interlinear

3 And it will come about that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who gave birth to him will say to him, 'You shall not live, for you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD'; and his father and mother who gave birth to him will pierce him through when he prophesies. NASB

Here is a verse that gets some of the weirdest interpretations in life. Parents have a child and the child misbehaves. Parents conveniently interpret their misbehavior as a false prophecy of some type. Since a prophecy, in our context here, is nothing more than a prediction, opinion, or a communication of something, then anything that the parents do not agree with, can be broadly interpreted as false.

So they take the child and beat them to death or near death, or they do something absurd like throwing the child into a volcano or some such thing.

Well this attitude was used to accuse and convict witches, and a child has virtually no defense if the parents and society as a whole, condone the practice. The practice of over reaction, or over application of this principle.

This verse however, is an application of instruction, and not discipline. The instruction here, is in response to the incorrect thinking of the child. When a child makes a statement that is incorrect, then it is the parents role to correct their thinking.

For example, if a child declares that he wants to follow Allah, then the parents can tell the child that this is the wrong approach to the spiritual life. Rejecting Christ will lead to rejection from heaven, and that means the Lake of Fire. Allah is nothing more than an invented and false faith, which will lead the follower nowhere.

This example deals with salvation, of course. But, there are lots of examples in life for correcting children.

No you cannot steal that candy. It will lead to a life a crime and jail time. Explain right and wrong.

No, you cannot date that boy. You are too young for dating. Explain social responsibilities.

No, you should not vote for that candidate. He is too liberal. Explain liberalism.

No, you cannot color your hair blue. Not while you are living in my house. That is just plain dumb. Explain being independent, but with a normal approach to life.

No you cannot pierce yourself all over. Are you a pirate? Go do something constructive like cleaning up your room. Explain personal responsibility, self-esteem, personal identity.

The thrusting through means to stab, starve, strike, or revile. This offensive action taken against the child is with words, and not with a weapon. Words of correction and instruction. The parents words of correction should be followed with words of explanation, so that the child can be oriented to life, and not become a slave to life.

A child lives in a home where he/she should be getting prepared for his life out in the world. Life apart from momma. If the child learns nothing in the home, then what are his prospects out in the real world? He will be swallowed up, by those who seek to impose their influence on the na ve.

This can be gangs, or just smooth talking folks trying to take advantage.

Young people often have identity problems. Especially in their teen years. And that is a time when the parents instruction is needed most, and probably listened too the least. This is a time of idols and false philosophies, which entice the kids with worldly things they can relate to.

The spiritual life is very difficult to understand and figure out. After all, the spiritual life is not something you can plug into your computer or mp3 player. You can t drive it, eat it, wear it, play it, or go out with it. Boring, is probably the key word here.

And when you are bored, then your become susceptible to the lies of the world.

The younger generation has to learn from the older generation. Otherwise, it will decline spiritually. When a generation begins to decline spiritually, then the world experiences more and more problems. Eventually, a big war or economic disaster or disease will come along to jolt people back to reality. That is learning life the very hard way.

Since the principles of life are passed from generation to generation, then the teaching in the home is of the utmost importance. What the younger generation learns, or doesn t learn, will determine their successes or failures in life.

Therefore, the thrusting through of the parents instruction, needs to be clear and strong enough, and repeated enough, so that the child will hear it and learn it. In addition, even if they do not seem to listen now, then perhaps they will recall their instruction later in life so their life won t be a complete failure.

When a child gets hammered enough in life then they might begin to realize the importance, and the truth, of what their parents tried to teach them.

But, as we have already seen in our study of the Tribulation, we should know by now that there will be a generation which will be negative towards truth, to the extreme. That generation will not get that way by themselves. It will be a process, which will take several generations of decline.

When Israel split up into two nations, it was several centuries before Israel and finally Judah fell to their enemies. That was because it took several generations of spiritual decline before they finally hit their spiritual bottom.

So too, in our current day, the world will see a steady spiritual decline as it nears the end of our Church Age. When that will be, no one knows. But, do not be surprised when the politics of the world, and the people of the world embrace and adopt, social and liberal attitudes.

Hopefully, we, in our current generation, will not have to live through those times, because the world will experience increasing difficulties that will correspond with its rejection of truth. However, there will be a time, either now, or in the next generation, or the next, that society will increasingly reject truth and then it will hit bottom. That is when the Rapture will occur, and that is when those defiant folks who are left behind, will enter into the Tribulation.

Then the really hard lessons will begin. They should have listened to their momma.

Now is the time to post a prayer.