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What a beautiful picture of a man in whose heart the fear of God dwells! His greatest concern is that his children not sin against God or forsake Him in their hearts. He is so deeply conscious of the weakness of their nature that even when he does not know of a positive transgression, the very thought of their having been in circumstances of temptation makes him afraid for their souls. He so fully realizes his position and privilege as father that he calls for them to be sanctified and takes upon himself the continual offering of the needed sacrifice. Job is another example among Bible saints of a servant of God in whom faith makes its home and by whose intercession and fear of God his children are redeemed. God could hardly have said of him, There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil (1:8), if this element of true holiness had been lacking. The book might have been complete without it as far as the record of Jobs patience and faith is concerned, but we would have missed the much-needed lesson that a mans entire consecration to God implies the consecration of his family life, too.
Through the whole course of Gods dealings with parents, from Noah forward, He gives the parent the right and the power to appear and to act on behalf of his child. To grasp hold of the power of this is the very essence of parental faith; to act upon it is the secret of parental authority and blessing. All other influences a parent exerts depend on his being clear on this point: I am the steward of Gods grace to my child; I represent my child with God and am heard on his behalf.
(Excerpted from The Andrew Murray Daily Reader in Todays Language, pg. 373)
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