“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed but shall speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5). The psalmist’s simple simile in verse 4—”Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth”—provides much food for thought.
Like arrows, children need two distinct and different external aids—an archer (father) and bow (mother). Without an archer an arrow never takes flight. Without a bow, an arrow can be nothing more than a puny spear. By divine design, every child has a father (its archer) and a mother (its bow). The accuracy and force that an arrow has is largely dependent upon the aim and strength of the archer and the integrity and caliber of the bow. Every child needs a godly father like Abraham who commanded his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do justice (i.e. righteousness) and judgment (Genesis 18:19) and like Joshua who determined that he and his house would serve the Lord, regardless of what others may choose to do (Joshua 24:15). Every child needs a virtuous bow like Lois and Eunice who taught their offspring from childhood the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15; 1:5) and like the woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31. How our world has been blessed with archers and bows like Zacharias and Elizabeth whose marksmanship with their son John was highly praised by Jesus Himself in Luke 7:28 and like Amram and Jochebed who instilled the virtue and values found in Moses’ life as described in Hebrews 11:24-27! How our world has been blighted by those demonic doctrines that deny every child’s innate need of a father who is a strong spiritual archer and of a mother who is a virtuous bow!
