Everyone commits some mistakes in life that cause deep anguish and pain in the life of others, which keeps on simmering for a very long time. Some do it deliberately due to their evil nature while some commit such deeds out of sheer ignorance. But when this happens to us, we get filled with vengeance and start devising ways to get even. God did not send His Son into the word to ‘condemn’ but to save and redeem those who had rebelled against Him. He came to change our way of thinking and life itself to change us into loving and caring people.
What is the message of the story of the Prodigal son? The parable of the son who did not want to wait for his inheritance to come to him through the normal way, after the death of his father, has three characters (Luke 15:11-32). The son who wanted his share of his father’s wealth immediately. The father who in his love gave him his share and the other son who continued the life of obedience. The son who received his share, went to a far country and lost all that he got from the father in lust of the flesh, ‘through prodigal living’. In this world, we want that our desires must be fulfilled now and not tomorrow for we do not want to wait for anything to come to us at its right time as specified by God. We are willing to make any sacrifice, even our relationship with our parents, siblings and God also.
The son did not want to grow to spiritual and worldly maturity under the guidance of his father and then receive his inheritance to use that for his good and for the good of others. When we have plenty, there are any number of friends who join us to live the life of sin but at the first instance of lack, they start looking for other victims to be exploited. The son not only suffered this but even nature rose up against him. It was so that, ‘when he had spent all, there arose a famine in that land, and he began to be in want’. With no chance of any help from anyone, ‘he joined himself as a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine’. As per the command of God to the Israelites, ‘the swine is unclean for you…. You shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcases’ (Deuteronomy 14:8). The worst thing that a Jew could imagine in his life is to care for the swine. Not only that, this man had nothing to eat also for ‘no one gave him anything’. In this desperate state, with no other option, ‘he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate’.
When we follow God and His ways and commands, there is simply no limit to which He can raise us up. We are assured that ‘those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles’ (Isaiah 40:31). God cares for every aspect of our lives and his blessings also cover everything. The renewed strength promised is spiritual, physical, financial and social, bringing a good status as well. On the other hand, there is also no limit to the depths of darkness of sin and evil to which the devil can drag us into. The Prodigal Son was not only caring for the swine but even sharing their food. It is in that state that his eyes were opened and he came to his senses. Then he realised that in his father’s house there was no shortage of food for the servants also, while he was suffering hunger in that land.
This man had everything that he needed, so why did he behave like this with his father? The love of self is the root of all depravity and the moment someone makes his own will the centre of life, both his vertical and horizontal relationships are destroyed. Neither is he obedient to God nor to any earthly authority. Christianity is not about self but submission to the Divine Authority and also servant of others on the earth, in love. King David, the man of God’s heart, could put it straight, ‘in Your (God’s) presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore’ (Psalm 16:11). The real joy fills our lives when we put God first in everything.
In his desperate state the Prodigal Son was filled with remorse and repented of his sin, to go back to his father. In our worldly state, we are too deeply involved in our daily struggles, that we forget everything else. To repent is to turn in the exact opposite direction and he did that to turn back to his father. We must remember that God has given us free will and He will never stop us from following that. He, like a loving Father, feels the pain of our sinful living. Due to sins of the people, ‘God was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in the heart’ (Genesis 6:6). Second, God wants to get us ready to receive what we want, to prevent our falling into sin and evil. In our own wisdom we feel we are always ready and want everything now. We must learn to wait for God to answer in His time to receive what we want.
Causes of anger of the elder son – The elder son returned from the field and was angry at the feast being organised for the other brother on his return (Luke 15:28-30). On his refusal to go in and join in, ‘his father came out and pleaded with him’. But the elder son confronted his father about his obedience and service, yet not having received anything to celebrate. He even refused to recognise his relationship with his brother. In anger, he told his father, ‘as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him’. The elder son did not accept him as his brother and referred to him as ‘your son’. Even in the Church, which is God’s, many are reluctant to accept a truly repentant sinner back into the fold.
The father’s assurance to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours’, was also of no value to him. It is to such people that the Apostle Paul has written, ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things’ (Romans 8:32). The father had put everything at his disposal but the elder son never lived as a rightful heir of all that. There are many believers who still live as if their sins are not forgiven and God is angry with them. When we turn to the Lord for forgiveness and submit to His authority, the Pharisees in the church are likely to resent and our walk may be lonely. Our Lord rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees, calling them hypocrites for, like the elder brother, they ‘shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourself, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in’ (Matthew 23:13).
The elder son felt threatened by the return of the Prodigal son and was angry. The Prodigal son did not seek a preferred state in the house but wanted to be permitted to live even as a servant, for he had already received his share of the inheritance. All those who ‘believe and receive’ Lord Jesus as the Saviour are made children of God with an equal standing. God has given us various promises in the Scripture and all have the same right to claim answers to their prayers on the basis of these. The elder son was in the house but never felt a part of the family and claimed the rights in faith. When we are not sure of our standing in the family of God, we may live as outsiders. In such a state, anyone coming back after some sin or staying away for a while, is taken as an intruder. Lord Jesus had already clarified the state of the return of the lost brother – ‘there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance’ (Luke 15:7). But we keep suspecting that person and refrain from letting him take an active part in the church activities.
To those who go astray there is assurance from God, ‘Return to Me’, says the LORD of Hosts, ‘and I will return to you’ (Zechariah 1:3). The father ran, much against the custom of the time, to embrace and welcome the ‘lost and dead son’ back into the family. However, the elder son was unwilling to accept him, much like the attitude of many believers.
Lessons from the father’s role – Since we are created by God in His ‘image and likeness’, He has given us the choice to do our will. There are three types of God’s will. The first is His ‘Perfect Will’, which is good, spiritually correct and pleasing to Him, that what He desires. The second is God’s ‘Proscribed Will’, which includes His commands and the dos and don’ts list. This is what God desires us to do and not do in our lives. The third is ‘God’s Predetermined Will’, which is certain and unchanging. He cannot be surprised by anything happening anywhere, for He knows it all and it is as per His plan. Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery, was put in prison but God made him the Prime Minister of Egypt. Apostle Paul taught this as an act of God to turn every situation into good ‘for those who love God’ (Romans 8:28). The father was well aware of the likely result that would come out of prematurely giving his share to the younger son. He permitted that, to get his son to his senses.
Like the father of the Prodigal Son, God is always looking, waiting and watching for us to come back to Him. We are like the Prodigal Son, who removed himself from the father’s presence, yet the father kept eagerly waiting for his return into his protection and provisioning. Like the father, Lord Jesus does not care about what other people think about Him or you. He left heaven, became man to suffer such an agonising death by crucifixion, to reconcile us to God the Father. He did it because He cares for us and loves us more than the thoughts of others. He went to Samaria, the people the Jews hated, to set the Samaritan woman and others with her, on the right path.
When God forgives, He restores completely. Many believers keep going back to their sinful past and wondering that probably God is still keeping a record of their sins. At the least delay in answers to their prayers, they start worrying. The actions of the earthly father reveal the working of God for us.
First, the welcome – God has chosen us and welcomed us into His presence – In the parable of the lost sheep, Lord Jesus had already indicated His care for His own. On finding the lost sheep, He ‘lays it on His shoulders, rejoicing’ (Luke 15:4-5). The returning son had come from a pigpen and ignoring the stink of that, the father ‘fell on his neck and kissed him’. God has also removed the filth of our sins to make us His children.
Second, the Robe – The father commanded his servants, ‘bring out the best robe and put it on him’. It was nothing ordinary but the best. Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s best in the Saviour Lord, asking us to ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ’ and live in His authority and way here and eternally with Him in heaven thereafter (Romans 13:14).
Third, the Ring – The servants were commanded by the father to ‘put a ring on his hand’. The confirmation of acceptance into the family was the ring, for it carried the seal of the father and the family, used to sign agreements and other documents. Our Saviour has authorised us to ask anything in His name and He will do it. The son has to ensure the family dignity in using the ring and we must bring glory to His name by living like Him and in following His ways.
Fourth, the shoes – The son came back to be permitted to live even as a servant to the father and slaves did not wear shoes. The servants were also asked by the father to put ‘sandals on his feet’. The son was expected to live as per the privileged state he was brought into, and God, our Father, also desires us to live on earth as worthy of being His children through faith in His Son
Fifth, the party – The story told by Lord Jesus is of forgiveness, compassion, love, grace, mercy and salvation. The angel brought the Good News of the birth of the Saviour to the shepherds and declared the blessings, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men’ (Luke 2:14). This is the party that the Father in heaven has arranged for all who turn to Him and to His beloved Son. Once we accept our forgiveness and salvation in Lord Jesus, we become part of a grand party, of joy in our hearts and with angels in heaven. Our call is to be forgiving one another, strengthening and praying for others. In our sinful state we are living in a cloud that obstructs our view beyond and we try and claim all now, not waiting for God’s timing.
Both the sons were blinded to the heart of their father that was filled with love and grace. The son who stayed back could never feel the pain of the father about both of his sons being out of alignment with him and his ways. Yet he ‘came out and pleaded with’, the elder son, to come in. God came looking for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden calling out, ‘where are you?’ (Genesis 3:9). Even today He calls out to all His sons and daughters to come to Him and be blessed and ‘live abundantly’ in the new life in His Son.
God has opened the door to His house in heaven and to His heart for all who turn to Him through faith in the redeeming sacrifice of His Son. But we have to take the step and move forward to enter. All of humanity, in their state of deep darkness of sin and evil, is blinded to the only door to heaven that is opened for them by God the Father. It then becomes the primary responsibility of every believer to reach pout to others to show them the way to God through His Son.
