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The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger
of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods
that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And
not many days after, the younger son gathered all together,
journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with
prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe
famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went
and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him
into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled
his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him
anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s
hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with
hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am
no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your
hired servants.”’
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a
great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and
fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am
no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe
and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his
feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us
eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew
near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called
one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he
said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received
him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father
came out and pleaded with him.
29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years
I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment
at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might
make merry with my friends.
30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your
livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all
that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry
and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and
was lost and is found.’”
Now we will break the parable down...
(Bible verse in black bold print and our insight is in blue print)
1) And he said, "There was a man who had two sons;
This "man" was God. His two sons are the Northern Kingdom
{“Israel/Ephraim”} and the Southern Kingdom {“Judah”}
2) and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me
the share of property that falls to me.'
The Northern Kingdoms because the younger (adopted) brother is
Ephraim/Mannasah.
3) So he divided to them his livelihood.
ALL of the birthright promises (not the blessings of the 12 Tribes)
that are divided among the younger and older sons: Ephraim/Mannasah
and Judah.
4) Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and
took his journey into a far country,
After the captivity of the Northern Tribes; they said to themselves
“we can not be faithful to God here so let us leave”. They went
through the Caucasas Mountains and when they came out on the other
side they are called Barbarians by the people who live there.
5) And there he squandered his property in loose living.
All the things that {Conan} barbarians are known to do.
6) And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in
that country, and he began to be in want .
The definition of FAMINE :
a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting
in violent hunger and starvation and death.
What is the famine spoken of here?
The food spoken of here parallels the verse in Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God ”. This parable
verse means...NOT being ACCEPTED BY THE WORLD AND NOT having God’s
word to follow either.
7) So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that
country
As the Northern Tribes intermarried with the people of those lands...
8) who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
trying to fit into this world of man and earthly ways.
9) And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate;
To have lived as mankind does...who act like swine (un-clean animals)
and lived their earthly ways...
10) And no one gave him anything.
but even here the world treated them as second class... God did
not allow them to prosper. (Until they went back to God.)
11) But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father's
hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish
here with hunger! “
"Life is too hard and has no meaning"...mankind is selfish, corrupt,
and greedy (like swine).
12) I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
Dear Father, {God} I have sinned against you and...
13) I am no longer worthy to be called your son;
I can not come before you; I am unworthy...
14) Treat me as one of your hired servants."'
Tell me what must I do? I am your servant!
15) And he arose and came to his father.
He started to seek God...
16) But while he was yet at a distance,
not knowing the gospel story yet (The Redemptive plan)...
17) His father saw him and had compassion,
God guided them along...
18) And ran and embraced him and kissed him.
And sent them His son {Jesus}.
19) And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven
and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
The call of repentance.
20) But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best
robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand and shoes
on his feet;
God’s message of the assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ.
21) and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make
merry;
The party in this parable is the wedding feast in heaven.
22) for this my son was dead, and is alive again;
Dead in sin and now alive in spirit...
23) He was lost, and is found.'
bound for hell and now alive forever.
24) And they began to make merry.
The Gospel message.
25) "Now his elder son was in the field;
The Southern Kingdom (Tribe of Judah and Benjamin) who are the Jews.
26) And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard
music and dancing.
The gospel message of the Kingdom of God.
27) And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant.
And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father
has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe
and sound.'
The Gentiles (The Lost Tribes) are hearing the Gospel message...
28) But he was angry and refused to go in...
into the kingdom, that is the kingdom of Jesus spoken of in the
Gospels.
29) His father came out and entreated him,
God sent Enoch and Elijah first.
30) but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have
served you, and I never disobeyed your command;
I was not divorced like the younger son was!!!
I have never left your Temple therefore why am I not the
chosen people? (The older son is the Jews)
31) Yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with
my friends.
You never blessed me with a great nation (or multiple nations)
or even a land of milk and honey.
32) But when this son of yours came,
...this son whom you divorced (Northern Tribes)...
33) who has devoured your living with harlots,
...intermarried among the worlds nations (heathens)...
34) you killed for him the fatted calf!'
you blessed him with multiple kings and nations!
(And also gave them a great nation with a land of milk and honey.)
35) And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me,
As it was then and as it is now...in the millennium with Jesus:
***FOLLOW ME NOW***
36) And all that is mine is yours.
In this age all that is here can be for you also;
FOR I AM STILL WITH YOU ***FOLLOW ME NOW***
37) It was fitting to make merry and be glad,
I {Jesus} came to bring life(*remember the water into wine);
I didn’t bring the Law, I fulfilled the Law. I am life to those
who are mine and death to those who are not mine!
38) For this your brother was dead, and is alive;
Your brother was dead; but in me, he is alive.
39) He was lost, and is found.'"
Your younger brother was headed to hell, but now will be found
in my “new earth & new heaven”.
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