“The harlots and tax-collectors enter the kingdom of heaven before you,” said the Lord Jesus Christ to the Pharisees and scribes.
“Those who sin much will love much for they are forgiven much,” Christ told those who decried the harlot who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair.
And thus the most sublime and touching parable ever spun does the Lord Jesus Christ tell the story of the Prodigal Son.
“A certain man had two sons.
And the younger of them said to his father,
Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.”
“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”
God’s providence…kicks in.
Rather than punish the Prodigal Son, God provides a ravaging famine to bring the Prodigal around.
To always have our eyes focused on circumstances, situations and settings—God’s Providence— in our lives gives good guidance in managing our affairs.
“And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.”
Swine and sin are twins.
God drives the wages of sin into the psyche of the Prodigal Son since pigs according to the Mosaic Law in force at that time were “unclean.”
A sure habitation of demons.
For this is where the Legion of demons entreated Jesus to be sent into when He cast them out.
“And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him.
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
We all arrive at this moment of decision whenever we “come to ourselves.”
We see the cliff ahead, put on the brakes, take assessment, bend in prayer, and make our decision.
For worse, when we break our resolve and return to the snare.
For better, when we stay the course.
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”]
God asks us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.
For who would love an “angry” God?
Jesus teaches us—in this most sublime of all parables—that it is a loving God Who awaits our moment of decision.
Not only does God the Father wait, but watches, stretches and strains Himself toward it. [Clip]
“But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found.”]
Amazing grace!
Robes, rings, shoes, fatted calf!
The robe is the garment of Divine Light that clothes us in incorruptible sonship at Holy Orthodox baptism.
The ring is the seal of the Holy Spirit preserving the baptized unto eternal life.
The shoes are our armor against the bites of the devil who slithers with venom to make us break our baptismal vows.
The fatted calf is the banquet of Holy Communion by which we partake of Divine Life.
I grew up in the synagogue, far from my real country, famished for not hearing the words of Jesus Christ.
I sought His words, I heard them, and He saved me out of all my troubles.
Excellent message. Our (USA) warmongering blood thirsty leaders should take great heed to it for themselves.
Please God, spare us from the demonic USA leaders that are now plaguing the entire world.
King Edward The First Did It, and so can We!
Awesome. One of the few. The truly anointed. May your words from the Lord be heard all around the world. Thanks Brother Nathanael, you’ve been such an inspiration.
“Prodigal Son”
“The harlots and tax-collectors enter the kingdom of heaven before you,” said the Lord Jesus Christ to the Pharisees and scribes.
“Those who sin much will love much for they are forgiven much,” Christ told those who decried the harlot who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair.
And thus the most sublime and touching parable ever spun does the Lord Jesus Christ tell the story of the Prodigal Son.
“A certain man had two sons.
And the younger of them said to his father,
Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.”
“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”
God’s providence…kicks in.
Rather than punish the Prodigal Son, God provides a ravaging famine to bring the Prodigal around.
To always have our eyes focused on circumstances, situations and settings—God’s Providence— in our lives gives good guidance in managing our affairs.
“And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.”
Swine and sin are twins.
God drives the wages of sin into the psyche of the Prodigal Son since pigs according to the Mosaic Law in force at that time were “unclean.”
A sure habitation of demons.
For this is where the Legion of demons entreated Jesus to be sent into when He cast them out.
“And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him.
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
We all arrive at this moment of decision whenever we “come to ourselves.”
We see the cliff ahead, put on the brakes, take assessment, bend in prayer, and make our decision.
For worse, when we break our resolve and return to the snare.
For better, when we stay the course.
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”]
God asks us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.
For who would love an “angry” God?
Jesus teaches us—in this most sublime of all parables—that it is a loving God Who awaits our moment of decision.
Not only does God the Father wait, but watches, stretches and strains Himself toward it. [Clip]
“But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found.”]
Amazing grace!
Robes, rings, shoes, fatted calf!
The robe is the garment of Divine Light that clothes us in incorruptible sonship at Holy Orthodox baptism.
The ring is the seal of the Holy Spirit preserving the baptized unto eternal life.
The shoes are our armor against the bites of the devil who slithers with venom to make us break our baptismal vows.
The fatted calf is the banquet of Holy Communion by which we partake of Divine Life.
I grew up in the synagogue, far from my real country, famished for not hearing the words of Jesus Christ.
I sought His words, I heard them, and He saved me out of all my troubles.
“I will arise and go to my father,” I said.
I am the Prodigal Son.
can you please have a SHARE button so that we can all spread your beautiful message, far and wide, as it truly deserves.
t mizzi, are you thinking of a Facebook, Twitter, or other social media share button? What platform did you want it on?
NIcely said +BN!
Excellent message. Our (USA) warmongering blood thirsty leaders should take great heed to it for themselves.
Please God, spare us from the demonic USA leaders that are now plaguing the entire world.
King Edward The First Did It, and so can We!
Thank you, Brother, for your love and message.
Awesome. One of the few. The truly anointed. May your words from the Lord be heard all around the world. Thanks Brother Nathanael, you’ve been such an inspiration.