In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus demonstrates clearly the Father’s heart. Many of us know the story of the Prodigal Son. (Not the FOX TV drama.) Jesus shared this powerful parable to a crowd filled with both sinners and religious leaders. The sinners would’ve been deeply moved and filled with hope. The religious leaders with anger and disgust.
Let me explain.
The setting is a Jewish home with a father and two brothers—an older and a younger. In Jewish culture, the older son would’ve received the lion-share of inheritance when His father died. In fact, the older son always received at least twice as much. At any time, the younger son could request his share of the inheritance legally but doing so was completely unloving. In fact, it was rebellious.
“A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them.
Luke 15:11-12 CSB
The younger son’s request for His inheritance essentially slapped his father in the face. Dr. Warren Wiersbe helps us understand:
According to Jewish law, an elder son received twice as much as the other sons (Deut. 21:17), and a father could distribute his wealth during his lifetime if he wished. It was perfectly legal for the younger son to ask for his share of the estate and even to sell it, but it was certainly not a very loving thing on his part. It was as though he were saying to his father, “I wish you were dead!”
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 234). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
As if telling his father “I wish you were dead!” wasn’t enough, the younger son leaves in rebellion to pursue the life he wanted.
Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.
Luke 15:13 CSB
The younger son ran far, far away from the Father hoping to escape his influence. The problem is, he wanted wanted something he didn’t really want he just didn’t know it.
After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.
Luke 14:15 CSB
The younger son spent everything he had partying, pursuing women, and just about anything else you would do in a “distant land.” Because he’d escaped his father’s influence he came to nothing. He wasted his life.
So what do you do when you have nothing? You get a job.
Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything.
Luke 15:15-16 CSB
As many have discovered, when you have nothing, it seems, people want nothing to do with you. Often times, people ignore those who have nothing because there is no mutual benefit. The young man couldn’t even eat the pigs’ food. He was essentially starving to death—starving for food and affection. Then something changed…
When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!
Luke 15:17 CSB
“When he came to his senses…” The young man realized His life was meaningless separated from his father. He was ruined. He’d escaped his father’s care and, in so doing, escaped his father’s protection and provision. Even his father’s hired workers had more than enough food! So, he left to go back to his father.
I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.” ’ So he got up and went to his father.
Luke 15:18-20a CSB
The young man realized he had sinned. Then he remembered his father’s goodness and determined to return to him offering his service as a hired worker never to enjoy the full fruits of the father’s house again. In other words, the younger brother repented—he changed his mind. He hoped the father would accept his reasoning and allow him the opportunity to work for him. Little did he know how great the father’s love was for him.
So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.
Luke 15:20 CSB
He went to his father but his father ran to him. The father had been diligently watching for his son’s return. The father was so focused on his task that when his son was far away, the father recognized him and ran to him. In Jewish culture, a man running was disgraceful. The father didn’t care. He ran to His son, embraced him, and kissed him. His father was filled with compassion and joy at the return of his son.
Not only was the father filled with joy at his son’s return, the father protected his son by running to him. People in the village knew of the son’s disgrace and were legally permitted to stone him to death upon his return. But the father father immediately called for a robe and a signet ring to be placed on his son’s finger to identify the son as belonging to the father’s house. Before the son could finish his confession, the father interrupted him, forgave him, and ordered a celebration.
As Warren Wiersbe points out, “Everything the younger son had hoped to find in the far country, he discovered back home: clothes, jewelry, friends, joyful celebration, love, and assurance for the future.”1
The young man moved from rebellion to repentance, and finally, to rejoicing.
He found belonging, purpose, and freedom in his father’s house. So do we.
Maybe you’ve run as far away from God as you possibly can seeking to escape His influence. One thing is certain, you will never escape the love and kindness of God. The young man was motivated to change his mind about his father by the memory of His father’s kindness. Here’s the truth: You will never find what you’re looking for outside of God’s family. You and I were designed to know God, be known by God, and belong in His family.
God is always watching for our return to Him. He will run to us and greet us with a warm embrace of grace. He is our Heavenly Father who longs for us to be with Him. He protects us from those who would seek to destroy us and He provides a place for us in his house.
This is the Father’s Heart: To find belonging, purpose, and freedom in His family through faith in Jesus.
It’s time to stop running and come home.
-PB
1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 236). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.