Luk 15:16-18 | KingComments | STEP | The younger son is the picture of the sinner who claims his share of life to live it the way he wants. By asking his share of the estate from his father while the father is still living, the younger son essentially declares his father dead. The father does not try to change his son’s mind, but gives each of his two sons their share. Thus God has given every human being the responsibility to do with his life what he wants. Then it will become clear how someone wants to live his life. There is no clearer way to deny God than to give preference to one’s own will over that of God. This own will makes it clear that someone wants to live apart from God. It reveals the desire to follow one’s own way at a great distance from God. This is without doubt the root of all sins. Sin against men will surely follow, but sin against God is the primary cause. Man is put to the test. He is responsible, but in fact he is not prevented from doing his own will. God maintains control only to carry out His own gracious plans. Yet it seems as if God allows man to do what he wants. Only then will it become clear what sin means, what the heart seeks, what man with all his pretentions is. The younger son is as guilty when he asks the share of his father’s estate as when he sits with the swine. He has already said good-bye to his father in his heart before he actually leaves. Then we see in him, that at the moment man leaves God, he sells himself to satan. Not only do we get a description of a sinful way of life, but we also see the bitter end. Giving in to sin brings misery and distress. A void is created that nothing and nobody can fill. The selfish waste of all his wealth only makes him feel this emptiness all the more. When in extreme despair he goes to one of the citizens of that country to ask for help, we see the degeneration of the sinner. There is no love, but selfishness. The citizen does not treat him as a fellow citizen, but as a slave. There is no slavery as deep and humiliating as being a slave to our own lusts. He is treated accordingly. How must it have sounded in the ears of a Jew that this younger son was sent to the field to feed the swine ? He sinks to the low point of want and misery. Yet nobody gives him anything. The lack does not yet drive him back, but leads him to seek resources in the country of satan, in what that country can give. How many souls feel the famine in which they have brought themselves, the emptiness of all that surrounds them, without any desire for God or holiness. There is a desire in them to degrading things in sin. Satan, however, gives nothing, but takes everything. Only God is the Giver. He has proven this in the greatest Gift, which is the gift of His own Son.

‏ Luke 15:16-18

The Younger Son Leaves His Father

The younger son is the picture of the sinner who claims his share of life to live it the way he wants. By asking his share of the estate from his father while the father is still living, the younger son essentially declares his father dead. The father does not try to change his son’s mind, but gives each of his two sons their share.

Thus God has given every human being the responsibility to do with his life what he wants. Then it will become clear how someone wants to live his life. There is no clearer way to deny God than to give preference to one’s own will over that of God. This own will makes it clear that someone wants to live apart from God. It reveals the desire to follow one’s own way at a great distance from God. This is without doubt the root of all sins. Sin against men will surely follow, but sin against God is the primary cause.

Man is put to the test. He is responsible, but in fact he is not prevented from doing his own will. God maintains control only to carry out His own gracious plans. Yet it seems as if God allows man to do what he wants. Only then will it become clear what sin means, what the heart seeks, what man with all his pretentions is.

The younger son is as guilty when he asks the share of his father’s estate as when he sits with the swine. He has already said good-bye to his father in his heart before he actually leaves. Then we see in him, that at the moment man leaves God, he sells himself to satan. Not only do we get a description of a sinful way of life, but we also see the bitter end. Giving in to sin brings misery and distress. A void is created that nothing and nobody can fill. The selfish waste of all his wealth only makes him feel this emptiness all the more.

When in extreme despair he goes to one of the citizens of that country to ask for help, we see the degeneration of the sinner. There is no love, but selfishness. The citizen does not treat him as a fellow citizen, but as a slave. There is no slavery as deep and humiliating as being a slave to our own lusts. He is treated accordingly. How must it have sounded in the ears of a Jew that this younger son was sent to the field to feed the swine? He sinks to the low point of want and misery. Yet nobody gives him anything.

The lack does not yet drive him back, but leads him to seek resources in the country of satan, in what that country can give. How many souls feel the famine in which they have brought themselves, the emptiness of all that surrounds them, without any desire for God or holiness. There is a desire in them to degrading things in sin. Satan, however, gives nothing, but takes everything. Only God is the Giver. He has proven this in the greatest Gift, which is the gift of His own Son.

The Younger Son Comes to His Senses

At the bottom of his misery he comes to himself. This is the beginning of the return. Around him everything is gone. He only has himself. Now that he no longer has any distractions, he starts thinking about home. He remembers what he has turned his back on. He left his father’s house as a son and now is with the swine in the greatest misery, while his father’s hired men have no shortage of anything.

Where the Spirit of God works, we always find two things: the conscience is convinced of sin and the heart is attracted by God’s love. This is the revelation of God to the heart. God is light and God is love. As light He works in the heart the conviction of his lost condition. As love there is the attraction of His goodness. The result is true confession.

The prodigal son makes a decision: he will go back to his father. He does more than just decide to go back. He sees that he has sinned, both against heaven and Him Who dwells therein and against his father. The life of a sinner is contrary to the life lived in heaven by angels who only do what God says. In his inner being the son is convinced of his sins and is prepared to confess them openly. By his willingness to stand up, he has already acknowledged before God that he has sinned.

He also realizes that he has lost all rights to be still accepted as son. This is the work of God’s Spirit. He is truly broken and contrite of spirit. He wants to take the place of a hired man. If he could take it, he would be satisfied with it. The desire was good, but legalistic because of unfamiliarity with grace. That is how many Christians live. They are only concerned with themselves and still have so little awareness of what lives in the Father’s heart. It is not about what we want, but about what the Father wants. That is so impressive in this part of the parable. It is not about what the son wants, but about what the father does.

The Father proceeds according to the fullness of grace that is in His heart for lost sons. God’s desire is not satisfied by giving lost sons the place of a hired man at the doorstep of His house. He wants sons in the area and atmosphere of His house. Many Christians have no awareness of what sonship to the pleasure of the Father’s will is (Eph 1:5). There is no peace by return alone. True peace comes when we get to know the Father’s thoughts about us.