ISRAEL – the elder son

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to [his] father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” Luke 15:25-31

We are very familiar with the parable of the prodigal son.  We relate to it.  We all seem to experience a time in the far country.  A time when we ask of our Father and He gives, and then we, like the prodigal… waste what He has given us.  We praise God that through Jesus Christ we are found, and that our Father sees us from afar off and comes running to us, placing a robe on our backs and a ring on our fingers, calling us sons of God.  And we should.

But what of the elder son? 

Is it not Israel?  Is it not the son of the promise who continually “strives with God?”  Is Israel not the nation that can say, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I… thy commandment?” While we can apply this to those within the Church who never seemed to stray from the faith, we have to remember that Jesus was talking to the Jews and He was among Israel.  We must remember that what we know as the Church was not yet born.  So we must cast off the theology of the past that would separate our elder brother from us. 

We must realize that if Israel is not God’s chosen nation, then the God we serve is a liar.  But we know that “God does not lie” and that He is “true”, and that every man is a liar.   We also know who the “father of lies” is.

Israel was chosen, we are called.  And it is because we are called, as Abraham was, that we too are the sons of Abraham; sons of the promise, by faith.  For God called Abraham out of his family and his country, but He chose Israel (Jacob).  He declared them God’s chosen people. 

Israel IS the elder son.  Everything the Father has is at their disposal, if only they would receive.  His covenant with them is intact.  It is an everlasting covenant.  Throughout the scriptures He refers to them as a “stiff necked people.” And they still stand outside the feast, the feast of the Lamb, and wonder why the blessing has come to the Church.  And they still strive with God (the meaning of the name Israel).  And they, many of them, still resent us.  It is sibling rivalry as old as the hills.  But He is still our Father, and He is still their Father.

And their Father, our Father, still hears them… He still intreats them.  He still begs that they would come in and receive the Lamb that was slain for them.  Yet they still, many of them, say that He hasn’t.  They say that He “never gavest me a kid (lamb)” to make merry. 

And what is His response to His elder son?  “Thou are ever with me, all that I have is thine.”  He still loves them.  He still has a plan for them.  Israel must remain until the second coming of our Lord.

Please pray for our Jewish brothers.  Many can respond to His invitation and be saved.  But many will only receive Him when He comes again.  Either way, we must bless Israel and pray for them.  Pray that they are not deceived by the antichrist when he comes, giving them the peace that many of them long to experience.  Pray that they find again the book of law and in it the truths of the Messiah.  And pray that they look for His coming.  Many of them do.  Many believe the Messiah will come.  They just do not believe that He has come already.

They stand outside the feast and say, “thou never gavest me a kid (lamb).”

SDG