For your edification

In ancient times, after the death of King Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The House of Yehudah [Judah] in the south and the House of Israel [Ephraim...] in the North. The Northern kingdom [house] quickly turned from God's straight and narrow path. The king in the North feared his people would migrate to the Southern kingdom to be nearer God's Temple in Jerusalem. The Northern king, Jeroboam, had two cult temples built in the North; one in Dan and one in Beit El [Bethel]. Idolatry ensued and God's people in the North lost their way in serving God. 

 There was a man of God named Hosea.  A wealthy man had two sons.The younger son came to him and asked for his inheritance.

Though the father begged him not to leave, the son had made up his mind to go out into the world and experience the "glitz, glamour and all the fun experiences the world had to offer".     

His son would not be swayed, so the father divided out his younger son's share of all he had. The younger son converted his share to cash and headed for a distant country, and there he squandered his entire inheritance on crude and unholy living.  

As his money ran out a famine began. The only work the young man could find was feeding putrid smelling, squealing swine. One day as he was watching the pigs eat (carob pods? often called "locusts") he was so hungry that he wanted to push in beside the pigs to eat the pods. 

The son suddenly came to his senses and thought about how well his father provided for his hired men. The young man decided he would return to his father with the understanding that he no longer deserved to be considered a son, but he would ask his father to take him on as a hired hand.  

As the young man approached his home, his father (who apparently spent much time watching the road hoping one day his beloved son would return) saw his son coming from afar. The father in his excitement ran to meet his son and embraced him; weeping tears of joy and relief that his child was home safe.  

With tears in his eyes, the son told his father that he realized he blew it and he knew he no longer deserved to live as a son. The young man humbly asked his father to hire him as one of his workers. Seeing the endearing tears of repentance rolling down the precious face of his boy, the father turned to tell a servant to bring a robe, sandals and a signet ring and put them on his son (a sign of restoration, freedom and authority).     

The father was so overjoyed at the return of his boy that he ordered his servants to kill the fatted-calf and prepare a feast to celebrate the return of his wayward son.  

Meanwhile, as another day came to an end, the older, “faithful” son left the fields. When he neared his home he realized there was quite a celebration going on. He asked a servant what the occasion was. The servant told him “your brother who was lost (literally means dead) has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf to celebrate”.    

The older son was, understandably, hurt and angry. He felt betrayed and unappreciated by his father and refused to join the party.  The father came out to try to get his older son to come in to celebrate his brother’s return, but the son refused, accusing his father of favoritism.     

The older son reminded his father of all the years he served faithfully alongside him in all his work; saying, "and all the while this thankless son of yours was squandering your hard earned livelihood with prostitutes and all sorts of unkosher living; but you never even gave me a young goat to keep a feast with my friends".    

The father said to him "my dearest, and most faithful son, everything I have is yours, but it was right that we celebrate because your brother was dead and is alive again"!      

 *There are scholars who see a connection between Cain [Kayin], the Northern Kingdom and the Gentiles (goyim) today].    

Q) Remembering the point Pastor Jim Staley made in the video we watched "Identity Crisis" and thinking of how each; Kayin and the Northern ten tribes left the land of Israel to the East, meaning they were cut off from the covenant, do you think Yeshua's parable reveals God's joy at the return ?    

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