(Luke 15:25.)
ALTHOUGH outwardly near, as his father owns (“Son, thou art ever with me,” verse 31), the elder son was as far off morally, “in the field,” as the younger son had been in the “far country.” Yes,” the field is the world” (Matt. 13:38), although “he drew nigh to the house” (vs. 25)-so nigh that “he heard music and dancing,” the sounds of the merry-making of the father over his “son, who was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found” (vs. 24). Picture of God’s joy―Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, uniting to rejoice in what their combined action had effected, the Son “coming to seek that which was lost” (ch. 19:10), the Holy Ghost to find (ver. 8), and the Father to receive the penitent (vs. 20). As they say, “Let us eat and be merry,” that is, let us have communion and joy in the happy result of our labors. “To the counselors of peace is joy” (Prov. 12: 20).
Though the elder son is so nigh as to hear the sound of all this, and though he is informed of its meaning (vers. 26, 27), he will not join in his father’s joy. Not only had he no heart for that which so gladdened his father’s heart, but he resents it. “He was angry, and would not go in” (vs. 28). How different with the other in his destitution; “for,” as another has said, “he was hungry, and could not stop out, while the elder was angry, and would not go in.”
And thus it is ever with the worldling, whether a religious professor, or an irreligious profligate. He hates grace. The elder son resents it, when manifested to his confessedly (vs. 21) unworthy brother (vers. 28, 30). The younger son abuses the grace shown him by his father in dividing to him his living (vs. 12).
And where art thou, and what art thou, my reader? Have you ever answered for yourself God’s first two great questions to man (Gen. 2:9, and 4:10), ―the two great questions He asks of all, and would ask of you? If not, answer for thyself now to Him. The first, “Where art thou?” Away from God, in the world which is His enemy (James 4:4), and hiding from Him. But he assured He will have thee dragged from thy hiding-place in the day of judgment, when neither rocks nor mountains shall suffice to hide thee “from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; [when] the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:12-17, 20:11-15). Come forth now therefore, and whether thou art an empty professor (like him of Matt. 22:11) or a needy profligate, thou wilt find that God has a covering for thee in grace—a perfect covering, the best robe (vs. 22), as He had for thy first parents when they came His own righteousness (Rom. 4:5, 22, vs. 2); even forth from their lurking-place (Gen. 3:21), and that on the ground of blood-shedding, for thee, of the precious blood of Jesus which cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7).
The second question, is “What hast thou done?” You know you have not served God and kept His commandments (vs. 29). Empty, hypocritical profession will not avail thee in that day of which we have spoken. Own the truth, confess thy sin, for “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive,” &c. (1 John 1:9), and give Him the joy of making merry over thee, and have for thyself that joy which finds but its commencement here. “And they began to be merry” (vs. 24).
“‘It is meet,’ we hear Thee saying,
‘We should merry be and glad,
I have found my once lost children,
Now they live, who once were dead.’”
W. G. B.