Bible Prodigal Son
Prodigal Son Older Brother
Christianity Oasis Ministry provides this Prodigal son brother study looking into the Bible prodigal son older brother who was a jealous brother bringing forth truth, understanding and peace.
Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Christian Walk study program. This is our very interesting and thought provoking Prodigal son brother study taking an in depth look into the Bible prodigal son older brother story as to discover what made the prodigal son brother was such a very jealous brother and how the Bible prodigal son older brother overcame his jealousy with truth, love and compassion and what that has to do with you today. The absolutely awesome and heartfelt message within the prodigal son older brother story will truly bring a smile to the lips and heart. Let's look into this together, shall we?
Bible Prodigal Son Brother
Prodigal Son Older Brother - Jealous Brother
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Adventure
Prodigal Son Older Brother and Jealous Brother Explained
In the Bible, a story is shared with us about a man who became know as the Prodigal Son. As the story is shared, we discover that the prodigal son older brother became very jealous. Why was the Prodigal Son older brother upset when the prodigal son came home?
The Prodigal Son older brother lacked Mercy ...
15 For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will
have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
So, God will have Mercy on whomever He chooses. Easy enough. But, it also says: It is not of him that willeth or him that runneth?
It sounds like this is saying that another person's will, words or works (whether it be the soul being given the Grace or another) will not determine or hinder God's Grace from being bestowed as God sees fit.
This suggests that another human's will, words and works do not define our destiny. Another interesting aspect of God's Will is God uses whoever He wants to have His Will to come to pass.
Even those whom most may find to be unrighteous people.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this
same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy,
and whom He will He hardeneth.
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Anger
Prodigal Son Older Brother / Jealous Brother Reason
God allowed Pharaoh to do what was done as to be able to show His power to all down the road.
This brings to mind something Jesus answered the Apostles:
1 And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind
from his birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did
sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this
man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made
manifest in him.
This man was blinded for his entire life just for that very day, as for God to receive glory. This brings to mind and heart a question which is asked by many doubting and confused souls who write the Oasis. It just happens to be the next verse in Romans as well:
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will?
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Event
Prodigal Son Older Brother and Jealous Brother Facts
The question is, how do humans have free will, if God's Will cannot be resisted and if we are used as pieces of a Spiritual chess match, for righteous causes (such as the Apostles) and for what most deem as bad such as when God used Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar to teach lessons and bring Him glory?
How is it that fault or favor is found in or given to an individual if they could not contend with or resist God's Will.
The answer is within the next verse:
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?
Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast thou made
me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same
lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Who are we to question God's choices, Will or motives?
22 What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to
make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of
wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that He might make known the riches of His glory on
the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory,
This brings to mind a couple fellas in the Bible. Jonah (which most have heard about his great fish story) and the Prodigal Son older brother. Allow me to explain in detail who they are and what their similarities are.
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Quest for Truth
Prodigal Son Older Brother - Jealous Brother Warning
The Prodigal Son story is one of the most touching stories that one will read in the Bible.
It is a Bible Prodigal Son parable (Of which there are many) of a man with two sons and the youngest son asked for his inheritance money, left his Dad and went out into the world and partied till he found himself out of money and was starving to death and decided to go home and beg his Dad for forgiveness. His Dad sees him coming and runs to his son with open arms and forgives him.
11 And He said, A certain man had two
sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father,
give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto
them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all
together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted
his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine
in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that
country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks
that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired
servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish
with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto
him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as
one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was
yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran,
and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned
against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called
thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the
best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes
on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let
us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was
lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
However ... As we continue with the story, the older brother of the Prodigal son was a little more than upset and refused to come to the celebration of his brother's return and instead pouted.
His Dad had to go out and ask him what the problem was.
Here is what happened.
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Parable
Prodigal Son Older Brother and Jealous Brother Concern
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and
drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these
things meant.
27 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.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came
his father out, and intreated him.
29 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:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted
calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and
all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for
this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is
found.
What do you believe the reason was for Jesus telling this aspect of the parable?
Perhaps to remind those who would try to hinder His Grace that ... "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."
Bible Prodigal Son Brother And Jonah Comparison
Prodigal Son Older Brother / Jealous Brother Danger
Let's look at Jonah for a sec ...
Jonah was called by God to go preach to the people of Nineveh, but Jonah did not want to, so he ran and tried to hide from God, (yeah, right) and as most remember, was swallowed by a great fish. After that, he chose to obey the Lord (no doubt) went and preached as instructed and the people heard the Word of the Lord through Jonah and they repented.
How would you feel if God used you as a tool by which to bring so many souls to repentance?
One would think it would feel pretty cool, huh?
But, a strange thing happened to Jonah on the way to the realm of Rejoicing for lost souls being saved ...
4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very
angry.
2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O
Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore
I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious
God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and
repentest thee of the evil.
3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life
from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?
Jonah was used as a tool and it worked !!! What was Jonah angry about?
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Tears
Prodigal Son Older Brother - Jealous Brother Fear
It almost sounds like he was saying that God had wasted his time because he knew God would bestow Grace on them anyway as compared to punishing them.
So what does ole Jonah do?
So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
What in the world was Jonah doing? Jonah was pouting and it seems he wanted the city and the people within to be destroyed.
6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come
up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver
him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next
day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God
prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of
Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is
better for me to die than to live.
Uh huh ... Here come the ole I wanna die thing again. God in His awesome Grace began trying to reach the heart of Jonah;
9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for
the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd,
for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which
came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city,
wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern
between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Answers
Prodigal Son Older Brother and Jealous Brother Truth
Jonah was all upset that a gourd withered (which was shading him) but cared not for the life of 120 thousand souls.
What were we taught earlier?
Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.
Why did the Prodigal Son's older brother and Jonah contend with God's Grace? What is the common denominator? Both felt like their own "good" works should somehow hinder the Grace of others. Perhaps this is why God calls and chooses to serve Him, those who the world deems as useless, unworthy and unforgivable:
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world
to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are
despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in His presence.
Bible Prodigal Son Brother Conclusion
Prodigal Son Older Brother / Jealous Brother Summary
Why do we do what we do for others? Ever feel like you give and give and give and it never seems to be enough. Others seem to never appreciate what you do? If so, consider this ... If you are going to serve the Lord, reach for a lost soul, give to the Lord's cause or anything else for the Lord.
Perhaps if you did what you do "for the Lord" and not for man or self, one would not require so much from them, as not to be found as being like the older brother of the Prodigal Son who could not understand the rejoicing over a lost soul being found or ole Jonah who was kicked back pouting in a corner, awaiting the destruction of so many souls because he felt that "his" works were a waste of "his" time.
There is a force out there that is attempting to overtake us all; it is Satan. There is another force that is protecting us from him; it is the Holy Spirit. It is a battle for souls. This battle is called Spiritual Warfare, and like it or not, you are right in the middle of it.
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