“And when he (the younger son) had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.”
– Jesus, “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:14-15)
Jesus tells us that the prodigal son squandered all his wealth in reckless living. The boy wastes his money and life, so when the famine comes, he winds up desperate. Jesus describes him going and “hiring himself out to one of the citizens of that country.” The original language uses the phrase “glued himself to” or “joined himself to someone in that country,” a description that reveals the son’s despair.
Jesus subtly lets the Jewish audience know that the boy is now working for the Gentiles, those who did not know the one true God. He says that the boy “was sent into the fields to feed pigs.” Not only does the younger son start working for a foreigner, he is actually feeding pigs – the most despised and unclean animal! The Jewish Talmud says, “Cursed be the man who breeds swine.” The Jews in Jesus’ audience must have bristled at such a terrible picture of this younger son’s sin. There was no greater sign of depravity!
Outwardly-rebellious sin eventually leads people to squander away their lives until they are at the mercy of whatever they have glued themselves to. People attach themselves to drugs, alcohol, casinos, sex, music, TV, internet pornography. We become addicted to something or someone we think will provide hope. Instead, the addiction brings enslavement.
When we, as humans, head out into the far country away from God, we are capable of reaching new lows in our behavior when we face famine. Due to new circumstances, we adopt actions we would have earlier shunned as evil. Our rebellion leads us down the spiral of desperation, while God the Father, with arms open wide, continues to call us back to Him.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
