Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(6/22/23)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 6/22/23 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Luke 15

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

_______________________________________________________

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Our Father In Heaven,
Magnified and Sanctified is Your Most Holy Name!
We Give Thanks To You,
For Your Mercy Endures Forever.
Your Faithfulness and Lovingkindness
Transcends Anything We can imagine or comprehend.
Almighty God,
We Come before You This Morning,
Full of Awe and Thanksgiving,
To Worship and Praise You,
For You Alone Are Holy,
You Alone Are Worthy,
You Alone Are The One True God.
King Of The Universe,
We Thank You For your Wonderful Word,
Which Constantly Reminds Us of Your Faithfulness.

Let all that has been Concealed
Be Revealed.

Father, We Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem,
According To Your Will and Promise.
We Pray That You Will Forgive The Sins
of Our Own Nation,
and Lead us all to Godly Repentance.
Create in Us Clean Hearts, Oh LORD,
and Renew a Right Spirit Within Us.

This we Pray Together,
As We Await Your Messiah,
Blessed Be He,
To Set Up His Kingdom,
And Make All Things Right.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Luke 15

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

_______________________________________________________

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

My beloved Eight-Dollar NIV Study Bible bound in 100% Luxurious Bonded Leather, which I got at a Yard Sale about four years ago, has served me well. A footnote in Today's Reading caused me to do a little research about Ancient Jewish Inheritance Laws. As we will see, these Statutes, which everybody knew at the time, made the story of the Prodigal Son quite shocking to the First Century Jewish Listeners.

First of all, the Inheritance was only meant to be distributed after the father passed away. Since the Eldest Son would automatically get two thirds of the estate, the wealth had to be apportioned carefully during the father's lifetime to ensure that the sons would get the correct share. Since there are only two sons in this story, it was a little easier to figure out. The younger son would get one third, but only when the old man passed away. To demand the money sooner was not only insensitive, it implied that, to the younger son, money was more important than his father's life. It also was foolish because it became a finite amount. If the son had stayed and worked with the family until the father's death, it may have been a much larger inheritance. The father must have been extremely shocked and grieved by this behavior. Nevertheless, he gave the younger son his money, and off the son went. It may be noted here that at least some of the family fortune would have been Land. That meant that the father had to sell his younger son's portion of the land to give him the cash, thus reducing the size of the estate. In the Torah, Land represents potential crops. Because of the Sabbatical Laws, the value of the land was calculated by the number of years from the Jubilee, when all debts were canceled and property returned to its original owners. It's really complicated, and would have made the whole transaction difficult. It wasn't just like giving the kid a sack of money!

Next, the younger son takes off and spends the money with wild living. This too shows profound disrespect for his family. Soon the money is gone, and he sinks to the next level, which is the loss of his Faith. He goes over to a Gentile farmer and hires himself out to take care of pigs, an unclean animal. He is so hungry that he longs to eat the pods from the carob tree that he is feeding the pigs. Carob is an interesting choice for pig food. The beans inside the pod are edible, and taste like chocolate. The husks, however, are useless, and barely edible, even for the pigs. The younger son has thrown away the sweet chocolate, but he even can't get away with eating the husks. (CAUTION>>>my own interpretation here!). Could it be that he has thrown away his True Faith, and is longing to fill his spiritual belly with the dried husks of false religion and cultism? Back to the story.

The older son is no prize either. By taking his share early, the younger has perhaps reduced the size and potential of the estate, so the final outcome may end up being less than it would have been if the younger had waited. This indicates that he, too, is more interested in money than with loving his family. He can't even bear to call the younger son his "Brother", and uses all kinds of linguististic gymnastics in referring to him.

When the younger son comes home, it is with true repentance. He (rightfully) says, "I am not worthy to be called your son."

The father, who is a "Type" of Our Father in Heaven, welcomes him with open arms. He calls for a celebration.

Now, the elder son is really furious. He should be rejoicing with his father, but has the exact opposite reaction. One might even say that the elder son is like very "religious" people who are unhappy about newcomers to their church who have come out of sketchy backgrounds, but have been redeemed and cleansed by the Blood of Jesus. They look at the tattoos and the piercings and the clothing, and pass judgment upon them, without knowing what is in their hearts.

Jesus's Parable teaches us not to be like either son, although we have taken turns through our lives being a version of both.

I have a carob pod in my Bible. I picked it up off the ground in Jerusalem, at Yad Vashem. It is as tough as wood, and totally inedible. It is a reminder of the depths of depravity humans can sink to.

But...it is also a reminder of Redemption and Faith, as the portion of Yad Vashem where I picked up the pod was the Avenue of the Righteous. There is a Carob Tree planted for every Gentile who helped rescue Jews during the Holocaust. Our guide explained that the carob bean tasted sweet, like chocolate, and so that tree was chosen to represent the Righteous Gentiles who reached out at the risk of their own lives.

He didn't mentioned the pods, which, I guess, just get swept up and taken away. I doubt if there are any pigs in Jerusalem who would eat them.

Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[etabeta]

My prayers always. God bless.

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Etabeta, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 101

Of David. A Psalm.

1 I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
to you, O Lord, I will sing.
2 I will study the way that is blameless.
When shall I attain it?

I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes
anything that is base.

I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
4 Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

5 One who secretly slanders a neighbour
I will destroy.
A haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not tolerate.

6 I will look with favour on the faithful in the land,
so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

7 No one who practises deceit
shall remain in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue in my presence.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, DarthVader, For Your Prayers and Wonderful Psalm For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

I didn’t know that about the carob tree and the righteous Gentile.

Joining in prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and for our beloved America.

[TianaHighrider]

Thank you and prayers up.
Prayers for all our lost relatives. And all to open their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ ❤.

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I didn’t know about it either till I actually WENT there.

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles

Thank You, NEWwoman, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, TianaHighrider, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Pajamajan]

Amen. 🙏

[Kitty Mittens]

We Thank You For your Wonderful Word,
Which Constantly Reminds Us of Your Faithfulness.

Amen to Every Powerful Word of your Beautiful Prayer, Dear Servant of Jesus Christ.
Joining you in Thanksgiving, Prayer, and Praise.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Pajamajan, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Kitty Mittens, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Jeanbl]

Amen, thank you. Joined together in prayer.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Jeanbl, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[Hiskid]

Amen. Thank you for all your research. It is very helpful.

[left that other site]

I have found that Historical and Cultural Context make such a difference in my Bible Studies. A lot of things are easier to understand when we know the customs and practices of the people in Jesus’s stories. :-)