Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Luke 15:23

Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.

From Background Notes [BN] for June 30th / July 1st written by Pastor Bob Brown:

What are we to make of "killing the fatted calf" in conjunction with the "feast"? These are all symbols of the reversal of his former condition. Freedom is about reversal.


Once starving, considered dead, living in a foreign land, and attached to a Gentile master, he is now richly feasting at his father's royal table, arrayed in the visible signs of his renewed status as the son, and eating kosher!. Of course, echoes are heard of the Messianic feast (see above) which likewise reverses the fortunes of God's people and then invites the nations to share in the banquet. The Old Testament is full of references to God "restoring the fortunes (Hebrew: shabîth, shabūth)" of His people (Deuteronomy 30:3; Psalm 126:4; Jeremiah 30:18; 32:33; 33:11, 26; 48:47; 49:6, 39; Hosea 7:1; Joel 3:1: Zephaniah 2:7; 3:20). The Hebrew roots used in this case refer to God "turning" or "returning."  [BN, 11]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am, 5:30pm

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