Page 50 - SABBATH

The Prodigal Returns

here are no words that more accurately encapsulate the true meaning of Sabbath
Trest than the words of the Messiah, “yet not My will, but Thine be done.”

Luke 22:41-42
And [Yahshua] withdrew from [Peter, James, and John] about a stone's throw, and
He knelt down and began to pray, saying, "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this
cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done."

We have seen how Lucifer was the first Sabbath breaker as he repeatedly declared “I
will.” In absolute contrast we see the Son of God proclaiming, “Not My will.”
This is the position of rest that was surrendered in the Garden of Eden. Adam went
from a place of contentment with the Father’s will, to being dissatisfied with His will. Adam
wanted to direct his own path. He wanted to decide for himself how he would lead his life.
Adam was the original prodigal son. As he was abiding in the place the Father had
chosen for him, an unrest began to grow until finally it gave vent to action as he set himself
to do that which was not the will of God. In a sense, all of mankind is represented in the
prodigal son. We have all left the place of rest with our Father and have gone seeking our
own fortune. We have lived either riotously or self-righteously. In either case we have
directed our own course and have chosen to go a way that was not the Father’s will.
The Father has waited for us to come to our senses and to realize that things were
better before we left His side. That which we thought was so confining and unbearable
begins to look good after we find out how hollow life is apart from the Father. After we
endure shipwreck and enslavement, moral destitution and abasement, we begin to consider
how far we have fallen. The story of the prodigal son is the story of mankind.

Luke 15:11-24
And He said, "A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his
father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' And he divided his
wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything
together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his
estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine
occurred in that country, and he began to be in need. And he went and attached
himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed
swine. And he was longing to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were
eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he
said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am
dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to
be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."' And he got up and came to
his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt
compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him. And the son said
to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer
worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the
best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and