his self-inflicted bondage. The Prince was ‘walking on foot’ , while the slaves were
‘ riding on horses’.
This could become the case too for abdicating royalty, where hired
servants/employees, could enjoy positions of greater privilege in the monarchy,
than the dissenting prince or princess. And so their positions are inverted, an
occurrence that deeply disturbs the heart of the father, in respect, the heart of God.
And so God, our loving, perfect, heavenly Father and King, could not allow this
to happen to the family of Abraham. He had a plan and it was through the rightful
heir, the offspring of Abraham and his wife Sarah, the chosen Patriarch and
Matriarch. God’s plan would not be undertaken through the son of a slave, and so
he reserved the divine promise for Isaac only, the rightful heir.
Esau on the other hand abdicated his position for a morsel of bread, and lost his
position and his inheritance to the younger son. This loss was unfortunately,
physically irrevocable.
In God’s divine plan of salvation, however, we can come back to God and to our
position through repentance, humility and obedience. We saw this in the beautiful
story of the prodigal, where the father reinstated his lost son to an even higher
position. It might also be possible for royalty to plead their case and return to their
former position, being embraced back home where hopefully, they would serve
again faithfully alongside the king, because the father’s heart is gentle and humble.
So what kind of God’s children are we? Were we born as the King’s sons, and then
when we were old enough we chose a different path, or did we choose to stay and
serve the King of our souls?
If we did choose a different path of disobedience at one point, did we reflect like
the prodigal and return back home with humility and repentance, and are now
reinstated sons of God, reigning with Him as heirs? Or are we still lost in our
wanderings, pursuing the pleasures and cares of this world, hurting and enslaving
ourselves?
Peter speaking to the saints of the early Church, those who had chosen God and
were reigning together with Him, seeking and serving the Kingdom, said to them
in 1 Peter 2:9-10, ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s