A patriarch sojourning in a distant land sent his firstborn to his own country to build his dwelling place — a sanctuary to live with his household forever. But when his son arrived, the locals, who are also his people, did not welcome him as they made allegiance to a local lord. However, the local lord offered the son the country on his terms. The son rejected it.
Despite the conflict, a few recognised the son as their true Lord risking their lives offered their land to establish the Father’s house. The Son paid the price for all those who surrendered their land. This made the lord furious.
Since the Father loves his people and his country, he desires to set them free from the oppressive rule of the local lord by persuading them to make peace with his Son, who will save and restore them.
The Son began building the Father’s residence among those who offered their lands; the Father, in return, set them free and adopted them as his sons and daughters — heirs to the country with the firstborn.
The Son began building the Father’s residence among those who offered their lands
Despite opposition from the local lord, arid climate conditions, and short supply, the Son, along with the household, started building the estate. The family has been steadily growing under the authority of the Son.
The estate consists of a large house with many rooms, a farm, a dairy, a storage barn, a warehouse, a large well for water, land to grow food for the family, a workshop, etc. Wastelands have turned into fruitful gardens.
The bungalow has rooms for each couple and their infants, dormitories for youth, a kindergarten, a banquet hall for them to gather and have meals, a large kitchen, a school for the children, a nursing room to treat the sick, an office to manage the administrative work, library, lab, etc. In addition, they built shops to sell their farm produce and other articles to the locals.
Everyone in the family has a responsibility for the flourishing of the Father’s house through their gifts. Some in the kitchen, some in the farm, school, shops at the gate, etc.
Though the nearby city had lavish mansions, pools, and roads built by the lord for the privileged, most of the inhabitants were mainly unskilled and stuck in an exploited system. One day a few locals begged those in the estate to teach some skills to the youth and rescue them. The Father’s house was so excited that they began to train them in carpentry. From carpentry to agriculture to reading, writing and printing, the Father’s house has slowly developed the locals with skill, discipline, and industry. They even opened their nursing rooms to treat the sick who came for help.
But the most important thing happened when the youth experienced love and freedom as they came to the estate to learn. They observed how everyone loved the Father and the family by loving each other diligently and humbly through their labours. From growing food to serving meals or doing business, they showed love, accountability, craftsmanship and generosity to everyone, even the locals. This transformation from their earlier life in the city attracted the locals.
As a result, many more were added to the family by offering their lands across the country. More estates started adding. The people could order their lives according to the Father’s will so that he may come and dwell with them. They learnt discipline and developed their mind, body and spirit in the fear of the Father. They abandoned idleness, witchcraft, gambling, drunkenness, and sensual lifestyles.
The Father’s vision is not just for this small estate and his current household. He and his firstborn are on a mission to redeem everything from the local lord and complete a magnificent dwelling place across the country. The Son shared this vision with all his adopted brothers and sisters. He told them to be faithful in living out the Father’s will, train the locals and persuade them to surrender and join the household.
He told them to be faithful in living out the Father’s will, train the locals and persuade them to surrender and join the household.
This vision displeased the local lord greatly, so he started persecuting the people of the Father’s estate. However, his efforts were futile for many years.
But, as the days passed, things changed. The love in the household grew cold. Though they lived on the estate, they desired the city more. Therefore, their love and discipline became ritualistic and artificial.
The local lord took this opportunity to stop the expansion of the Father’s estate in the country. He built a narrative to deceive the household by saying that the Father’s plan was never to come and make his residency here; instead, he wanted to take them to a distant land where he lived.
In return, he enticed them with mansions, pools and luxuries. He promised them pleasures, freedom and power. He convinced them to abandon the estates and live peacefully according to their local way. Sadly this appealed to many elders in the household.
Some left the Father’s house, abandoning the estate and the training of the locals. They started living in the city like the locals except for a Sunday visit to the estate’s banquet hall, which they converted into a concert hall. Some estates were even converted and surrendered to the local lord. Many who remained in the estate have virtually abandoned it since they believed it would be destroyed anyway.
Therefore, the local lord took over parts of the school, nursing room, shops, and farm to run as he wished.
Though the faithful household remained and continued to care for the Father’s estate, they were outnumbered by the visiting locals who cared the least for the Father’s house on Sundays. However, they continued their good work day and night, rebuilding ruined parts of the estate.
They are daily encouraged by the Spirit of the Father; therefore, with reverence and love to him and his Son, they maintain the unity of the faithful household, manage the responsibilities of the estates according to the will of the Father, train the locals, and persuade them to join the family.
Though the faithful household remained and continued to care for the Father’s estate, they were outnumbered by the visiting locals who cared the least for the Father’s house on Sundays.
They knew that every square inch and every life in the country belonged to the Father to reflect his glory. They believed they must steward and recover all that belonged to the Father. Therefore, they don’t sit idle and wait for someone else to do it someday; instead, they join the son with utmost devotion to redeem what was lost.
Miraculously, despite the local lord’s resistance, the locals continue to offer their lands to the Son. The Father and the Son are still on their mission to extend the estate. One final day when the construction is complete, the Father and the Son will rest in the estate and rule his country along with the household forever. The Son will expel the local lord and his followers from the country forever.
With this hope, the faithful household continues its good work joyfully in gratitude for their redemption, adoption and the guaranteed inheritance of the fully completed estate, which will be far more beautiful. They yearn to see the Father and the firstborn face to face in that completed estate.
