The family unit is precious to God and the consequences were serious in Old Testament times for any son who marred it by rebellious behaviour:

‘If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and who when they have chastised him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city and they shall say to the elders of his city, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious rebellious; he will not obey our voice, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones.’ Deuteronomy chapter 21 verses 18-21. Such rebellion ended with the son’s body being hung on a tree, verse 22. It would have been a heart-wrenching experience for parents to deliver up their son to face such a bitter end.

We cannot comprehend the anguish felt by God as He delivered up His Son to DEATH ON THE CROSS. There is no record in the Scriptures of any rebellious son suffering the penalty decreed for them in Deuteronomy 21. However, Jesus, the holy and sinless Son of God, was crucified on a CROSS and became a curse for us, even though He never once rebelled against His earthly parents or His Father in heaven. Willingly, He put Himself in the position of a rebellious son. His enemies treated Him as if He were a rebel! ‘Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having been made a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)’, Galatians chapter 3 verse 13.

Upon that cross of Jesus my eye at times can see
The very dying form of One who suffered there for me;
And from my broken heart, with tears, two wonders I confess:
The wonders of His glorious love, and my unworthiness.
(Elizabeth Clephane 1830-1869)