Post by foxjj on Jul 18, 2022 7:19:34 GMT
The Wedding Banquet
Throughout His ministry, Jesus used parables as His main style of teaching. To the people of that time parables were an accepted mode of teaching. The parable would be a story told in a familiar way that local people would recognize. However, depending on the condition of the heart - and the desire for truth - of those hearing the parable, not all of the listeners would necessarily comprehend it’s true meaning. The following parable concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, speaks clearly of Yahweh’s dealing’s with a rebellious and ungrateful Israel:
“1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend ?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
(Matthew 22:1-14. NIV)
Although Yahweh chose Israel as His people, they rebelled against His law many times throughout their history. Eventually He sent His Son - Jesus The Messiah - as Mark 1:14-15 records: “14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” As in the parable the people, as a nation, rejected the invitation - they killed The Son: “Crucify him, crucify him!” (John 19:6) in turn the Temple which was their symbol of Yahweh’s presence was destroyed by the Roman army.
The invitation to the banquet has now been sent to the Gentiles through The Gospel of Jesus Christ who said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3-6)
I do pray that you have accepted your invitation by acknowledging the atoning sacrifice that Jesus has undertaken on your behalf by which you are spiritually born again. Accordingly, we will sit down together at the great wedding banquet given in Heaven as described in Revelation 19:6-10:
“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Today, let us give thanks for our invitation to the wedding banquet through Jesus’ sacrifice.
John Joseph Fox.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus used parables as His main style of teaching. To the people of that time parables were an accepted mode of teaching. The parable would be a story told in a familiar way that local people would recognize. However, depending on the condition of the heart - and the desire for truth - of those hearing the parable, not all of the listeners would necessarily comprehend it’s true meaning. The following parable concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, speaks clearly of Yahweh’s dealing’s with a rebellious and ungrateful Israel:
“1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend ?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
(Matthew 22:1-14. NIV)
Although Yahweh chose Israel as His people, they rebelled against His law many times throughout their history. Eventually He sent His Son - Jesus The Messiah - as Mark 1:14-15 records: “14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” As in the parable the people, as a nation, rejected the invitation - they killed The Son: “Crucify him, crucify him!” (John 19:6) in turn the Temple which was their symbol of Yahweh’s presence was destroyed by the Roman army.
The invitation to the banquet has now been sent to the Gentiles through The Gospel of Jesus Christ who said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3-6)
I do pray that you have accepted your invitation by acknowledging the atoning sacrifice that Jesus has undertaken on your behalf by which you are spiritually born again. Accordingly, we will sit down together at the great wedding banquet given in Heaven as described in Revelation 19:6-10:
“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Today, let us give thanks for our invitation to the wedding banquet through Jesus’ sacrifice.
John Joseph Fox.