Jesus
also told them other parables. He said, "The Kingdom of Heaven can be
illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his
son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were
invited. But they all refused to come! … 'Now go out to the street corners and
invite everyone you see.' So the servants brought in everyone they could find,
good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. But when the
king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper
clothes for a wedding. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how is it that you are here
without wedding clothes?' But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his
aides, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are
chosen." Matthew 22:1-3, 9-14
 |
| Pure white robe. Does it fit you? |
The right clothes. It was a custom to in Biblical
times in Israel to give wedding guests the proper clothes to wear to a wedding
banquet. This banquet was held at the groom’s parents’ home and special wedding
garments had to be worn. This passage tells us that the groom’s father, the king,
(that would be analogous to God the Father) confronted a man who wasn’t wearing
the wedding clothes that had been provided. To me that means that man snuck in
and wasn’t really a guest—and he didn’t know the custom. The Father sent that
man out—out into the darkness—cast him into hell. That is a place that none of
us want to go. We can’t sneak into Heaven…into the Banquet with the King.
In Revelation John recorded his view into
Heaven where he saw people clothed in white robes.
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to
count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front
of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held
palm branches in their hands. Revelation 7:9
It goes on to explain that this crowd is
made up of people who went through the great Tribulation. Does that include us?
We can’t claim to belong to that group right now. We don’t know what lies ahead
of us. We know that if we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, as
part of the church, the bride of Christ, we can look forward to a heavenly
feast.
Then I heard again what sounded like the
shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud
thunder: "Praise the LORD! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let
us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for
the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been
given the finest of pure white linen to wear." For the fine linen
represents the good deeds of God's holy people. Revelation 19:6-8
So, believing Christians, go out and do
your good deeds so you will be clothed in fine linen at the great Wedding
Feast. I know I want to be there—clothed in white. How about you?
Prayer
~ Dear Jesus—Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Thank you for
being that ultimate sacrifice for us. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us
give honor to You, Lord. For as the time is coming for the wedding feast of the
Lamb, prepared us to be Your bride. Revelation 19:7
Daily
Bible Reading: Mark 13
© 2018 Text and
Photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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