Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Do You Have the Right Clothes?


Meditate on this Scripture passage:
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

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 rejoice as you will be clothed in fine linen at the great Wedding Feast. But remember,…many are called, but few are chosen. Are you listening?

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: Matthew 23; Luke 20-21

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - https://www.blb.org 
Follow And Like "Banquet With The King" on Facebook. 👍

1 comment:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.