20/06/13

The Wedding - are you going? as what?

Matthew 22:2 - The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,


I have heard many people preach this parable and till date I have not heard one person get the basics right. All of them I have heard have made 2+2=5 where the 1 extra that they add is their worldly understanding.

Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a king arranging a wedding of his son. Yes, the king sends his servants to invite people to the marriage, now the place where everyone makes a mistake is servants are sent to invite people not to be a guest to the marriage but to be the bride to the son.

In the Kingdom of God at the grand wedding which awaits us in Heaven will have no guest. The people who are planning to be guest will be in the pit where there is untold suffering. To be invited to the marriage one need to be the bride and be dressed in the bridal gown. In translations people used the word guest for the Greek word that means one seated at the table and this has caused all to be misled in understanding it.

God is asking us those who plan to attend the marriage, what are we planning to attend the marriage as? If we are planning to attend as guest we are going to be thrown into the pit where there is untold suffering awaiting us, but if we are going to attend as bride we will sit at the table of the Lord set for His bride. This table has not food as in earthly food but things spiritual which are beyond the most precious things existing on earth or in this world.

If we plan to attend the marriage as bride we need to be wearing the bridal gown and this gown is not made or bought by us, nor do we have to work for this gown. This gown is made available to us by the Groom Himself and all we need to do is wear it. Our work is only in wearing it and remaining in it.

The essential bridal dress of a Jewish bride is a white dress with a veil. The dress covers the bride but the groom knows the beauty of the bride. The dress makes the bride look pure and untouched that is what the Lord prepares us here on earth through His Spirit. Let us start today and put on the bridal dress and remain in it, if we do not want to be caught at the wedding without the dress.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You came as man and died for us not only to save us from spiritual death but to give us life and life in abundance. You have set forth a great blessing for us in Heaven which we can avail of only when we come to You as your bride. Lord we pray we prepare ourselves for the wedding today and be covered in the truth and in your righteousness...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Matthew 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests [one seated at the table], he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend [mate], how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)