23/02/12

Many are called, but few are chosen

Matthew 22:14 - For many are called [invited], but few are chosen[elected].


Many or I would say almost all of Jesus' parables have a multi-dimensional understanding. They reach out to those who drink spiritual milk and also to those who eat solid food.

If one goes by the parable of the marriage feast by which Jesus explains this statement we see that many know the Lord and are given the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but only few accept it and come to Him.

The first request to come to the marriage was to those who already had the invitation before with them when the servants went to call them. The people Jesus implied here were the Jews. The Jews by their birth in Abraham had received the invitation but did not abide to the messages of the Prophets. The Jews claim to be followers of Yahweh and abiders of the Law of the Lord through Moses but are in fact religious people who follow rituals and not the Lord. They follow the words of Moses without understanding what the Lord spoke through Moses, therefore with reference to them it is written not the Law of the Lord but Law of Moses.

In the second incident the King sends another Servant implying to His Son Jesus Christ and it is written He was sent not empty handed but with confirmation to abundance at the wedding but again they did not only not accept the invitation but caught Him, mistreated Him and killed Him. To this the King sends His army to destroy the murders and also their whole city.

People are deceived to believe that the followers of Judaism are still inheritors of the Kingdom of God. They did have this privilege until they rejected Jesus Christ, His Message and killed Him. People mistake spiritual Israel with the people who follow Judaism. Paul takes a lot of pain in his letter to the Romans to explain this, but yet we find many preachers preaching contrary to the Bible.

In the third part of the parable the invitation goes out to those on the highway and it seems they receive the invitation and come to the marriage. People on the highway implies to people referred in the New Testament as gentiles. The term gentile does not refer to all unbelievers but God's people who did not know Him, in simple terms His lost sheep. People who lived in the city (Jews) lived in protected walls. Jesus died outside the city. The Jews were and are protected by the Lord until the day His wrath finishes them. We have seen all the greatest disasters of the Jews are already prophesied in the Bible and linked to the wrath of God. Their biggest enemy is their God for they have rejected His Servants.

In the fourth part of the parable Jesus spoke of those from the Highway who received the invitation and came to the wedding but did not wear the wedding robe. Jesus took this from a historic event which was fresh in the minds of the people who were listening to Him. He was referring to the Roman marriage of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. At the very grand marriage which Mark Antony had over many days, he was aware there were people from his own who wanted to assassinate him like his mother's cousin Julius Caesar was so he ordered every invitee to remove all their belongings even the clothes they came in before entering the main hall and were given special clothes to wear. This was done to prevent the assassin from carrying any weapon.

In this part Jesus was not referring to one or two individuals but a large part of those who came to the marriage. The Bible states only one third of those who accept the invitation and come to the marriage will actually enter and the remaining two third would receive more worst punishment then those who rejected the invitation. These people as Jesus puts are those who believe in Him but have refused to abide by His Father's Word.

Christians are deceived in their understanding that all who believes in Jesus Christ will go to Heaven. No doubt as the Word of God says they will be saved from Hell but it is not necessary that they will enter Heaven. It is only on Judgement Day when all are judged that those found abiding in the Father's Word will enter Heaven and be part of the Wedding.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, the Christians today have no fear of You for they are deceived that by just receiving the invitation they will enter Heaven and be part of the Wedding. They do not understand that if only they cover themselves by the righteousness of thy Word will they be able to enter Heaven. Your first Commandment requires us not to just love You but love You with all our strength and understanding. It is not our understanding that counts but the understanding we receive from your Word. Lord, You said in your Word that more and more of them from the later days will be part of the Wedding. Lord, we believe this Word has reached many of those who will abide and be there at the Wedding in Heaven...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
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 [singular], saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and fatlings killed, and all things ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants [singular], and entreated spitefully, and slew.
7 But when the king heard, 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, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, 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 into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few chosen.

Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Zechariah 13:8-9
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, said the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

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