In yesterday’s blog I wrote on the parable of the Wedding feast from Matthew 22. There were three different attempts to bring forth attendees:
1) Those who were not willing to come.
2) Those who made a mockery of the Wedding and were lawless.
3) Those who were called: Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.
The Scripture is multifaceted in what it speaks to us. As we dig deeper into the parable and seek greater understanding, revelation opens up to us. In this parable there are three groups of people who represent the major dispensations: Passover Age (Israel), Pentecostal Age (the church), and Tabernacles Age (the Overcomers). The Jews were not willing to come to the Wedding feast since they did not believe Jesus to be the Son of GOD. The church in the Pentecostal Age has been known for its unrighteousness and sin. Lawlessness included plundering and killing in the name of GOD. The last 2,000 years of history confirm this prevailing attitude. They have been too busy with their own doctrine to realize the importance of coming to this wedding. Let’s focus on the third group.
“Therefore go into the highways” indicates where the servants are to find the third group. They are not in organized religion but seem to be dispersed into the general population. Further, “highways” is the same word translated as “The Way”. In John 14:6 Jesus said “I am The Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The Way into the Holy of Holies is by righteousness. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Those with the revelation of The Way were called to the Wedding feast. The messengers of Our Heavenly Father brought in the third group of people to the Wedding hall but then we are given an interesting addition to the parable:
Matthew 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Both good and bad? Here we have Our Heavenly Father who has sent out HIS servants and they return with some who are “bad” or wicked? It is clear that the servants were not able to discern the hearts of the attendees or they would not have been gathered to attend. It is one thing to get invited to the Wedding, and it is another to be acceptable. You can have the revelation of Tabernacles and not be chosen to bring forth the Kingdom. It is a heart issue. The servants could not discern which people were to attend. They were to gather all of those who were called to be Overcomers. They did their job. Now comes the time for the fruit inspection:
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment
Our Heavenly Father begins HIS inspection. How would you like to be the man without a wedding garment? Revelations 19 tells us more about the wedding garment:
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
We will be inspected for our righteous acts, our fruit. Will we be clothed with that fine linen, bright and pure? Our Heavenly Father will judge our acts to determine if they are righteous. We must understand that apparent righteous acts are subject to scrutiny. They must be pure. We will be judged for our intent behind those acts. Will your wedding garment be fine linen? Linen is what the High Priest wore in order to enter the Presence of THE LORD. Can you imagine Our Heavenly Father asking you this question:
Mat 22:12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Our Heavenly Father has given us ample opportunity to prepare. HE has given us gifts and a calling plus all the tools to bring forth that calling that we might produce good fruit. Our fruit WILL BE inspected. Our intent will be discerned. What motivates you? Where do you spend your time? Where do you place your finances? You will not answer to me or any other aspiring Overcomer. Will you too be speechless? My desire is to get us all to the Wedding feast in proper attire however you are accountable for your actions and your fruit. What was the result of not having on an acceptable wedding garment?
13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
You will be removed from the Presence of Our Heavenly Father. You will then be placed into judgment for an extended cleansing and purification cycle. Let not this judgment be exacted on you or me. My goal is to insure that the brethren are acceptable in HIS sight. How can we be assured of acceptance? We must focus on becoming as our elder Brother Jesus. He is the expression of the Love of Our Heavenly Father. As we focus on Love, our actions based on Love will follow. Those actions will produce good fruit. When the time comes for inspection, we will be acceptable because we are wearing bright and pure wedding garments. We will then fully comprehend the final verse of this parable:
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”