JESUS’ WEDDING BANQUET
Esther 1:19 Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.
Queen Vashti had committed an unforgivable sin in the eyes of the king and all his wise men that gave the king council. King Xerxes was ruler of the Medes and Persians empire. At that time it was the greatest empire of its day. It had come from the Assyrian and then the Babylonian empires. They had their time, and now the Medes and Persians were adding to both of those empires. King Xerxes was respected and feared by everyone it seemed with the exception of his wife Queen Vashti.
In the third year of his reign he decided to have a great banquet for everyone from the noblest among the leadership and military to the common people. As described it must have been a very elaborate event. After all it was not only to honor King Xerxes, but the entire empire that he ruled and represented. Along with his banquet he allowed Queen Vashti to have her own banquet for the ladies of the empire.
On the seventh day of the celebration, King Xerxes wanted to show off his wife as she was very beautiful. He sent for her to come to his banquet with her royal crown. But instead of coming to bring honor to her husband and king, she refuse. Refusing the request of the king by anyone was certainly not acceptable. It wasn’t for King Xerxes or would it be for any king. The king had to be shown respect, honor and obeyed. If he was not then there would be a break down in the authority, bringing chaos and uprising. Queen Vashti had brought dishonor to the entire empire. Later in the Book of Esther we see Esther’s uncle Mordecai showing disrespect to a very high official in the empire, and it almost got the entire Jewish race annihilated. We also see the opposite with Esther showing honor and respect to the king saved the Jews,
This reminds me of Matt 22:1-7 & 14. Here Jesus gave a parable about the kingdom of heaven. He said that it is like a king that wanted to give a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to tell those who had been invited that the banquet was ready, but they refused to come. Instead the guests went about their business as if it was no great honor to be invited to such a great banquet. They like Queen Vashti had insulted not only the king, his son and new bride, but all that the king represented. Because they did this the king killed them and even destroyed their cities. Then Jesus added, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
In Revelation 19:6-9 God reveals to the Apostle John that just before the return of Jesus to earth the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures before God will rejoice that the time for the wedding banquet for the Lamb has come. All of heaven will rejoice as they give Jesus glory! It says that his bride (the church) has made herself ready, and fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. Then it adds that blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!
Jesus’ wedding banquet will surpass that of King Xerxes or any other earthly celebration. All of heaven and it’s grandeur will be focused on Jesus and the church. Every Christian from those that received him following his death when he descended into the abode of the dead to offer them his atonement (I Peter 4:6), to those just before he returns will be there. No matter what their life on earth was like, whether rich, poor, young or old, all of the Bride of Christ will be perfect as he is perfect. (I Cor 15:35-58) There will no longer be any tears or sorrow for the old order of things will have disappeared forever, and they will be with Jesus the love of their life never to leave him again. (Rev21:2-4)
Good news can’t get any better than this, but with this good news also comes bad news. For those people that rejected Jesus, they will be rejected by God. As Vashti brought disgrace on herself and could never see King Xerxes again, every person that brings disgrace on Jesus by rejecting his call to come to him will never enjoy his presence. Instead as we see in Rev 20:7-15 they will be tormented for ever and ever right along with Satan and the fallen angels.
A person can have no greater honor than to be a Christian. Along with this a person can have no greater disgrace than to not be a Christian. Just as a person must choose to be a Christian, they also choose not to become one too! Jesus came so all who choose to believe in him might find forgiveness, reconciliation and eternal life with him in heaven. I personally believe that God is perfectly just. There will be no one in hell that loves Jesus and wants to be with him. For those people that may have died as babies, small children, mentally handicapped, misinformed about Jesus, just never heard or understood about Jesus and his saving grace, Jesus will explain it to them as they stand before him at the Great White Throne Judgment. If they receive Jesus at that time, they will be received and loved just as any other person that received Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
You may be thinking, “Well, if that is the case, everyone will become a Christian so they don’t have to go to hell.” Well, we would think so, but look at the multitudes that know this today and still do not want to give their hearts and lives to Jesus. They don’t like going to church to worship him on earth, so why would they want to do this continually in heaven for all eternity? They wouldn’t! Those in hell would sooner be there than in heaven. If they had to go to heaven, it would be hell for them!
I am sure that it didn’t bring King Xerxes great joy to banish his wife Queen Vashti from his sight, and it will certainly not bring God great joy to send even Satan and the fallen angels into hell for all eternity. But we must remember that God is and will always be just. His holiness and righteousness demand it. This is why in his mercy he chose to extend grace to all who would have faith in the atonement of his Son Jesus Christ. Salvation is easy enough for everyone to be able to receive it, but because of our free will it must be received and not force upon us. God’s love for us, and our love for him demands our free will to be exercised.
Are you planning to go to Jesus’ wedding banquet? You have been invited! The RSVP is just waiting for you to send to the Lord! In case you are like me, RSVP is French for Repondez s’il vous plit, or simply in English Please reply. Please feel free to give God a call right now. There is no holding or transfer to your call. Ha! Just a little pastoral humor!
Prayer: Thank you Lord for including everyone on your invitation to become part of Jesus’ Bride. It is a great honor that we take very seriously. Thank you Jesus for loving us so much, and paying such a great price for us. We love you Jesus!
HEARTS OF STONE COME TO LIFE
Nehemiah 4:2 What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble - burned as they are?
Bringing stones back to life is a surprising, and puzzling comment, but not anymore so that when Jesus said, “If they deep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Stone are not alive, so what are they talking about? I believe it is one of witness.
The stones of Nehemiah’s day were the stones that were leftover from when King Nebuchadnezzar completely destroyed Jerusalem. Even Solomon’s magnificent temple that he had built for the worship of the Lord with its inside covered with gold was completely torn down. Everything was either torn down or burned. And because some of the stones were close to the flames, they blackened as if burned. In all appearance even the stones looked as if they were dead, and hopelessly lost to any future use. In the eyes of Israel’s enemies they only witnessed defeat and humiliation, but for the Jews they represented a heritage that time and even fire could not destroy. What Israel’s enemies laughed at and saw as a reminder of destruction, the Jews now saw as legacies from past glory to be used to build on for future glory. The Jews were not deterred, and continued to build their wall around Jerusalem with some working and others on guard with their sword in their hand. When they finished their wall it stood not only as a testimony of their past and present but their future. Once again their stones that appeared dead were seen as alive once more. They became a witness and a testimony to all that would look upon them.
It’s no wonder that Jesus used the illustration of rocks crying out regarding his lack of recognition. It was the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus was coming down the Mount of Olives on the colt, Jesus’ disciples and the whole crowd of people began to loudly rejoice and praise God. They shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” With that the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his disciples, and this is when Jesus told them that, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
How could the stones cry out? How could they come to life? Well, they did and still are today! When the religious leaders and even others rejected Jesus and their hearts became hard towards him, they set in motion for the impossible to be possible. Hearts of flesh became stone and hearts of stone came to life. Jesus told them because of their rejection of him Jerusalem would be surrounded and there would be great death and destruction, even to the point that not one stone would stand on another. This happened in 70 AD when after the Jews rebelled from Rome, Rome sent its army to surround Jerusalem and destroy it. To this day large stones from the temple mount can be seen at the foot of the western wall where the Roman soldiers camped. These stones still echo the cry of not only the destruction of the Jerusalem, but greater still the rejection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ!
Today there are still hearts that have been turned to stone by the rejection of Jesus. These people have committed the unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus says in Mark 3:29, “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” The reason for this it is the Holy Spirit that convicts a person of their sin, the righteousness of Christ and the judgment of God that helps a person to repent and seek forgiveness through faith in the grace of Jesus’ atonement. These people will no longer welcome the Holy Spirit to come to them. The Holy Spirit will respect their free will and will leave them to their judgment in hell for all eternity where their stone hearts will be blackened by fire just as the stones around Jerusalem when they rebelled from the Lord.
While there are those that turn their hearts to stone, there are still those that yield their hearts to Jesus and he turns their hearts to eternal life. What a difference rejection and acceptance makes. The difference is of course eternal life with Jesus in heaven or eternal damnation in hell.
What have you chosen today? Can you rejoice that because of Jesus you have hope and life? You can, because everyone can! Jesus made atonement for everyone that would want him. If you would like to have forgiveness of your sins and eternal life today just pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, please forgive me of my sins and please come into my heart. I ask this in your holy name. If you have just done this. you can rejoice that he will never leave you or forsake you. You can turn your back on him, but he will not you. Now you are like living stones that witness how Jesus can bring life and hope to those that were once considered dead and lost forever! (I Peter 2:4-6)
Prayer: Thank you Lord for being able to bring old hearts of stone and give the life, even eternal life. Please help us to never take for granted what you have done for us even throughout eternity. We ask this in Jesus name.
