Have you even been invited to a Wedding? How about a Wedding Feast? If the Creator of the Universe sent you an invite, would you attend?
So, remember the last post I did concerning “What’s in a Parable?“, from Matthew 22, and I expounded on verse 7? Well, this is the study that I briefly mentioned in the beginning that is tied to the same passage. In this study I am going to tie into the beginning portion of the passage, so if you have not read it prior, feel free to go read it first, and come on back for this study.
(If you want, for your viewing enhancement, go to the bottom of the page, and play the music while reading)
So, let me begin by putting the passage up and going from there:
Matthew 22:1And יהושע responded and spoke to them again by parables and said,
2“The reign of the heavens is like a man, a sovereign, who made a wedding feast for his son,
3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast. But they would not come.
4“Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Say to those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle are slaughtered, and all is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’
5“But they disregarded it and went their way – this one to his field, that one to his trade.
6“And the rest, having seized his servants, insulted and killed them.
7“But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, and sent out his soldiers, destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast, indeed, is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast. But they would not come.
Since the time of John the Baptist and even Yeshua/Jesus Himself, it was Preached: “Repent, for the Kingdom is at hand”, and this was a coming fulfillment of the Prophets prior:
♦Matthew 3: 1And in those days Yoḥanan the Immerser came proclaiming in the wilderness of Yehuḏah,
2and saying, “Repent, for the reign of the heavens has come near!”
3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Yeshayahu, saying, “A voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of יהוה, make His paths straight.’ ”(ISR 98)
♦Matthew 4:17From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.(KJV)
This was and still is an invitation. An invitation to a wedding feast, an invitation back into the promised land/the garden, and an invitation with a fully restored relationship with our Creator.
However, just as is it is today, many did not want to come to the wedding feast, or accept the invite. Such as those to whom the parable was initially directed at, the House of Judah and Old Covenant Israel. I talk a bit more on this in “A Tale of Two Covenant’s“.
The Wedding invitation, was an invite to the New Covenant, and to 
become sons/daughters, and heirs with Messiah. To receive the Seed(Messiah) of Abraham by faith, and endure to the end, through the wilderness.
Gal 3:14in order that the blessing of Aḇraham might come upon the nations in Messiah יהושע, to receive the promise of the Spirit through belief.
15Brothers, as a man I say it: a covenant, even though it is man’s, yet if it is confirmed, no one sets it aside, or adds to it.
16But the promises were spoken to Aḇraham, and to his Seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Messiah.(ISR 98)
4“Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Say to those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle are slaughtered, and all is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’
As I believe was paralleled prior, there happened to be a wedding that the disciples, Yeshua, and the earthly mother of Yeshua, Mary, attended, on the Third Day. The Third Day is significant, because that is the day that Yeshua rose from the dead, as well as one of the signs of Jonah.
♦John 2:1And on the THIRD DAY THERE WAS A WEDDING in Qanah of Galil, and the mother of יהושע was there.
2And both יהושע and His taught ones were invited to the wedding.
3And when they were short of wine, the mother of יהושע said to Him, “They have no wine.”
4יהושע said to her, “Woman, what is that to Me and to you? MY HOUR HAS NOT YET COME.”(ISR 98)
♦John 2:19יהושע answered and said to them, “Destroy this Dwelling Place, and IN THREE DAYS I SHALL RAISE IT.”
20Then the Yehuḏim said, “It took forty-six years to build this Dwelling Place, and You are going to RAISE IT IN THREE DAYS?”
21But HE SPOKE ABOUT THE DWELLING PLACE OF HIS BODY.
22SO, WHEN HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, HIS TAUGHT ONES REMEMBERED THAT HE SAID THIS TO THEM. And they believed the Scripture and the word which יהושע had said.(ISR 98)
Now, I just want to pause here for a minute, or two. What is significant here about Him raising His Body, which was the true Temple, is the raising up living stones to build upon that Temple foundation. Also in correlation with that, the birthing of the Nation Isaac(Israel born from above) on Pentecost(Isa 66:8, Acts 2:1), bringing forth the rain, and as that rain poured out, it gave life to those dry bones.
♦Ezek 37: 3And He said to me, “Son of man, would these bones live?” And I said, “O Master יהוה, You know.”
4Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and you shall say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of יהוה!(YHWH)
5‘Thus said the Master יהוה to these bones, “SEE, I AM BRINGING INTO YOU A SPIRIT, AND YOU SHALL LIVE.
6“And I shall put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, and cover you with skin AND PUT A SPIRIT IN YOU, AND YOU SHALL LIVE. And you shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”
♦Hosea 6:1‘Come, and let us turn back to יהוה. For He has torn but He does heal us, He has stricken but He binds us up.
2‘After two days He shall revive us, ON THE THIRD DAY He shall raise us up, so that we live before Him.
3‘So let us know, let us pursue to know יהוה. His going forth is as certain as the morning. AND HE COMES TO US LIKE THE RAIN, And He comes to us like the rain, like the latter rain watering the earth.’
And this passage from Hosea: And He comes to us like the rain, like the latter rain watering the earth.’
Is also in direct correlation to Joel 2:23, which is quoted by Peter in Acts 2, bringing us the Teacher of Righteousness, who is: The Holy Spirit! And what did those who heard Peter speaking say just prior to cause Peter to speak to begin with? They said “they have been filled with sweet wine”, mocking them as they thought they were drunk(Acts 2:13-15).
So, as they would all soon see His hour come, and His blood poured out, they would receive the new wine, into new wineskins(Mat 9:17), as they all would soon be gathered together in the upper room on Pentecost. As that hour drew near, many were coming to celebrate the Feast of that hour…the Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread.
John 12: 20And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to WORSHIP AT THE FEAST: 21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23And Jesus answered them, saying, THE HOUR IS COME, THAT THE SON OF MAN SHOULD BE GLORIFIED. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (KJV)
As the time to His death approached, He gathered the 12 disciples to the Passover Feast, and shared a meal with them, and then soon after His blood was shed:
♦Matthew 26: 19And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
20Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
♦Matthew 26:26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28For this is my blood of the new testament(covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins.(KJV)
Much like what happened at the instituting of the first Covenant. (Which is why it is also mentioned in Hebrews 9:16-22). Something also interesting as well, is just as the 12 tribes were present for the first covenant, as well as surrounded the Temple in the wilderness, so also were the 12 disciples present for the second covenant, and surrounded the Living Temple.
Exodus 24: 4And Mosheh wrote down all the Words of יהוה, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve standing columns for the twelve tribes of Yisra’ĕl.
5And he sent young men of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and they offered burnt offerings and slaughtered peace slaughterings of bulls to יהוה.
6And Mosheh took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7And he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that יהוה has spoken we shall do, and obey.”
8And Mosheh took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “See, the blood of the covenant which יהוה has made with you concerning all these Words.”
9And Mosheh went up, also Aharon, Naḏaḇ, and Aḇihu, and seventy of the elders of Yisra’ĕl,
10and they saw the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, and under His feet like a paved work of sapphire stone, and like the heavens for brightness.
11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the chiefs of the children of Yisra’ĕl! AND THEY SAW ELOHIM, AND THEY ATE AND DRANK.(ISR 98)
As such, as we enter into Covenant with Him, we can also dine with Him, if we open the door to Him, and accept the invitation:
Rev 3:20“See, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I shall come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
(**This passage is also very special and relevant to me, as it was one of the passages Yeshua spoke to me when I opened the door to Him almost 13 years ago, and can read about it in my testimony)
The Wedding and the Kingdom, began, over 2,000 years ago, as Yeshua instituted the New Covenant. However, it is those that remain in covenant with Him, that will enter the Kingdom, as well as have a ‘preview’ of it while remaining here in the wilderness through His Spirit.
As, the Kingdom of God came in Spirit, and was the promise through the Seed, that was poured out like rain on Pentecost, 50 days after Yeshua rose from the dead. The Seed(Messiah) that grows within the new creation of a man, and is the pledge of our inheritance to be co-heirs with Him, and those who faithfully finish the race, will enter the promised land.
♦Mat 12:28“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of Elohim, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you.(ISR 98)
♦1 Cor 4:20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.(BSB)
What Power?
1 Cor 2:4My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (BSB)
The power of God’s Spirit, the down payment to receive our inheritance:
♦Romans 14:17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (BSB)
♦Ephesians 1:13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.(CSB)
7“But when the sovereign heard, he was wroth, and sent out his soldiers, destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast, indeed, is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
The House of Judah as a whole was not interested in a spiritual kingdom, or the invite that was offered, as they rejected it, and persecuted and killed both Yeshua, the disciples and all those who followed Him. They were invited, but were not worthy. And if you read prior in my other post, were utterly destroyed/ laid desolate in 70AD, as the city of Jerusalem was set ablaze through the wrath of the King.
Therefore, as their fate was sealed, the gospel of the Kingdom went forth to those who would hear, as Paul and the disciples preached to the Nations.
So, when Yeshua said “Do this in remembrance”, in the parallel account in Luke; I liken this to a Wedding Anniversary. When we come into Covenant with Messiah, and dine with Him, this is our agreement to Him saying : “All that you have spoken to me, I shall do”, “To have and behold, in sickness and in health”
A wedding anniversary is a time to remember our commitment to each other and what we have endured to get to where we are.
Marriages take a lot of work, and so does our Covenant with Messiah.
The Messiah was crucified for our transgressions, He paid the ultimate price for our redemption. There is no other that can pay your sin debt, and redeem you. He is our Passover Lamb, that was slain.
The invites were sent, will you accept?
Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen”
