“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” Matthew 22:2
People in Bible times loved banquets and feasts much like we do today. They celebrated birthdays, marriages, and even the end of sheep shearing. The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary provides these details: “For larger banquets a second invitation was sent the day of the feast. The host provided robes for the guests, and they welcomed the guests with a kiss and the washing of their feet. The heads of the guests were anointed. They were seated according to importance. Then they washed their hands and said a proper prayer. The most honored guests received a larger meal than the rest. Often music or singing and dancing was also provided.”
Jesus told a parable of a banquet in Matthew 22. He said the kingdom of heaven is like a wedding banquet a king prepared for his son. At first he invited the proper guests, but they refused to come. So the king told his servants to go out into the streets and invite the strangers to enjoy his banquet. Finally, the banquet hall was filled. In this parable the King is our Father in heaven. The son is Jesus Christ. Those first invited were the Jews, who rejected his offer, so the invitation was given to the Gentiles.
We thank God for offering us a place at his banquet table. There we will have a great feast that will last forever. Revelation 19:9 puts it this way: “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’”
From the book “Precious Words of the Bible” by Reynold R. Kremer