Parable #41. Invitation to a Wedding Banquet (Kingdom of Heaven):

1. Today is Day #41
2. The Forty-first Mashal of Messiah
3. Marriage by Proxy: The Bridegroom of Israel
4. The Marriage that can Never Fail!
5. The Unilateral Plan of the Holy One
6. Seven explanations to prepare you for Circumcisions, Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings & Burials
7. The First Rejection of Adonai our God’s Invitation to His Wedding Banquet
8. Tensions escalate after the Second Rejection of Adonai Avinu’s Invitation
9. Three meanings of the varied responses
10. The Third Invitation went out to Everyone (Jew & Gentile)
11. Dress appropriately when you attend the Wedding Banquet of Adonai Eloheinu
12. Closing Remarks

Today is Day #41:

1. Today is “Day #41” in the forty-nine day Countdown to Shavuot.

2. Today is Forty-one days in the Omer.

Today is forty-one days, which are five weeks and six days in the Omer.

היום אחד וארבעים יום, שהם חמישה שבועות ושישה ימים בעומר. פ

Haiyom echad v-arba’im yom, shehaym chamishah shavuot veshishah yamim ba’omer.

“You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days.” (Leviticus). “You shall count for yourselves seven weeks, from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the Festival of Shavu’ot for Adonai Eloheinu.” (Deuteronomy).

“Blessed are You, Adonai Eloheinu, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.”

ברוך אתה, אדוני אלוהינו, מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על ספירת העומר.פ

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

The Forty-first Mashal of Messiah:

דּוֹמָה מַלְכוּת הַשָׁמַיִם לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה חֲתֻנָּה לִבְנוֹ׃ וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת־עֲבָדָיו לִקְרֹא הַקְּרוּאִים אֶל־הַחֲתֻנָּה וְלֹא אָבוּ לָבוֹא׃ וַיֹּסֶף שְׁלֹחַ עֲבָדִים אֲחֵרִים לֵאמֹר אִמְרוּ אֶל־הַקְּרוּאִים הִנֵּה עָרַכְתִּי אֶת־סְעוּדָתִי שְׁוָרַי וּמְרִיאַי טְבוּחִים וְהַכֹּל מוּכָן בֹּאוֹ אֶל־הַחֲתֻנָּה׃ וְהֵם לֹא־שָׁתוּ לִבָּם לָזֹאת וַיֵּלְכוּ לָהֶם זֶה אֶל־שָׂדֵהוּ וְזֶה אֶל־מִסְחָרוֹ׃ וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים תָּפְשׂוֹּ אֶת־עֲבָדָיו וַיִּתְעַלְּלוּ בָם וַיַּהַרְגוּם׃ וַיִּקְצֹף הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח צִבְאוֹתָיו וַיְאַבֵּד אֶת־הַמְרַצְּחִים הָהֵם וְאֶת־עִירָם שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ׃ אָז אָמַר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו הֵן הַחֲתֻנָּה מוּכָנָה וְהַקְּרוּאִים לֹא הָיוּ רְאוּיִם לָהּ׃ לָכֵן לְכוּ־נָא לְרָאשֵׁי הַדְּרָכִים וְכָל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצְאוּ קִרְאוּ אֶל־הַחֲתֻנָּה׃

דומה מלכות השמים למלך בשר ודם שעשה חתנה לבנו. שלח את עבדיו לקרא את המזמנים אל החתנה ולא רצו לבוא. הוסיף לשלח עבדים אחרים שיאמרו למזמנים, הנה ערכתי את סעודתי, השורים והבקר המפטם טבוחים והכל מוכן. בואו לחתנה. אך הם לא שמו לב והלכו להם זה אל שדהו וזה אל מסחרו; והנותרים תפסו את עבדיו, התעללו בהם והרגום. המלך נתמלא חמה; שלח את חיליו והשמיד את המרצחים ההם ושרף את עירם באש. אז אמר אל עבדיו, ‘הנה החתנה מוכנה, אך אלה שהזמנו לא היו ראויים. לכן לכו אל פרשות הדרכים וכל מי שתמצאו קראו אותו לחתנה. פ

[Mattai 22:2] The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king of flesh and blood who made a wedding celebration for his son. He sent his servants to summon those invited to the wedding celebration, but they did not want to come. He continued sending other servants, saying, “Say to those who are invited, ‘Look: I have prepared my feast. My oxen and fattened animals have been slaughtered. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding celebration.’” But they did not pay attention, and went their way—one to his field, another to his business—and the rest seized his servants, abused them, and killed them. The king became enraged, sent his soldiers, and destroyed those murderers and burned their city with fire. Then he said to his servants, “See, the wedding celebration is prepared, but the ones invited are not worthy of it. Now go to the road crossings and invite everyone you find to the wedding celebration.”

וַיֵּצְאוּ הָעֲבָדִים הָהֵם אֶל־הַדְּרָכִים וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת־כֹּל אֲשֶׁר מָצְאוּ גַּם־רָעִים גַּם־טוֹבִים וַיִּמָּלֵא בֵית־הַחֲתֻנָּה מְסֻבִּים׃ וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ לִרְאוֹת אֶת־הַמְסֻבִּים וַיַּרְא בָּהֶם אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ לָבוּשׁ בִּגְדֵי חֲתֻנָּה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו רֵעִי אֵיךְ בָּאתָ הֵנָּה וְאֵין עָלֶיךָ בִּגְדֵי חֲתֻנָּה וַיֵּאָלַם׃ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַמְשָׁרֲתִים אִסְרוּ יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו וּנְשָׂאתֶם וְהִשְׁלַכְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ אֶל־הַחשֶׁךְ הַחִיצוֹן שָׁם תִּהְיֶה הַיְלָלָה וַחֲרֹק הַשִׁנָּיִם׃ כִּי רַבִּים הֵם הַקְּרוּאִים וּמְעַטִּים הַנִּבְחָרִים׃

יצאו העבדים ההם אל הדרכים ואספו את כל מי שמצאו, גם רעים וגם טובים, ונתמלא אולם החתנה מסבים. כשבא המלך לראות את המסבים ראה שם איש שאיננו לבוש בגדי חתנה. אמר אליו, חבר, איך באת לכאן בלי בגדי חתנה? הלה החריש. אמר המלך למשרתים, קשרו את ידיו ורגליו והשליכוהו אל החשך החיצון; שם יהיו היללה וחרוק השנים. הן רבים הקרואים ומעטים הנבחרים. פ

[Mattai 22:10] Those servants went out to the roads and gathered in everyone they found, both bad and good, and the wedding house was filled with dinner guests. When the king came to see the dinner guests, he saw a man among them that was not dressed in wedding clothes (formal dress code). He said to him, “My friend, why did you come here without wedding clothes?” (proper attire) He was silent. Then the king said to his attendants, “Tie his hands and feet together, and take him out and throw him into the outer darkness; there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”  For there are many who are invited (called), but few are chosen (accept the call).

Marriage by Proxy: The Bridegroom of Israel:

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.”

Adonai Elohei Yisra’el has as His proxy the High Priest of Israel. This is why each High Priest of Israel was assigned the honorific title of the Bridegroom of Israel. Therefore, the High Priest Aaron (the Light-bringer) was dispatched by the Spirit to act – in all matters pertaining to the marriage of Adonai Eloheinu to His people (AmYisra’el) – as the His (God’s) proxy.

Going forward some fourteen hundred years: when Messiah entered the scene he became the new Eternal High Priest of *Israel. Under the new order of Malki-Tzedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק), the King of Righteousness, the Messiah was responsible for establishing a new marital agreement (cf. Jeremiah 31:31; Psalm 110) that would eternally succeed where the old marital agreement had failed.

Unlike the old (failed) marital agreement the new marital agreement does not depend on our (Israel’s) righteousness. The new marital agreement will never fail because it depends solely on the perfect righteousness (virtue) of the Spirit of Adonai and M’shicho (His Messiah).

*And of all of the nations, people, and families of the earth.

As Adonai our God’s permanent new Proxy (Bridegroom; Great High Priest) the Messiah explained to our people (Israel) that after the old failed-marriage between Adonai and Israel (due to our infidelity; not His) and the old failed-priestly order of Aaron (the priests repeatedly sinned against the Holy One), Adonai wanted to remarry His bride a second time but not according to the same failed agreement (cf. the prophet whose name means Salvation; Hoshea-הוֹשֵׁ֙עַ֙).

The Marriage that can Never Fail!

The Holy One of Israel refused to do a ‘retry’ on Israel’s perfectly living up to saving herself by perfectly obeying all of His Torah (the first marital agreement). Rather, Adonai Elohei Yisra’el wanted to remarry (His bride) Israel under the Chuppah of His own righteous works. Therefore, the Holy One sent the Messiah into the world armed with a second marital agreement (Jeremiah 31:31):

הנה ימים באים נאם־ה’ וכרתי את־בית ישראל ואת־בית יהודה ברית חדשה׃

הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־ה’ וְכָרַתִּי אֶת־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־בֵּית יְהוּדָה בְּרִית חֲדָשָֽׁה׃

“The days are coming,’ declares Adonai, ‘when I will make a Brit HaChadashah (בְּרִית חֲדָשָֽׁה-New Covenant) with the people (lit. house) of Israel and with the people of Judah.”

The Anointed One (the Messiah) is the only one  who has ever been born out of eternity into creation. Adonai Elohei Yisra’el sent His only Son (M’shicho) born out of eternity into the world so that one day He (God) could provide a means to exodus His beloved bride (*redeemed humanity) out of this temporary creation into eternity; into the new heaven and new earth provided for His Bride.

*Israel and the (near future) Commonwealth of Israel.

The Unilateral Plan of the Holy One:

The unilateral plan of the Holy One is for His bride Israel to become dependent upon the redemptive ministry of His Son, His beloved Suffering Messiah ben Yosef. Once the *redemption of Israel is complete the Father will give to His Bride the Gift of the Indwelling Presence of His own (omnipresent) Spirit to perfect His Bride. Then we would be perfected in righteousness from the Inside-out by the steadfast, gracious, perfect works of His own Spirit; the works of the Spirit of Grace (Ruach Ha-Chesed) and the Spirit of Truth (Ruach Ha-Emet). The perfection of Israel being complete on the day of the return of Messiah and the resurrection of the righteous.

*Messiah has already atoned for all of our (Israel’s) sins. All that we need do is—-believe on the one who our heavenly Father has sent to us.

In this Way (HaDerekh), Adonai (the LORD) could ‘fix’ His own marriage without having to wait for His estranged bride (Israel) to ‘earn’ the right to be remarried; which Adonai knew full-well from experience was never going to happen. Therefore, Adonai our Father and our God is saying to every Jewish man, woman, and child:

“I want to marry you again (as a nation and a people) but I don’t want to marry you under the same old failed-agreement we had before. I want to re-marry you under a new agreement—-My HaBrit HaChadashah that will never-fail.”

So here we are today: “Haiyom echad v-arba’im yom, shehaym chamishah shavuot veshishah yamim ba’omer.” Today is forty-one days, which are five weeks and six days in the Omer. On day one after the Ascension of Messiah we must get our act together. For in just ten days we shall be celebrating Shavuot. In Ten days the eternal fire of heaven shall come down from the throne of Avinu Shebashamayim to rest over His Jewish people in Israel.

Like torches lifted up above our heads, tongues of fire, the fiery Presence of Adonai our God has come to rest over us (Israel).

Those of us born since 1948 are the New Generation that will receive the gift of Abba Avinu (Father our Father) into our Jewish hearts and souls. [Symbolically, prophetically:] There are just 10 days left to believe in the Messiah.

Now we (modern Israel) must choose to walk down The Way of Righteousness under a New Covenant that leads to the House of [God’s] Praise (Yehudah)). Now before the healing Hands of the Spirit of Grace (Ruach Ha-Chesed) we shall have the scales fall off of our eyes and receive the glorious light of our salvation. This shall happen when we – the nation and people of modern Israel – receive the gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Holiness who is our Living Torah—the true Oral Torah of the Spirit that is even more precious than the Written Torah. Old Israel has passed away and the new Israel has come; therefore, let it now be said:

We are the new Israel – the Israel of the “second chance.”

We have ten days to set right what has been wrong for 1,990 runs of our annual tradition of the Counting of the Omer. It is finally time to try the New Agreement of Avinu Shebashamayim.

Insanity truly is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting that there will be a different result. It is time that we (Israel) try something “new” and see if we don’t get a different—-much better result. The New Covenant that will never fail is the Brit HaChadashah that is mediated by the Messiah of Adonai Eloheinu. Therefore the new covenant is not like the old covenant that was mediated by angels. M’shicho (God’s Messiah) is the Malki-Tzedek, the King of Righteousness, our King and Great High Priest (HaKohen HaGadol) forever. For it is written (Psalm 110:4):

נשבע ה’ ולא ינחם אתה־כהן לעולם על־דברתי מלכי־צדק׃

נִשְׁבַּע ה’ וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵן לְעֹולָם עַל־דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי־צֶֽדֶק׃

“Adonai (GOD) has sworn and will not change His mind,
‘You are a priest forever,
According to the order of Malki-Tzedek.’”

Seven explanations to prepare you for Circumcisions, Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings and Burials:

Explanation #1.  A chuppah (literally, “canopy” or “covering”) is a canopy under which a couple stand during their wedding ceremony. The canopy consists of a Tallit (sometimes a cloth or sheet) stretched out and supported over four poles, or sometimes manually held up by four attendants to the ceremony. A chuppah symbolizes the home that the couple will build together. The chuppah refers to the method by which nessuin, the second stage of a marriage, is accomplished. According to some opinions, it is accomplished by the couple standing under the canopy.

Explanation #2.  The Tallit is a symbol, a garment, shroud, canopy, cloak, a prayer shawl which envelops the Yehudi (lit. the one who lifts up his hands to Adonai) both physically and spiritually, in praise and prayer, in joy and sorrow.

The Tallit is a special sacred garment that can be used for an entire lifetime and never be discarded.

Most Jewish men own very few Tallitot in their lifetimes. When a man dies it is traditional that he be buried dressed only in his Kittel with his Talllit draped over him; as was done with Messiah in his death. However, after his resurrection the Messiah chose for the reasons stated above to wear new clothes:

A New Tallit (טָלֵית),
A New Kittel (קיטל) and
A New Tzitzit (ציצית).

There is an old Jewish saying that says well what Adonai our God is teaching us here through His Messiah:

“In an Old Tallit you get buried in. And in a New Tallit you get married in.”

Explanation #3.  Anyone attending an orthodox synagogue today will see the men wearing prayer shawls at all the major Jewish occasions: circumcisions, bar mitzvahs, weddings and burials.

Explanation #4. In the weddings some rabbis will wrap together the bride and groom by a single Tallit and offer a personal, private blessing including the priestly blessings for the couple. In Jewish numerology the Tallit represents the number thirty-two which is the number of fringes on the Tallit shawl. The number thirty-two is the numerical value for “Heart” in Hebrew. These spiritual meanings signify that the husband and the wife, the two, are wrapped in one heart.

The Heart is a symbol of the Living Torah of the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, in regard to Adonai Eloheinu (the LORD our God) and His bride (Israel) the New Tallit speaks of our receiving a New Heart (Lev Chadash-לֵב חָדָשׁ) so that we might become perfectly one (אֶחָד-echad) with Adonai, who is our eternal Husband (אִישִׁי-Ishi).

Explanation #5.  The Tallit protects the scrolls of the Torah when they are moved.

Explanation #6.  The Tallit inspired the flag of Israel. The flag of Israel is an unfurled prayer shawl with the Shield of David added.

Explanation #7.  Again our dead are wrapped in the Tallit when we are buried. After a ritual washing of the body, the body is dressed in a Kittel and Tachrichim (shrouds and dressing) and then a Tallit. One of the four Tzitzit wings (special blue tassels) that is part of the Tallit (its prayer shawl) is then cut off. This act of cutting off one of the four wings of the Tzitzit demonstrates that the person is no longer bound under the Law (the religious obligations of the living).

So if in Messiah we die (with him) then under the Law we are no longer bound to the old agreement but we are free to pursue a new life, a newness of the Spirit (בְּחַדְשׁוּת הָרוּחַ), under a new agreement with Adonai our Father and our God. This new agreement involves the Decree of Grace (Chesed). It is a very different agreement than the Old Agreement that became a Decree of Death to us (and temporarily to our relationship with Adonai; cf. the “Messiah in Purim;” specifically the two Decrees; the first decree was the Decree of Death and the second decree that followed was the Decree of Life).

The First Rejection of Adonai our God’s Invitation to His Wedding Banquet:

“And he sent out his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.”

One of the primary objectives of the mashal of the “Invitation to a Wedding Banquet” is to show the Yehudim of the modern era (new, modern Israel) that there have been serious (adverse) historical consequences due to the unbelief of our ancestors (old Israel); especially the unbelief of the self-righteous (Separated Ones) Prushim – the Elder Brother of the first and second century CE) – who are the originators of the (old) ultra-orthodox rabbinical movement that has for so long rejected the Anointed One (Ha-Mashiach)—-who was sent to us (Israel) by Avinu Shebashamayim.

Fortunately today, in spite of (old) Israel’s past sin of rejecting His Messiah, our heavenly Father once again is mercifully inviting the natural citizens of His Kingdom (modern Israel) to attend His Feast of the Great Banquet of Redemption and Reconciliation (cf. Mashal of Messiah #28).

Unfortunately, most of our people – the citizens of modern Israel – have yet to accept His (God’s) kind and generous invitation.

The Kingdom of heaven has come in the very personal form of the Messiah, who is the only begotten Beloved Son of Adonai Elohim. Messiah was, is, and always will be the Promised One (Hu Haba’, lit. the ‘coming one’). Ha-Mashiach is the one who Rabbeinu Moses promised us would one day be sent into the world to save our souls and restore Israel to all of the promises that Adonai Avinu made to our fathers.

We believing Jews now know through many convincing miracles and the writings of the prophets that Ha-Mashiach Yeshua is the one who God has Blessed Forever (Ha-Elohim Hamvorakh L’Olam Va’ed). In this regard the following seven truths apply to every man, woman, and child who is a Yehudi:

Truth #1.  Through the redemptive ministry of the Holy One the Atonement of Israel has already been accomplished.
Truth #2.  The work of redemption is done.
Truth #3.  The Banquet of Redemption & Reconciliation between Adonai and His people Israel is ready.
Truth #4.  All Israel is invited to eat bread in the kingdom of heaven.
Truth #5.  Yet a majority of the chosen people (modern Israel) of Adonai have yet to respond affirmatively to this invitation.
Truth #6.  Since the first appearance of the Messiah, past generations of (old) Israel refused to attend the Banquet of Redemption & Reconciliation.
Truth #7.  These past generations of (old) Israel may not proceed to the Wedding Banquet in the future kingdom of Adonai.
Truth #8.  Now there should be no more delay. Today’s generation of (new) Israel must choose to attend the Banquet of Redemption & Reconciliation.
Truth #9.  Today’s generation is the new generation of modern Israel that will choose to attend the Wedding Banquet of the messianic kingdom.
Truth #10.  Therefore, there must be no more delay. Attend the Banquet of Redemption & Reconciliation now and you (modern Israel) will attend the Wedding Banquet in the messianic kingdom (soon to come).

Invitation to these Feasts of Adonai Eloheinu are a “summons” for today’s generation of Israel; non-attendance is a personal insult to God! 

The (natural) children of Adonai (modern Israel) can refuse to attend. The ultra-orthodox, practicing religious Yehudim of the first and second centuries CE) were invited first. Most were just indifferent and ignored the call. Others invented excuses; some polite and some not so polite. The old religious leaders of the past have chosen to ignore the call of Adonai. Our ancestors who were of the old Israel chose not to attend. Nearly all of the first tier invitees – the religious Jews of the past – refused the generous invitation of our Father in heaven.

The Elder Brother of Rabbinic Judaism – the Rich Man who was not Rich in Adonai – was invited first.

The Eldest brother in the Mishnaic period was the scribes and the Prushim (and the Tannaim sages) who were alive during the time of the Messiah’s (kingdom of heaven) teaching. Later, at the behest of the Elder brother (who was in Sheol), all five of his living younger brothers were invited to both the Banquet of Redemption & Reconciliation (now) and the Wedding Banquet (*later) in the generations and eras of the present kingdom of heaven.

*The Marriage Supper of the Lamb in the Kingdom of Adonai is still ‘yet to come.’

The Elder brother’s five younger brothers are the five generations of the *Tannaim (תנאים). This period of time of the five generations of the Tannaim is referred to as being part of the Mishnaic period. Tragically, it was in this era of time – the time of the Elder brother and his Five Brothers – that (old) Israel’s rabbinic sages officially ”rejected” the real Messiah ben Yosef ben David; who was sent to us by the LORD our God (approximately 30-220 CE).

*The root tanna (תנא) is the Talmudic Aramaic equivalent for the Hebrew root shanah (שנה), which also is the root-word of Mishnah. The verb shanah (שנה) literally means to repeat (what one was taught) and is used to mean “”to teach” and “to learn.” These religious rulers from the (old) Israel who rejected the Messiah of GOD and replaced him with themselves were false teachers. Therefore it is written:

“These men paid no attention (to God) and went their (own) way. The rest seized His servants and mistreated them and killed them.”

“Again he sent out other servants saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, ‘Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.”

Tensions escalate after the Second Rejection to Adonai Avinu’s Invitation:

As the Messiah drew near to the time of his sacrifice, as our Korban Pesach – the one who is the Lamb of Adonai who takes away the sin of the world – his Message became more and more directed at his rebellious Jewish brethren—the religious and political leaders of the Roman occupied nation of (old) Israel.

At this time the Messiah was focusing much of his attention on the three (false) shepherds (שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת הָרֹעִ֖ים), on the three largest and most powerful Jewish sects: the Herodians, Tzedukim (Sadducees), and Prushim (Pharisees):

False Shepherd #1.  As you recall the Herodians were royalists who were devoted supporters of the Herod dynasty (descendants of Esau who were ruling over Israel).

False Shepherd #2.  The Tzedukim (צְדוּקִים-Sadducees) were the liberal priestly class. They were not interested in believing in much of anything that was supernatural. The Tzedukim were the servants of the Temple, however, oddly enough they questioned the miraculous. For instance they opposed the Prushim’s belief in the resurrection of the dead.

False Shepherd #3.  The Prushim usually were politically opposed to the Herodians. Understandably, they did not approve of Rome entrusting the rule of the people of Israel to someone who was not a Jew in the royal ancestral line of King David (the ruler Herod Antipas was not descended from King David; and his ancestry was most likely Idumean; not Jewish). And they were opposed to the Tzedukim’s lack of belief in the supernatural; especially their refusal to believe in the miracle of the resurrection of the righteous.

The three political and religious factions of (old) Israel hated each other. However, these 3 False Shepherds hated the Messiah even more.

These three Jewish factions didn’t agree much about anything. The fact is these three political and religious factions hated each other. However, there was one thing that they did agree on: They hated the Messiah more.

The Messiah addresses all three of these divergent sects in the mashal of the ‘Invitation to a Wedding Banquet’ and he addresses the multitude of old Israel as well. As stated previously, the King (Elah Shemaiya) in this mashal had made plans for a wedding banquet for His Son. His servants were sent out to invite the guests but the invited guests were unwilling to come. This royal invitation refers to Abba Avinu’s offering of His kingdom of heaven to His children (Israel) through their/our acceptance of His Messiah – as His (God’s) assigned ruler over Israel and all of the gentile nations, peoples, and families of the world.

Three meanings of the varied responses:

Meaning #1.  The Wedding Feast is called the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” There are two such feast (one in heaven; and one on earth). The Marriage Supper of the Lamb that occurs on earth occurs during the Golden Age of the full restoration of Israel. This has not occurred as of yet because of the successive rabbinates of Israel repeatedly rejecting the Invitation (Call of the Spirit) of Adonai our Father.

Further efforts with (old) Israel have been put forth by the Spirit of the Holy One countless numbers of times to renew the royal invitation but always with the same negative response by the people of Israel.

Meaning #2.  The natural guests (the people of old Israel) have been unconcerned and non-responsive to the past invitations by God to His Banquet of Redemption & Reconciliation and His (Re-engagement) Wedding Banquet. Our Jewish ancestors (God’s elect people) went about their business as if they hadn’t received invitations at all; to either one of these Divinely appointed banquets.

In addition to this indifference, some of the first tier Jewish invitees of the first two centuries (CE) reacted with violence, even mistreating and killing the servants (the first Jewish followers of Messiah) that bore witness to him.

Meaning #3.  So the enraged King, Adonai Elohim (the LORD God), has (up until recently) responded in kind. The Adonai of Hosts (Adonai Tseva’ot) sent his army and destroyed those murderers (our ancestors) and burned their (our) *city.

*The old Jerusalem.

The Messiah had in mind here the terrible effect of our nation’s rejection of him.

Adonai Eloheinu had made plans for His Son’s messianic kingdom reign and His (the Father’s) invitation had been graciously extended. But the preaching of Yochanan the prophet, the Messiah, and his shlichim (Jewish sent ones, emissaries) was largely ignored.

Old Israel”s elite religious and political leaders even killed many of their own Jewish brothers who had extended the Divine invitation to them. Consequently, Adonai our God allowed the Roman legion to come into Jerusalem and destroy the temple in *70 C.E.

*Since that time, almost two millennia ago, it is a gross understatement to simply say that things have been a mess!

The Third Invitation went out to Everyone (Jew & Gentile):

Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.”

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.”

The wedding banquet was prepared. However, the wedding banquet was still without an adequate number of guests. So the King commanded his servants to invite anyone they could. Since those who were already invited had twice rejected the invitation (old Israel), opportunity to attend was given to a broader group:

The invitation was then extended to a much larger population of invitees.

This third invitation was now extended to everyone: both good (observant Jews) and bad (non-observant Jews) and the pagan Gentiles; and once invited (called), many more of the Gentiles than the “elect” (the chosen ones, Yehudim) had affirmatively responded to the call (invitation).

Nevertheless, adequate preparation was still required of these guests who accepted the invitation.Therefore, all of the dinner guests (Goyim as well as Yehudim) were required to attend clothed in appropriate formal attire…

So now do you remember what was said earlier? First hint: after his resurrection the Messiah chose for the reasons stated above to wear new clothes:

A New Tallit (טָלֵית),
A New Kittel (קיטל) and
A New Tzitzit (ציצית).

Second hint: “In an Old Tallit you get buried in. And in a New Tallit you get married in.”

Dress appropriately when you attend the Wedding Banquet of Adonai Eloheinu:

“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

As the wedding feast was progressing the King saw one of his guests without a proper *wedding garment.

These garments were supplied by the King and any guest not wearing the wedding garment was violating the King’s order. Such bad behavior was a personal insult to the King (Adonai Elohim), His Son (the proxy), His Bride, and all of the other guests who were honored to attend the Wedding. Therefore, we discover here that a person must be rightly related to Adonai Eloheinu, Melech Ha-Olam (King of the universe), by wearing the righteousness that He has provided for us through His redemptive and perfecting *works that He (God) has accomplished through His (God’s) sinless Messiah.

*New Tallit, Kittel and Tzitzit.

We must all wear to the banquet the righteousness that Adonai has provided through the redemptive works of His Messiah.

So when one is a disobedient and disrespectful guest who refuses the new righteousness that the King provides, then he will be confronted about his lack of attempting to enter the wedding without the proper wedding garment (provided by the King).

Therefore, the King will give orders to bind him (the *disobedient one) hand and foot and cast him out. The Messiah Yeshua added the comment: “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

*The false teachers, who seek to enter the kingdom of heaven and the the kingdom of God through their own dead religion and dead works; these disobedient ones are the ones who are NOT entering robed in the (real) righteousness of God that comes by exercising (true) faith in the redemptive works of His Messiah and by receiving His gift of the Indwelling Presence of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One Who provides us with the new wedding Tallit that we – the new (modern) Israel – are required to be married in  (1, 2). Therefore it is a true saying:

“There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The lessons of this mashal are clear. First, the King had issued a gracious invitation. The insulting response was rejection of the invitation by those who would normally be considered his friends and allies, the religious leaders of the first and second centuries (CE)—old Israel. Second, the rejection of the religious leaders also led to the rejection of the invitation by the multitude; for only a small remnant of Israel has ever accepted the call.

The hateful rejection of the first and second centuries (CE) priests and rabbis toward the servants of Adonai even escalated into violence. This unilateral escalation of hostility toward the servants of the King led to the King (Adonai Elohei Yisra’el ) acting in kind; the King reciprocally responded in a violent  manner toward our old religious leaders.

Our greatly angered (and frustrated) King – the LORD our God – had no choice. He had to extend His invitation to a population of people who were really distant strangers to Him. Now the King had to extend His invitation to all who would come; to both the good (observant Jews) and bad (secular, non-observant Jews) and even the pagan Gentiles.

So when the religious leaders eventually convinced the multitude to follow them and reject the Messiah the gift of the the Divine Redemption and the gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit was extended to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. There were three distinct invitations.

The first invitation was the preaching ministry of the Prophet Yochanan ben Zechariah and of the Messiah Yeshua, which constituted an invitation for the hearers to come.

The second invitation was actually a forty year extension of the original invitation, which was delivered by the first Jewish disciples of the Messiah; yet again, the people rejected this invitation too. This resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. This second invitation is a multiple-fulfilling prophecy. It is an invitation of the second chance (1, 2, 3) that is extended to Israel as an elect nation and people. This invitation is now being extended to the Modern Nation and People of Israel).

The third invitation refers to the existing period of over 1,984 years; where a much broader group of persons have been invited. The kingdom of heaven has now been expanded to include persons from all races and backgrounds (many are invited), but in spite of this inclusion of the believing Gentiles there still exists an election (few are chosen) of the Jewish people. As the Voice of Adonai (the Messiah) has declared:

“Many are called (universal invitations) but few are chosen (Israel’s elect/chosen invitation).”

Our people and nation of Israel, therefore, are treated differently than the Gentile nations and peoples. We are chosen (elected) by God both as a nation as a people. Although we are very small in number in comparison to the Gentiles, we Yehudim (Jews) are now and forever the elect people of Adonai (all of us). The God fearing Gentiles are called individually; not as an elect people and as an elect nation. However, although Israel is elect and God is faithful to us what happens if we are unfaithful to Him? If we decline or just ignore God’s gracious offer of salvation—then our failure to accept can nullify His special calling upon us.

Like Esau we (Jews) can (*temporarily) “despise” our birthright.

*Israel has delayed the coming of our Messiah and our national salvation; however, it is our destiny to one day believe in him both as a nation and as a people (as one man).

This means a positive response is required of us corporately (as a nation); as well as individually! The good news is that it is our (Israel’s) national destiny to believe on the Messiah who Adonai our Father has sent to us. Then shall all our nation and people of Israel be saved. We are the chosen people of Adonai our Father and until we as individuals and as a corporate nation (as one man) accept our Father’s invitation to the Wedding Banquet of His Son (His Proxy), His Messiah, there will be no return of the Messiah; or Marriage Supper of the Lamb; or restoration of Israel; or Golden Age of Israel; or International Commonwealth of Israel celebrated here on earth.

Closing Remarks:

The last three meshalim go together as a unit. The first mashal (#39) in the series condemns the first century religious leaders (and their successors) for not heeding the message of the Prophet of the “Remembrance of the Grace of Adonai” (Yochanan ben Zechariah). In the second mashal (#40) the Messiah Yeshua compares the Israeli religious authorities to wicked vinedressers who kill the son of the owner of the vineyard, pretend the vineyard has been abandoned, and thereafter legally steal the vineyard. In this way the wicked vinedressers are able to shrewdly gain possession of the vineyard through their numerous acts of violence and deceit. The final mashal (#41) of this trilogy—our narrative  here—is the mashal of the wedding celebration. This parable is an additional “second-chance” invitation by Adonai to Modern Israel’s religious and political leaders and citizens to accept His invitation to the Wedding Banquet of His Son, the Banquet of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, that will occur in two phases: first in heaven (phase one); and then on earth in the messianic Kingdom of Adonai (phase two). Therefore, the people of this new generation of Israel is called upon to:

Calling #1.  Return to Adonai (do Teshuvah).
Calling #2.  Acknowledge the Messiah, Adonai Elohim’s Beloved Son.
Calling #3.  Receive the Gift of the Father, the Indwelling Presence of  the Holy Spirit.
Calling #4.  Plan on attending His Wedding Banquet in the golden age of Israel to come.

So what was the response of the elite first century (CE) Jewish religious leaders (and their successors) to their elect invitations to attend Adonai Eloheinu’s Wedding Banquet?

Instead of repentance, redemption, and the reception of the Gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Holy One our religious leaders trumped-up some fake charges against the Messiah, so they could kill him and thereby gain control over all the religious and political institutions of our nation and our people.

Knowing their wicked scheme, however, our Rabbi from Heaven skillfully answered each one of their leading questions and then followed up with a question of his own, concerning the identity of the Son of David (cf. Psalm 110:1):

NEXT, PARABLE #42, SIGNS OF THE FUTURE FROM A FIG TREE…

Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 62 >>