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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 32 - Wedding Feast
Luke 12:36-37
36 And [kai] ye yourselves [humeis] like [homoios] unto men [anthropos] that wait [prosdechomai] for their [heautou] lord [kurios] , when [pote] he will return [analuo] from [ek] the wedding [gamos] ; that [hina] when he cometh [erchomai] and [kai] knocketh [krouo] , they may open [anoigo] unto him [autos] immediately [eutheos] .
37 Blessed [makarios] are those [ekeinos] servants [doulos] , whom [hos] the lord [kurios] when he cometh [erchomai] shall find [heurisko] watching [gregoreuo] : verily [amen] I say [lego] unto you [humin] , that [hoti] he shall gird himself [perizonnumi] , and [kai] make [anaklino] them [autos] to sit down to meat [anaklino] , and [kai] will come forth [parerchomai] and serve [diakoneo] them [autos] . KJV-Interlinear
36 'And be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37 'Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. NASB
Here Christ eludes to a wedding feast to where the Master has gone off to, and will return from at some time in the future, but He will return, and when He returns, He will return unannounced. So be ready all of the time just in case the Master returns when you are on duty. The Master is of course Jesus Christ, and we believers, are the servants who are to be loyal and faithful in all of His commands.
That said, we need to review the principle of dispensations. Dispensations is the term given for the division of time in history. We are currently in the dispensation of the Church Age. Sometimes we call our era, the Age of the Royal Family, or the Age of the Bride of Christ. All these terms refer to our dispensation.
Our dispensation began at the first Pentecost Feast which followed the Cross. The Cross occurred at the Passover Feast in the Spring of 30 AD. The exact year of the Cross is sometimes debated, but the most accepted date is 30 AD. So we'll go with that date for this study.
When our dispensation began, the Age of Israel was the dispensation in view. It was interrupted. As Daniel documented in his book, there were given 70 weeks of years for the remaining time in the Age of Israel. That comes to 490 years, and then Christ would return, at the Second Advent. The First Advent was for the purpose of going to the Cross.
After 483 years according to Daniel's prophetic timeline, their dispensation was interrupted, and our current dispensation began. We have been in our dispensation of the Church Age for 1974 years so far (2004 - 30).
Our dispensation will conclude with the Rapture when all believers on the face of the earth will be taken off of the earth, leaving only unbelievers and then the seven years remaining in the Age of Israel will resume to its conclusion. That seven year period is called the Tribulation. It will be the most horrible time ever in human history. We are currently studying this period in our study in Revelation 16. We have only been side tracked a little for the study of the Parables - our current study.
When Jesus was speaking of this parable, the Age of Israel was still in existence, He mentioned that the Master (referring to Himself) was away at the wedding feast. The Old Testament when it speaks of prophecy always refers to the Age of Israel, or the dispensations pertinent to the Old Testament times. The Church Age was kept secret, and never revealed, until the ministry of Christ, and even then He only made reference to the Church Age indirectly.
This parable is referring to Age of Israel believers, and specifically believers who will be alive in the Tribulation. Yes, there is a broader application of this waiting and loyalty and preparation principle to all of us, but Jesus is using events that will occur for Age of Israel people.
When Jesus went to the Cross and then afterwards ascended into heaven, then there He was be seated at the right hand of the Father and there awaits the next event which will be the Rapture. When that occurs all Church Age believers will be taken from this earth and into heaven. There we will remain while the seven year Tribulation period comes to its completion on earth.
In heaven immediately following the Rapture, we will be individually evaluated, standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Following the Judgment Seat of Christ we will celebrate the wedding feast in heaven which is symbolic for the marriage between the Royal Family, to Christ.
This is where the Lord is during the Tribulation.
For all of us now and prior to our current day in history, Christ is away in heaven sitting on His throne and preparing a place for us - that is, He is bringing history to its conclusion.
While Christ is away (not present in the flesh with us) then we are to wait, be alert, and have all preparations for His return constantly ready, because we do not know the day, or the hour, or the moment of His return.
Why is it well worth our while to be prepared and alert? Because it is stated by Jesus Christ Himself right here. We will be honored guests at His table, and He will serve and wait hand and foot, on us. Just as in like manner a slave is to wait on his master hand and foot and provide his hearts every desire (nothing naughty here), so then Christ (the Son of God) will serve us. And not for just the one meal, but for all of eternity. That statement is extremely and phenomenally vast in its implications if you begin to think about it. So now when we say that your potential blessings in heaven are infinite, then this is just the beginning of the concept.
They are potential, because you may not prepare yourself. You may not keep yourself alert. You may, as it were, drift off to sleep because Christ is not showing up on your watch (in your life time). But He always appears at the end of your life, at the moment of your death (face to face with the Lord). You just don't know when that moment will be.
Preparation is the daily study of the Word of God. Alertness is your steadfast residence in fellowship (you examine yourself daily, constantly in order to keep yourself there). Having everything ready is to apply Gods Word to your daily life. These three things together bring you spiritual growth to maturity. And that makes you a winner in life for all of eternity.
You might not be a winner in this life. You might not be beautiful, muscular, brilliant, witty or what have you. But with spiritual savvy, you will become a winner for all of eternity, and that is the one which you should really want more than anything. That victory is the one that will count forever.
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