“THE 41 PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST”
28 general parables and 13 kingdom of heaven parables
 Parable #19 –  “INVITATION TO A WEDDING”
READ Matthew 22:2-5,6-9,10-13,14
The 11^th of the 13 kingdom of heaven parables

BACKGROUND:
In 445BC, with one Bible week equating to seven years (a prophetic year being 360 days), God commanded that seventy weeks each of 7 years, would be determined upon Israel, that is … 70 weeks x 7 years = 490 years (Daniel 9:24-27).

This time frame is broken into four time periods of (a) 7 weeks + (b) 62 weeks + (c) the mystery church age of about 2,000 years + (d) 1 week = 70 weeks and is explained as follows:

#1. Seven weeks of years is 7 x 7 = 49 years … the time it takes to restore and build Jerusalem from 445BC to 396BC.
#2. Sixty two weeks of years is 62 x 7 = 434 years … the time from the building of Jerusalem in 396BC to Christ being cut off at the cross in 32AD.
#3. The church age of approximately 2,000 years
#4. One week of years is 1 x 7 = 7 years … this is the seven years of tribulation of God’s wrath upon the earth, that takes place after the rapture … called Daniel’s 70^th week.

 The following Timeline will help (not drawn to scale):

DANIEL 9:24-27

 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city … from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks … after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off … he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week …”

CHRIST’S REASONS FOR USING PARABLES = “parallels” … parallel stories

1. To illustrate a truth by something that is already familiar to the hearers.  To make known mysteries by comparing with things already known
2. They impart instruction and rebuke without causing offence (the poor man’s lamb 2 Samuel 12:1-4,5-7)
3. They reveal a truth in an interesting form, and create more interest and hunger for further information (Matthew 13:10-13,14-17)
4. The symbolism of the stories is always true and the points illustrated are not false or absurd
5. The historical background and the circumstances and occasion when uttered must be understood
6. Their words and details are to be defined literally not spiritually
7. The principles of interpretation are given by Jesus himself. and any interpretation at variance with these principles and with the purpose of the parable, is unscriptural and illegal.
8. Conceal a truth from the disinterested and the rebels at heart (Matthew 13:13)

“THE WEDDING INVITATION” Matthew 22:2-5,6-9,10-13,14
V1  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,   v2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,   v3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.    V4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.   V5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:    V6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.  V7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.   V8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.    V9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.    V10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.   V11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:    v12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.    V13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.   V14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
 

EXPLANATION:
the kingdom of heaven = Matthew chapters 5-7 … see above diagram

king = God the Father

his son = Jesus Christ

servants = prophets

other servants = more prophets

they made light of it, and went their ways = These are they … Pharisees, Sadducees, elders of Israel

the remnant … slew them = These are they that killed the prophets. Israel has always killed all her prophets (Matt 25:34-35).

king … sent forth his armies … destroyed those murderers = Throughout history, God has sent his armies against Israel. It comes as a surprise that Assyria and Babylon were called God’s armies even though God ended up destroying them.

Indeed, the Northern king Jehu killed the devilish Athaliah, who slew all the Southern godly line except for Joash, but he himself went to hell.

burned up their city = Jerusalem is burned by Rome around 70AD.

the wedding is ready = all arrangements had been made. All that was needed was the guests.

they which were bidden were not worthy = These are they of way side, stony and thorn grounds that rejected Christ, and had always murdered the prophets (Matthew 13:4-7)

gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good … the wedding was furnished with guests = these were a mixture of stony, thorny and good grounds, all except the way side Jews.  

the king came in to see the guests = God comes to inspect all those in attendance 

a man which had not on a wedding garment = This man was of the stony or thorny ground. He said on the behalf of others “Haven’t we cast out devils prophesied in thy name?”, but God said “Depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matt 7:21-22)

This man getting into the wedding was an impossibility, but it hypothetically outlines the case against the stony and thorny ground Jews wanting to get in, that no-one should even consider attempting to fool God with their deception (Heb 4:12).

for many are called, but few are chosen = all the four grounds are called to the wedding, but only the good ground is chosen. The rest are rejected.

CONCLUSION:

1. This kingdom of heaven phrase of “many are called but few are chosen”, has been wrongfully placed into the dispensation of the kingdom of God by Calvinists, to support their satanic T.U.L.I.P. doctrines.

2. Many are called in the kingdom of heaven … the way side, the stony, the thorny, the good ground Jews. Only the good ground Jews had the right garment … they continuously believed IN the Lord Jesus Christ while sacrificing animal blood for the remission of past sins … “Yes Lord, we believe you are fulfilling the law on our behalf!”

3. Under the kingdom of God dispensation, these are the pretend Christians … they look like the real deal … Mormons, JW’s, Catholics, SDA’s and often are the Penty’s getting filled and so on.

4. The ones with the right garment have had the heart surgery as follows

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” (Colossians 2:11)

We are reminded of the following scripture …
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

QUESTIONS:
1. Dear Reader have you been circumcised? Spiritually or just physically?
2. Have you believed ON the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31) or just IN him (John 3:16)?
3. Do you know the difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God dispensations?
4. Do you think God weighs you on a set of scales to get you into heaven?
5. Does your goodness equal that of the Lord Jesus Christ?
6. What are the entry requirements for heaven?
7. What do you have to do to get into hell?

“Dear God, help me!
I keep doing things that I don’t want to do.
It’s like there’s a criminal inside of me making me do things I hate doing!
I hate myself!
I’m a sinner!
It’s like I’m a schizophrenic … there’s two sides to me.
I want to do the right thing but I can’t!
I want to be good!
You have to set me free.
You said if I believe that Jesus died for my sins … you can save me.
It’s like I’m in this body of death.
I can’t help myself. Save me!”

 Harley Hitchcock
October 2023

www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com

 QUESTION: “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SAVED?”

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