The Messianic Banquet
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Introduction
Introduction
Isaiah 25:1-12.
1 Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you. I will praise your name,
for you have accomplished wonders,
plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.
2 For you have turned the city into a pile of rocks,
a fortified city, into ruins;
the fortress of barbarians is no longer a city;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore, a strong people will honor you.
The cities of violent nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a stronghold for the poor person,
a stronghold for the needy in his distress,
a refuge from storms and a shade from heat.
When the breath of the violent
is like a storm against a wall,
5 like heat in a dry land,
you will subdue the uproar of barbarians.
As the shade of a cloud cools the heat of the day,
so he will silence the song of the violent.
6 On this mountain,
the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat,
a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine.
7 On this mountain
he will swallow up the burial shroud,
the shroud over all the peoples,
the sheet covering all the nations.
8 When he has swallowed up death once and for all,
the Lord God will wipe away the tears
from every face
and remove his people’s disgrace
from the whole earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 On that day it will be said,
“Look, this is our God;
we have waited for him, and he has saved us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him.
Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
10 For the Lord’s power will rest on this mountain.
But Moab will be trampled in his place
as straw is trampled in a dung pile.
11 He will spread out his arms in the middle of it,
as a swimmer spreads out his arms to swim.
His pride will be brought low,
along with the trickery of his hands.
12 The high-walled fortress will be brought down,
thrown to the ground, to the dust.
In this context, we see the Messianic Banquet. This is the banquet that God is going to share with his people on the last day when Christ returns, and this is evident from the text.
On that day, God will bring judgment on the wicked, but salvation to righteous.
On that day, the specter/shroud hanging over all of us – the specter of death – will be defeated.
On that day, the righteous will finally receive what they have been waiting for.
What day is that talking about? It’s talking about the last day.
This isn’t surprising. When God wants to enter into a covenant and dwell with his people, what does he do? He shares a meal with them.
So, Isaiah looks forward to the time when Christ returns and dwells with his people. But this isn’t the only time that the messianic banquet is mentioned in scripture. Throughout the gospels, Jesus makes multiple references to that banquet.
So, in this lesson, we are going to look at the words of Isaiah and Jesus, and we are going to learn some important things about the Messianic Banquet.
Everyone is Invited
Everyone is Invited
Isaiah 25:6.
6 On this mountain,
the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat,
a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine.
Who is God preparing this banquet for? This banquet is prepared for all people.
This is significant. Especially when compared to the banquet of the Old Covenant. Exodus 24:1-2, 9-11.
1 Then he said to Moses, “Go up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, and bow in worship at a distance. 2 Moses alone is to approach the Lord, but the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.”
9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. 11 God did not harm the Israelite nobles; they saw him, and they ate and drank.
As God prepares to dwell and enter into a with Israel, Abraham and the elders share a meal that was provided by God.
This was God’s way of assuring the Israelites that they were his people, he would dwell with them, and he would provide for them.
But the problem with this banquet is that all of God’s people did not attend. Only certain representatives were allowed to participate in the banquet.
In Isaiah 25, we see something different. As God prepares to dwell with his people on the last day, God provides a meal, not for some people, but for all people.
This shows the love that God has for humanity.
I’ve said this before, but God’s goal from the beginning was to dwell with man. His goal is not to dwell wealthiest, prettiest, or strongest. His goal is to dwell with everyone. Matthew 28:19-20.
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
So, we need to ask: do our goals align with God’s goal?
Everyone will not be there
Everyone will not be there
Some won’t be ready.
Some won’t be ready.
Matthew 25:1-13.
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; 4 but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
9 “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’
12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’
13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
Here, Jesus tells us that this parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven. In this parable there are ten virgins who are waiting for the bridegroom to return so the banquet can begin, but only five are ready for it.
So even though everyone is invited to the banquet, there will be some who are just not ready.
Sometimes we view this parable as us versus them. We Christians are the five wise virgins, while the world are the five foolish virgins. That’s not how we should see this parable.
Matthew 25:1.
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.
All of these virgins were waiting for the bridegroom. So, what does this tell us?
This tells us that all of these virgins represent people who are waiting for Jesus’ return. So, the five foolish virgins do not represent the ungodly people of the world, they represent Christians like us.
So, we need to make sure that we are ready for the return of our bridegroom. Matthew 25:11-12.
11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’
12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’
Some won’t be happy.
Some won’t be happy.
Luke 15:1-2.
1 All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Since Jesus is the “Good Teacher” and the “Great Physician,” tax collectors and sinners were coming to listen to him, and the Pharisees and scribes were not happy. Jesus responds with three parables.
In the parable of the lost son, the son leaves the father but returns, so the father prepares a banquet for that son. Notice how the other son responds. Luke 15:25-32.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
The other son refuses to enter the banquet. He is unhappy that this banquet was thrown for his unfaithful brother.
How does this apply to the religious leaders?
Throughout the gospels, we see that Jesus is inviting the poor, weak, and broken into his kingdom. The religious leaders didn’t like this. They looked down on these people. Luke 18:9-12.
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’
Elsewhere, Jesus tells us that the Pharisees devour widows’ houses.
The religious leaders didn’t associate with poor, weak, broken, and sinful. They wouldn’t be happy in a kingdom filled with these people.
Notice the end of the parable. Luke 15:28-32.
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
The angry son is standing outside of the kingdom and he refuses to go in because his brother is there.
In the same way, the Pharisees are outside of the kingdom refusing to go in, partly because of the people who are there.
Are we happy with the people who God allows into his kingdom?
Some won’t be hungry.
Some won’t be hungry.
Luke 14:15-24.
15 When one of those who reclined at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
16 Then he told him, “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17 At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’
18 “But without exception they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’
20 “And another said, ‘I just got married, and therefore I’m unable to come.’
21 “So the servant came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’
22 “ ‘Master,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there’s still room.’
23 “Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and make them come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, not one of those people who were invited will enjoy my banquet.’ ”
The man invites the wealthy to his banquet, and they refuse to come. After this, the man invites the poor, maimed, blind, and lame, and they accept his offer. What’s the difference between these groups?
The wealthy don’t really need what this man has to offer. They have plenty of food.
The poor people need this food. They are hungry.
I think this is what Jesus means when he says this: Matthew 8:8-12.
8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
10 Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith. 11 I tell you that many will come from east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The Centurion is hungry and knows what he needs Jesus. Those who come from the east and west are hungry… They know they need Jesus.
Conclusion: Are we hungry?
Conclusion: Are we hungry?
Isaiah 25:6-9.
6 On this mountain,
the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat,
a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine.
7 On this mountain
he will swallow up the burial shroud,
the shroud over all the peoples,
the sheet covering all the nations.
8 When he has swallowed up death once and for all,
the Lord God will wipe away the tears
from every face
and remove his people’s disgrace
from the whole earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 On that day it will be said,
“Look, this is our God;
we have waited for him, and he has saved us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him.
Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
These people are hungry. This is the day that they have waiting and longed for. Do we have the same desire and longing? We should. This day should be our greatest desire.
Creation Desires
Creation Desires
This is the day that creation desires. Romans 8:18-25.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.
The Dead in Christ Desire
The Dead in Christ Desire
This is the day that the dead desire. Hebrews 11:39-40; Revelation 6:9-11.
39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 So they were each given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been.
God Desires
God Desires
This is the day that God, himself, desires. Matthew 26:26-30.
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
God, his creation, and the dead in Christ are all looking forward to this day, and it’s not surprising.
This has been the goal from the beginning. God created the world to dwell with mankind, and on this day, God will truly dwell with us.
Death is the problem, and has been the problem, since the beginning. Genesis 5; Exodus 1:6; Joshua 1:1; Judges 1:1.
1 This is the document containing the family records of Adam. On the day that God created man, he made him in the likeness of God; 2 he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and called them mankind.
3 Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. 4 Adam lived 800 years after he fathered Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 5 So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.
6 Seth was 105 years old when he fathered Enosh. 7 Seth lived 807 years after he fathered Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 8 So Seth’s life lasted 912 years; then he died.
9 Enosh was 90 years old when he fathered Kenan. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after he fathered Kenan, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 11 So Enosh’s life lasted 905 years; then he died.
12 Kenan was 70 years old when he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after he fathered Mahalalel, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 14 So Kenan’s life lasted 910 years; then he died.
15 Mahalalel was 65 years old when he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after he fathered Jared, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 17 So Mahalalel’s life lasted 895 years; then he died.
18 Jared was 162 years old when he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived 800 years after he fathered Enoch, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 20 So Jared’s life lasted 962 years; then he died.
21 Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. 22 And after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 23 So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.
25 Methuselah was 187 years old when he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived 782 years after he fathered Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 27 So Methuselah’s life lasted 969 years; then he died.
28 Lamech was 182 years old when he fathered a son. 29 And he named him Noah, saying, “This one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor of our hands, caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” 30 Lamech lived 595 years after he fathered Noah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 31 So Lamech’s life lasted 777 years; then he died.
32 Noah was 500 years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
6 Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation eventually died.
1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’s assistant:
1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the Lord, “Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?”
We bury our parents, our friends, and our kids. This world is broken. Who wouldn’t be looking forward to this day?
Isaiah 25:6-9.
6 On this mountain,
the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat,
a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine.
7 On this mountain
he will swallow up the burial shroud,
the shroud over all the peoples,
the sheet covering all the nations.
8 When he has swallowed up death once and for all,
the Lord God will wipe away the tears
from every face
and remove his people’s disgrace
from the whole earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 On that day it will be said,
“Look, this is our God;
we have waited for him, and he has saved us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him.
Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
So, the lesson for us is: we need to be hungry for the feast that our God has to offer.
We need to make sure that we don’t become so comfortable in this world that we fail to hunger for the next one.
There is a banquet coming. Are you hungry?