THE BANQUET HALL“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”
—Revelation 19:9
How would you imagine a banquet in Heaven? One artist (whose poster we keep on our refrigerator) painted a long, lavishly appointed banquet table on what appeared to be a beach, the chairs stretching far into the sunset horizon. The plates resembled the circular stained glass windows of a grand cathedral. Exquisite gold flatware and etched crystal completed each place setting. Candles sat on pooled linens. When published, the photo’s caption was simply Jesus’ invitation in the parable of The Great Banquet: “Come, for all things are now ready.” (1)
But this painting showed no guests, unlike Jesus’ parable in Matthew 22, which told of a king wanting to honor his son with a big banquet. One by one, the invited guests turned down the invitation. One said he had to check out a field he had just bought. Another was trying out his oxen. A third just got married. To put these excuses in today’s settings, one put the love of material things ahead of the king’s invitation. The second put his job or business ahead of the king’s call. The third put family ties and social relationships before his allegiance to his king. Angered by their snubs, the king ordered the servant to go to the city’s streets and alleys and bring in the poor, crippled, blind and lame plus any others along the country lanes. Thus, common folk feasted and enjoyed the king’s party. Those least expected to come to a king’s feast were there because they responded to His invitation.
In Heaven’s banquet hall, the people who were too busy or preoccupied for God will miss out. But even paupers will be there if they believed in Jesus. Our Lord remarked, “Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 8:11, also Luke 13:29). Imagine! Passing the rolls to famous people of the Bible who lived thousands of years ago, or somebody from halfway around the world! And speaking of rolls, what will be served at such a banquet? Could God come up with a menu that eclipses the finest restaurant on earth? Of course. Will we finally understand how Jesus is “The Bread of Life” (John 6:35) and how we will never go hungry because we believe in Him? Will there be something like the manna, the Heaven-sent food that sustained the Hebrews in the wilderness? If so, the Host will most certainly be glad to tell us how He did it! Or will we feast on something else, maybe soul food (and I don’t mean Southern cookin’)? David wrote that an encounter with God’s power and glory was as satisfying to his soul as “the richest of food” (Psalm 63:5).
On the other hand, will we eat in Heaven? One answer: why not? In His resurrection body, Jesus ate fish and bread before ascending to Heaven. He even cooked the fish over a fire on the beach! Will we need to eat? We don’t know, because we don’t know how our resurrection bodies will work. There will be no more death and decay, so the normal processes of digestion that we know on earth may not be necessary. What will mark table conversation? Will it be the next playoff game or clothing sale or grandkid antics? Hardly. Perhaps it will be wonder that we are actually sitting at Heaven’s wedding feast, actually a member of God’s kingdom (Col. 1:13) and possessing every possible spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3). What about the cooks and servers? Will they be angels? Or will God give us the joy of serving one another as well as Himself? Remembering Jesus’ example of washing feet (John 13), I favor helping serve.
And don’t forget about the guest of honor, Christ, the Bridegroom. In contrast to earthly bridegrooms, eager for the honeymoon to start, this Bridegroom cares deeply about each guest. We’ll have quality time with Him as well as with guests from all of history. Don’t try to figure out how this will happen. It will. It’s Heaven.
There’s an old sermon illustration about the elderly saint who told her family that she wanted to be buried with a Bible in one hand and a fork in the other. She explained, “All these years I’ve gone to church potlucks and when they’re almost over, somebody says, ‘Keep your fork.’ That meant the dessert was ready. The best was yet to come.”
Is your appetite whetted for Heaven’s grand wedding feast? Got your fork ready? The best is yet to come!
Prayer: Lord, I like that phrase, “The best is yet to come.” I’m saving my fork! Amen.
(1) Now out of print, the 1967 art by Bud Meyer depicting Luke 14:17 can be seen online at http://christcenteredmall.com/stores/art/anonymous/the-feast.htm
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