It's Supper Time

by Eli Miller

As this age draws to a close it is essential that we keep our priorities sharply focused. Many things clamor for our energy and attention, and though perhaps harmless in themselves, they can cause us to be preoccupied with nonessentials. Such preoccupation can cause us to miss the climax of God's dealings with man at this end of the age.

In the recent past the Holy Spirit has begun moving upon God's people in a fresh way. He is quickening and liberating them in preparation for the fulfillment of the great Feast of Tabernacles -- the greatest of all the feasts in Israel's year. We've come to the time when God is beginning to move the church into "the dispensation of the fullness of times" spoken of in Ephesians 1:10. Even now an ingathering is taking place where the only concern of major importance for the spiritually alert is that they come under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

There are many scripture texts that speak of the time in which we live. Among these is a parable Jesus gave in the 14th chapter of Luke about a certain man making a great supper and bidding many to attend. Although there are other applications to this parable, it certainly provides a challenge for the focus of our present priorities.

"Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, 'Come; for all things are now ready.'" (vs.16-17)

The Lord has been preparing a great "supper" for many generations. Every time He reveals more truth to His people He provides additional "meat in due season" for them in preparation for the last great feast. It is a blessing beyond measure to have been called to any of the feasts the Lord makes for His people -- especially the feast prepared for the end of the age. (Rev.19:9)

For those who have put their trust in the Lord, He has prepared a "feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And He will destroy... the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and... wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth." (Isa.25:6-8)

Notice that many people have been called to the great feast in the parable we're looking at. In fact, if you've been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, you're called to partake of His feasts. The unfortunate thing is that many of the called refuse to respond to the invitations they've been given. They think that having their sins forgiven and having been invited to the initial feast of Passover is enough. Consequently, they allow their priorities to shift and continue with business as usual. This is the sad tragedy of the parable before us.

There are a couple keys to note in verse 17. First, notice that the man didn't himself go to call the people he had previously invited to the feast -- he sent his servant. Thayer's Greek Dictionary defines the word "servant" used here as "a slave, a bondman, a man of servile condition; metaphorically, one who gives himself up to another's will, i.e., those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men; one devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests."

With this definition in mind we can see that the "servant" the Lord uses to summon the invited guests for the great feast are His anointed ministry. They are part of that five-fold spirit ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers the Lord gave to the church "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Eph.4:11-12) Though they are many, they are one servant and speak with one voice -- the voice of the Son. (Heb.1:2) They travel the globe to get the word of the Lord out to the invited ones with little regard for their own comfort or personal interests.

Notice also that the ones to whom the servant was sent were bidden, that is, they had been called earlier. This was not their initial call, but a "wake up call" that the time had now come to respond to a previous invitation. It is similar to the nation of Israel knowing that the Messiah would one day be born among them, but not knowing the exact time of His incarnation. Therefore, God sent John the Baptist as a forerunner to proclaim that the time of His appearing had come. John's message was simple: "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;" "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." (Mt.3:2-3) Unfortunately, except for a few "tuned in saints," the nation was so preoccupied with religious forms and activities that they missed the hour of their visitation.

It is also important to note that the servant was sent out at supper time to summon the invited guests. Supper time indicates the end of a day. This again is pertinent to us because we've come to the end of the day -- the second day Jesus spoke of when He told the Pharisees to tell Herod, "Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." (Lu.13:32)

We know Jesus was not speaking of 24 hour days because he cast out demons and healed the sick for more than just two literal days after he made that statement. He was talking about two days as the Lord reckons days: "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Pet.3:8)

Not only have we come to the end of the second thousand-year-day since Jesus was here, we've come to the end of the sixth such day since the creation week. It is quite significant to note that it was at the end of the sixth creation day when God brought forth the body of the first man -- Adam -- to populate the earth and that He is now bringing forth the fulness of the body of the last man -- Christ -- to populate a new heaven and earth.

When we look back over God's redemptive plan and purpose for man as it has unfolded over history, it's not difficult to determine the time period we've come to. Scripture is clear that the journeys of Israel in the wilderness and the way the Lord dealt with them are a pattern and example to us. (See 1 Cor.10:1-10) "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Cor. 10:11) This is especially true of the pattern God revealed through Israel's feasts.

There were three feast seasons in Israel's religious year, Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. According to Leviticus 23:1-4 the feasts were to be holy convocations given by the Lord, each in its particular season. Passover was at the end of the barley harvest, Pentecost after the wheat harvest, and Tabernacles at the end of the year to commemorate the entire year's harvest. These feasts were to be times of rest, rejoicing, and thanksgiving to God for His abundant blessing and provision for the nation.

All of the men of Israel were to "appear before the Lord" three times "in the year," once at the time of each major feast. (Ex.23:14-17; Deut.16:16) Although these instructions pertained to a literal calendar year, they also pointed to the acceptable year of the Lord spoken of by Isaiah and referred to by Jesus. (Isa.61:1-2; Lu.4:17-20)

As Jesus read the text from Isaiah, notice that He stopped reading after "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord" without going on to"and the day of vengeance of our God." Then closing the book, He said, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (vs.21) Jesus stopped reading in the middle of the sentence because only the "acceptable year of the Lord" part was applicable at the time. His first appearing ushered in the acceptable year of the Lord and His second appearing will bring in "the day of vengeance of our God."

All of us who have received Jesus as our Passover Lamb have partaken of the fulfillment of Israel's first feast. When we received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the feast of Pentecost was our portion. Now at the "end of the year," that is, the acceptable year of the Lord, there is another feast to partake of -- the feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles. (Ex.23:16)

As we look back over church history we can readily see when the Lord fulfilled each of Israel's feasts spiritually. In the year 1517 the Lord began bringing the church out of the Dark Ages with Martin Luther's revelation that the just shall live by faith. When that great truth brokeon mankind and the church again started looking toward Jesus for salvation rather than to an apostate church system, the Feast of Passover began being fulfilled again.

God dealt with man in "Passover" truth for several centuries. It was the present truth of the time. Then around 1900 He restored the baptism of the Holy Spirit and in a few short years that spiritual experience circled the globe. The fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost was underway.

After the World War II the denominational churches generally shifted their focus from preaching the true gospel to preaching a social gospel in response to the many needs left by the great war. Then in 1948, in response to the travail of a small remnant of believers, God visited His people with a fresh anointing and manifestation. Suddenly He raised up healing and teaching ministries with a message of restoration and a challenge to return to the simplicity of the gospel of scripture. A call went out from Him to the churches, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you." (2 Cor.6:17-18)

That appeal in the spirit paralleled the call going out from a newly restored state of Israel requesting the diaspora of Jews to return to their homeland. It also marked God bringing His people into the seventh month (the end of Israel's religious year) in preparation for the great Feast of Tabernacles. Many natural and spiritual events could be cited to confirm the significance of those days. However, it is not my intention to give a lot of details of that period, but rather to just present a brief time line leading up to the present.

In the late 1970's the Lord began dealing more throughly with sin in the church, exposing indulgences and excesses in both the "professional" ministry and individuals. Personal areas of sin that He seemingly had "winked at" in times past were now brought under great conviction. This is not to say that the Lord hasn't always convicted His people of their sin, but this was a different emphasis: not only was sin to be dealt with, He challenged His people to live without sin altogether. It began a specific dealing of the Holy Spirit to cleanse the conscience of sin from all who would believe and enter into the truth. This emphasis of the Spirit marked the church coming to the Day of Atonement on the spiritual calendar.

The Day of Atonement was really the great preparation day for the Feast of Tabernacles which began on the 15th day of the month. It was also the day in which every 50 years the jubilee trumpet blew, signifying the release of every debt and captive in Israel. It was the climactic hope of every Israelite who had ever been in bondage for debts that he couldn't pay. The jubilee year was truly the acceptable year of the Lord.

God has brought the church through the fulfillment of each feast right up to Tabernacles, and the season for its fulfillment is now upon us. This will be the greatest of all the feasts: it will be greater than Passover and greater than Pentecost. When the fulfillment of this feast is finished, the experience of God's redemptive plan will be complete. Every bondage will have fled, every tear will have been wiped away, and every fear will have been turned into faith. This mortal will have put on immortality, death will have been swallowed by life, and our God will be all in all.

The time for this great feast has come, the invitations are going out, and all things are now ready.

Notice that when the servant was sent out with the invitation to the supper that he was to tell the guests was that "all things are now ready." (Lu.14:17) Although many scriptural indicators could be noted that all point to this being the time when the Feast of Tabernacles will begin to be fulfilled, the condition of the church at large and world around us also declare the same things. It seems as though the "cup of iniquity" is about to run over in every nation and society around the world.

Corrupt, self-serving politicians demand more taxes and squeeze hard earned resources from the common man while they "feather their own nest" and live exorbitant lifestyles. Statesmanship is a quality of a bygone era as immoral and pretentious liars occupy the highest offices in the land. Governments extract more liberties from the populace in the name of security. "Ethnic cleansing" continues in several countries around the world. Courts grant pardons for unscrupulous and demented murders, rapists, and extortionists while their victims are left to fend for themselves. Rights of special interest groups take precedent over responsibilities. Wrongs are called right in societies that have cut themselves loose from all absolute moorings.

Church denominations hold international conventions to honor homosexuality as "a gift from God" while debating the value of same sex "marriages." Thousands of undiscerning Christians are being beguiled with aberrant theologies that embrace the bizarre. Church "leaders," apparently devoid of any personal relationship with the Lord, conduct visualization and guided imagery workshops to "help participants imagine themselves in physical proximity to Christ in a peaceful outdoor location."

Well known perpetrators of the "name it and claim it, blab it and grab it" gospel have gone to such outlandish extremes as to tell their avid followers that if they "say it, do it, receive it, and tell it" they'll always get what they want. In other words, they can write their own ticket with God. Others tell their misguided and captivated audiences that if they have to say "If it be Thy will" or "Thy will be done" they are calling God a fool.

In some church circles pointless frenzies of bellowing, howling, growling, roaring, writhing, and screeching are considered spiritual experiences to be desired, while the preaching of the unadulterated word of God is practically dismissed as being irrelevant for "a great last day move of God." And wearing dog collars to church?

One has to wonder where biblical precedent is found for such preposterous charades. Where is true spiritual discernment, not to mention old-fashioned sanity and common sense? Where is the worship of God in spirit AND truth?

We certainly need a genuine manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our Christian experience, and I thank God for every demonstration He brings our way. But a relationship with Jesus is not based on some experience we've had or some mental image we contrive: A personal relationship with Jesus is based on the truth of the word of God. Personal biblical experience is given to confirm the truth we've embraced, not vice versa.

Such extremes, and many more that could be cited, are further evidence that all thing are now ready for the great supper at the end of this age. The invitations have been given and the "servants" of the Lord are calling the invited guests to the feast table.

When I was young I used think it would have been exciting to have lived at the time when the New World was being discovered and pioneered. I thought it would have been a challenge to explore new lands and be among the first to see and settle them. Then I became a Christian and thought of how wonderful it would have been to have lived when Jesus lived. I imagined what it might have been like to hear Him give the sermon on the mount, or to see the miracles He did. But as I've matured in the Spirit I've become very thankful that the Lord allowed me to live at the "supper time" of this age. This is the time for which the New Testament apostles would have given almost anything to live. Even the prophets of the Old Testament realized to a measure that they prophesied to us as much as to their own generation. (1 Pet.1:10-12)

As the servant gave the message to the people who had been invited to the feast that all things were now ready, "they all with one consent began to make excuse." (vs.18a)

The Greek word translated "to make excuse" is also used twice in Hebrews 12:25 where it perhaps best explains its meaning: "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven."

To refuse the word of the Lord is to disesteem what He has to say. Although we might not think that we would discredit His word, every time we choose not to respond to it shows that we consider our priorities and agendas to be more important than His. This conflict of priority has been in the heart of man from the beginning. Jeremiah spoke of it this way: "To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it." (Jer.6:10)

Another example of people refusing the word of the Lord is the occasion where Paul rebuked some unbelieving Jews, paraphrasing Isaiah 6:9-10: "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, 'Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.'" (Acts 28:26-27)

Paul concluded his rebuke, telling the Jews, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." (Act 28:28)

No one wants to be dull of hearing, spiritually blind, or unable to understand the word of the Lord. Neither do these conditions arise suddenly. They are acquired conditions resulting from wanting our own way in spite of where the Spirit wants to lead us. Continued resistance to the prompting of the Lord leads to dullness of spirit and the jeopardy of being passed by for what could have been our word or spiritual opportunity. This is exactly what happened in the parable we're looking at.

"The first said unto him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.'" (vs.18b)

The man had done nothing wrong in purchasing the piece of land. He was likely a good businessman and had every right to go inspect his purchase. What created the problem was his sense of priority. Could he not have waited until after the feast to go inspect it? The land wasn't going anywhere! Neither would waiting have caused him to miss a good purchase price -- he had already bought the land.

The man couldn't claim to have been unaware that the feast was approaching either because he had been called and invited previously. He just hadn't known when everything would be ready for it to begin.

This man's excuse is a good example of the warning Jesus gave when He said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Mt.6:21) The man obviously counted his possessions as being very dear to him -- so dear that it made him dull spiritually.

Notice that Jesus said our heart would be wherever our treasure is, not vice versa. Our heart is much more prone to follow our treasures than our treasures are to follow our heart! If our heart is fixed on the kingdom of God we'll find our joy and fulfillment in spiritual things, and consequently our possessions will fall into line behind them. But if our treasures primarily consist of our natural possessions, our heart will become insensitive to spiritual things and we'll begin taking pleasure in those material goods. This causes our priorities to shift from faith in the eternal to having confidence in the temporal. Consequently, an invitation from the Spirit causes no sense of urgency to arouse out of our complacency.

The parable continues: "And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused." (vs.19)

Again, this man's reasoning could have been quite legitament at any other time. There was nothing unlawful to have purchased five yoke of oxen (or new car, tractor, home, equipment, or whatever goods) and wanting to try them out. The problem was with his priority. The man's concern and care for natural things caused him to disregard the invitation and ultimately cost him his place at the feast.

How easy it is for us to allow small, normal, everyday involvements to gradually crowd out our keenness of spirit. Things that of themselves offer no compromise with our spiritual calling and pursuit. Human nature is to devote more attention and energy to natural pursuits that produce obvious accomplishments today, rather than to a spiritual calling that primarily reaps benefits and fruitfulness tomorrow.

May we all give diligence to keep our priorities focused so that we can make our calling and election sure. "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Pet.1:11)

Continuing His parable, Jesus said, "And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'" (vs.20)

This man's excuse was alarmingly similar to Adam's excuse in the Garden. Adam told God that the woman He had given him persuaded him to eat of the forbidden tree. (Gen.3:12) This man said that his new wife kept him from eating! It wasn't that he couldn't come to the feast but that he wouldn't come. The man had allowed a natural relationship to take precedent over a spiritual calling.

We need to be careful that we don't allow natural relationships to hinder us from fulfilling our spiritual calling in God. This one of the reasons we're admonished to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, whether in marriage or in other situations. (2 Cor.6:14) We must keep ourselves disentangled from the world to the extent that our personal relationships cannot hold us in bondage when the Lord calls us.

This isn't to say that we shouldn't be involved in natural endeavors of business or whatever, but we must always be careful that those pursuits are kept in right priority. Any relationship or pursuit that takes precedent over our spiritual priorities must be examined in the light of God's claim on our lives. None of our personal associations or business endeavors should ever be permitted to neutralize our growth and effectiveness in the Lord. Although they might not be not wrong in themselves, if they jeopardize our being available to respond to the call of God, we must consider the consequences.

This is the sad lesson of these three men who chose not to respond to the invitation to come to the feast. All had been called, and perhaps they had great initial joy because of the invitation, but the subtle cares of the world robbed them in the end. But in spite of their refusal to attend, the feast would be filled.

"So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.'" (Lu.14:21)

There are several things of importance in this verse. First, notice that the master of the feast was angered that so many of the people he'd invited allowed other priorities to take precedence over responding to his invitation. His servant was then told to invite some of the most unlikely people to take the place of those who were too preoccupied to respond. These were people who had no apparent outward qualification for such an invitation. They also bear a striking resemblance to the categories of Levi's descendants who weren't permitted into the Old Testament priesthood. (Lev.21:16-21)

It is a fearful thing to resist the call of God on your life. Some people think that because the Lord is a God of love He will always strive with them, regardless of their response. Not only is such a theory not scriptural, the word gives a severe reprimand to those who steadfastly resist His call on their lives: "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity;

"I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me." (Prov.1:24-28)

If that were not enough incentive to respond to the call of God, scripture also tells us that the Lord Himself will send a strong delusion to us if we won't believe the truth and become converted, that is, go His way instead of our own. (2 Thess.2:10-11) It is important to remember that there is both the goodness and severity of God. Roman's 11 makes it quite clear that if God didn't spare the "natural branches" in spite of their unbelief, why should we as "grafted in branches" think we have a special concession that enables us to live a lie and still reap the rewards of His goodness?

God will have a people in these last days whose only desire is to live for Him. Their priorities are arranged and their ear is open toward Him in anticipation of His next word to them. They know they've been called to the great feast and are eagerly waiting for the word that all things are ready to enter in.

Another thing to notice is that the servant was told to "go out quickly" into the city with the invitations. This implies that God will accelerate the work in His people during these last days -- something already evident in many places. "For He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth." (Rom.9:28)

Young believers who have had very little exposure to church life catch hold of the truth and mature very quickly. What took many of us years to learn and experience, scores of young ones just coming into an understanding of a third feast invitation readily grasp and enter into with a passion. To see it happening is both a joy and a challenge!

The last-minute guests the servant called had not been invited previously so they were not given time to arrange their affairs beforehand. But the next verse indicates that they eagerly responded as soon as they received the invitation to the feast: "And the servant said, 'Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.'" (vs.22)

Notice that these guests were found in the streets and lanes of the city. Since the man was in the city and the feast was to be held in the city, the implication is that this is "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,... the general assembly and church of the Firstborn which are written in heaven." (Heb.12:22-23) In other words, it is a veiled reference to the whole church.

Let's take a brief look at the significance of the "streets and lanes" of the city. Streets are prominent, well marked and well traveled thoroughfares in a city. They are easily recognized and household names for many people. Prestigious street address are desired by anyone of importance. A brief study of what scripture says that takes place in the streets of Jerusalem will provide a good picture of what the Lord thinks of these eminent concourses: Even the Shulamite couldn't find her Beloved there! (Song.3:2)

Lanes, (alleys NIV) however, are not as accessible, nor as well marked as streets and usually only traveled by people who are familiar with them. They are narrower than streets and seldom lead to the front of any significant address. They generally lead to "back doors" and depict a more casual setting than streets.

These distinctions suggest that God will send out an invitation to this last great feast to people in large and prominent denominational churches in the prominent "thoroughfares" of the city as well as to those apparently insignificant groups in the less traveled "lanes" of the church. Since the Lord began calling out a people for the fulfillment of the third feast, He has primarily dealt with small groups of believers that have left the denominational churches. The people in these groups had often been given the "left foot of fellowship" by their brethren in the larger assemblies. Frequently this was because the message the Lord was speaking to them of taking up a daily cross and allowing the life of Christ to be formed in them wasn't palatable to their staid denominational brethren. It didn't "sell" very well in the cushioned offering plates, neither did it fit a premise of a placid "I'm OK you're OK" gospel.

God in His mercy is going to bring the invitation to this last great feast to the whole church. I don't know the logistics of how He is going to do it, but He is going to do it. We're already hearing of instances where brethren, who in the past had no ears for a "third feast message," are now beginning to hear and understand it. And sad to say, others, who at one time were excited about the invitation they'd received to partake of the feast, are now so preoccupied with temporal pursuits that they have forgotten what they were called to.

In thinking of the invitation going to the whole church, I'm reminded of a vision the Lord gave to me many years ago. In the vision He directed me to attend the Sunday morning service in a mega-church. As the service began I sat at the back of the building wondering why He had sent me there. After the preliminary opening formalities were over and the pastor was getting ready to stand in the pulpit, the Lord told me I was to go to the podium and bring the message of sonship to the congregation that day. I arrived at the pulpit just as the pastor was rising to speak. Our eyes met, and I told him that he was not going to speak that day, but that I had a message for the congregation! Something in my gaze and the authority of my voice caused him to sit down again and I addressed that large congregation with a challenge to sonship.

I'm not so pretentious as to think that this vision was just for me, or that I have some special message for the church. I believe the Lord only used me in the vision as an example of the many ministries He'll use in these last days to bring the message of sonship to His people, regardless of where they are. The ministries He'll use are His many-membered "servant" sent out into the "streets and lanes" of the city with a message of invitation, liberation, and deliverance. For almost 30 years I've been part of His servant messenger sent to His scattered and apparently insignificant flock in the "lanes" of the great city. But in the not-too-distant future that will change and the Lord will bring the full counsel of God into its "streets" as well.

"And the lord said unto the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.'" (Lu.14:23-24)

When not enough guests came to the feast from the streets and lanes of the city, the servant was sent outside the city to invite still more people. The lord of the feast had determined that his house would be filled and not an empty space left, in spite of those who had refused his initial invitation.

I see several implications in the servant being sent out into the highways. First, going to the highways and hedges requires one to go outside the city. Although scripture makes quite a number of references to highways, I'll only look at a few in connection with this text.

Scripture states that the "highway of the upright is to depart from evil," (Prov.16:17) and "there shall be an highway for the remnant of His people, which shall be left... like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." (Isa.11:16)

As this age closes and the Feast of Tabernacles is fulfilled, the "day of the Lord's vengeance" also dawns. As I noted earlier, this is the timeframe Jesus didn't include in His reading from Isaiah. Although that will be a time of great judgment, scripture also indicates that the Lord will move supernaturally to call many people -- a remnant out of the nations -- at the same time. It will be similar to the time when the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand. (Deut.7:8-9)

I see it as the culmination of God's dealing with people who are "upright" but have not yet responded to Him for salvation. However, "in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ" they will. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness...." (Rom. 2:16,13-15)

It much like Cornelius's conversion in Acts 10. Cornelius was "a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway," (vs.2) but he still needed to be converted. In honor of his faith, God supernaturally sent Peter to him with the gospel and brought him into a conversion experience. Although Peter was baffled by what God had done, he concluded "that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." (vs.34-35)

This is not to imply that some people don't need to repent and receive the redeeming blood of Jesus for their sin: that is necessary for all who are converted. It's just that God is God and He can do His redemptive work anyway He chooses. God has not yet revealed everything He plans to do, so He might have some surprises "up His sleeve" that will knock a lot of our theology out the window!

A study of chapters 34 and 35 of Isaiah reveals that in "the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion, the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose." The prophet also declared that at that time "your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.

"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (34:8; 35:4-10)

I don't pretend to know how the Lord is going to bring all this about, in fact, I'm not even concerned about it! What is important for those of us who have received an invitation to the feast is that we keep our priorities and focus where they need to be -- God will take care of the logistics.

Hedges are generally used in scripture as boundary markers to indicate where someone's property lines were. Could this be a veiled reference in the parable that the Lord knows who are His and no one can pluck them out of His hand? (2 Tim.2:19; Jn.10:28-29) Could it be that in spite of man's efforts to evangelize the world, God has His own agenda and timetable for the harvest and in a moment of time will do more than all the puny efforts of man?

The servant going out to the highways and hedges also implies that the invitation to the feast will go out to both developed and undeveloped countries. Most people in developed countries are too "sophisticated" to need a vibrant faith, and they're much too busy to be bothered with an invitation to a spiritual feast.

However, the spiritual hunger in undeveloped countries is often of such dimension that it puts people in other areas to shame. Many in the most out-of-the-way places are hearing the call to the feast and are diligently laying aside every thing that would hinder them from attending.

The great feast at this end of the age will be furnished with guests, regardless of how many "likely candidates" will have declined their invitation. For everyone who declines to partake there is another one to take their place. We must remember that it's not who begins a race that is honored, but who actually finishes it. (1 Cor.9:24) It's not enough to have been called: We must also give diligence to make that calling and election sure. (2 Pet.1:10)

There is perhaps no greater object lesson in the New Testament regarding the need to give diligence to our calling than the letter to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation. During its formation stage, the Apostle Paul had been with the church and taught for an extended period of time, declaring to them "all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27) During Paul's stay the church had a powerful visitation, "so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

"And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." (Acts 19:10-12) The visitation was so influential that the entire city was effected, causing all manner of magic and occult books to be publicly burned. This caused the idol making craftsmen to incite a riot that involved the entire city!

Several years later Paul wrote the Ephesians letter to this same church, a letter revealing some of the deepest spiritual mysteries and truth recorded anywhere in scripture. He would not have written such a letter to the church unless they had the foundation and understanding to grasp the truth he wrote about.

But the letter to the Ephesians church in Revelation, written around 30 years after Paul's letter, had a different tone in it. The word of the Lord through John's letter began with a commendation of their works, labor, and patience for His name's sake. He praised them for their intolerance of evildoers and accurate discernment of ministries who claimed to be something they weren't.

Then came the indictment: "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." (Rev.2:4-5)

Notice the Lord didn't say they had lost their first love but that they had left it. Leaving one's first love indicates that other priorities took the foremost place previously held by that love. The test of time had taken its toll and the passion for the Lord had gradually been replaced by the mundane of daily routines. Perhaps spiritual promises and expectations had taken longer to be fulfilled than had been expected, and the subtle daily pressures of life had pounded the keen alert edge of the spirit until it had become dulled.

In light of the Lord's commendations to them, the church apparently still had a good outward appearance of structure and dignity. They likely had an outward form of godliness, but the zeal and power were gone. Perhaps being among them, one would have been quite impressed with their spiritual knowledge and experience, but the passionate fire of loving the Lord first and foremost was gone.

In the letter the Lord admonished the Ephesians to remember from whence they had fallen, repent, and do the first works. If this was not done quickly, He warned, He would come and remove their candlestick out of their midst. In other words, the last flicker of their spiritual life would also go out.

The Ephesian church had been one of the most spiritually mature in the Acts period. They understood the reality of having been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; They knew God had called them to be "holy and without blame before Him in love;" (Eph.1:4) They knew they had been foreordained unto adoption as God's own children; They understood that though Gentiles, they had been brought near to God through the blood of Christ.

The Ephesians knew the gift of God's grace had made regeneration available to them; They knew they were "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works;" (Eph.2:10) They had a clear understanding of what it meant to come to "the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (Eph.4:13) They had even understood spiritual warfare and the need of wearing the armor of God. But now, just three decades later, they were bring reprimanded by the Lord for having left their first love.

Perhaps you are in a similar spiritual condition. The fire of God once burned brightly within as present truth gripped your spirit and the Spirit of God lead you out of bondage and spiritual darkness. Weather, distance, or time meant little to you as the passion to know Him spurred you on to have fellowship with like-minded brethren who also were being enlightened. The things of earth grew dim in comparison with the calling and glory of God you envisioned and embraced. No price was too great to pay in gratitude for His wonderful love and mercy toward you.

But time has passed and you have "matured." The years have dulled your senses and the freshness of the word is gone, perhaps it has even become somewhat common and "ho hum" to you. You've had a few conflicts with brethren that you've never fully resolved, consequently almost any excuse provides reason enough to withhold yourself from gathering in fellowship with them.

In meetings, you listen to the teaching of ministry that you've listened to dozens of times before and wonder if they have anything "new" to tickle your ears. Not being as challenged as you once were, your mind wanders away to that "piece of ground" you just bought which you can hardly wait to see. Your new "yoke of oxen" are waiting for you at home and you really should be working with them. You're glad your spouse appreciates that you aren't as radical in your thinking as you once were.

If this somewhat describes your spiritual condition, repent and do the first works, because the time of the feast is at hand. Run, don't walk, to the throne of grace and beseech God to stir your spirit again and restore your passion for Him. Let Him show you how your priorities should be arranged with Him in the preeminent place. Cry out with the psalmist David, saying, "Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit." (Psa.51:11-12)

It's time to awake out of your slumber and shake yourself. "The Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." (Mt.25:6) The end of the age is at hand. It's supper time and all things are now ready. Are you? Or will the invitation you neglected be given to another so the house can be filled with guests for the feast?

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; 'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'" (Rev.2:7)