Hospitality continued: The eschatological perspective

"It is the Lord who is preparing the banquet it seems so stupid to make excuses for not attending. "

Isaiah had a great vision: ‘On this mountain the Lord will prepare a feast of rich food for all the peoples: a banquet of aged wine the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples the sheets that covers all nations He will swallow up death forever. The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.’ (Is 25:6-8).

I love it when it says, ‘The Lord will prepare’. This elevates hospitality from what might seem a mundane, even shallow, practice into this amazing end-time banquet where the Lord himself will be an amazing host. Only the best will be prepared and served.

Jesus picks up this theme as he tells the following parable: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” (Luke 14: 12-24)

As you read this knowing that it is the Lord who is preparing the banquet it seems so stupid to make excuses for not attending.

John carries on this theme in his vision “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory for the wedding of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean was given to her. Then the angel said to me, ‘Write blessed are those who are invited to the wedding of the Lamb’ (Rev 19:6-9).

We have this amazing event promised, where there will be a great feast when Jesus comes again. Can you picture it, the father preparing for the day when Jesus and His bride come together?

We are taught to pray, ‘Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ This is a fantastic prayer and one of the outworkings of this prayer is practicing hospitality where we live, to friend and stranger, as it will be so wonderfully provided in heaven.

Hospitality continued: The eschatological perspective

Isaiah had a great vision: ‘On this mountain the Lord will prepare a feast of rich food for all the peoples: a banquet of aged wine the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples the sheets that covers all nations He will swallow up death forever. The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.’ (Is 25:6-8).