THE KING’S BUSINESS
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notified of the appointment and afterward of the readiness of the feast (Esther 5 : 8 ; 6:14). Prophets had been sent—“they would not come” (v. 3) ; John and others announced it “at hand” (ch. 3 :2 ; 10 :7): “ Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fattlings are killed, and all things are ready.” Full of patient grace the King still urges “ Come.” Shall such pro vision be made, such floods of precious blood be shed, the dear Lamb be slain and they for whose pleasure (really, salvation) all the costly arrangements are made refuse, “make light of it” after all? Go their ways "careless'' (so the Greek) ? In the case of The Wicked Husbandmen man under law (contract) withheld God’s due; and in that of The Wedding Feast he rejects God’s gift. In any case men say, “ N o !” to God, They "went their ways” to “ farm” (to enjoy his earthly estate) ; to “ merchandise” (to win an estate to enjoy). Their perverted tastes had no appetite, for the heavenly spread; no ear for the wed ding music; no heart for the company of “just men made perfect” (Heb. 12-23). "The remnant took his servants and en treated them shamefully (to vent their spleen against the King. See 1 Chro. 19: 1-4). You say, “This is a parable.” Yes, but a parable is a story paralleling history. Men in their unreasonable and unaccount able hatred of God and His grace have served millions of His messengers just so. Why do they do it? Think it over. 6. The Destruction of the Rebels. So, “the king sent his armies”—for armies are at His command (Isa. 45:1-3; Dan. 4:35),
and Titus was but “the Scourge of God,” who did burn up their city though he tried hard to save its magnificence as a monu ment to his pride, and 1,200,000 thousand Jews perished in fhe siege and overthrow. And every careless and every murderous rejector of Divine grace except they re pent* “shall all likewise perish.” III. T he W edding G arment . . 1. Guests of Grace. The wedding must not fail. Urgent invitations were now sent out to them who had no hope of being guests of glory (ch. 21:32; Eph. 2:11, 12). The “bids” were addressed to “W ho -S o - E ver W ill ” (Rev. 22: 17; Isa. 55:1), or as you might say, “ To W hom I t M ay C on cern —B ad and G ood " ( v . 10). Note, that “bad” is first!” And the wedding was fur nished with guests.” G lory! “ I’ ll meet you there !” 2. A Spot In the Feast (Jude 12). “When the king came in (1 Cor. 4:5) he saw there a man which had not on a wed ding garment.” The king has sharp eyes— no chance of being hid in the crowd. The man was “ speechless,” “ gagged,” “muzzled.” He could not urge that he was hustled in, for here he could get a suit for the asking if nowhere else. A man can come as he is, but he must not stay so (Phil. 3:9; Eph. 4: 24; Rev. 19:8 ). For we are saved by grace through faith that takes the gift and wears it.
3. “ Bind him . . . take him away.’’ If you come as you are and remain as you are, when the king comes in you will go out as you are and you will stay as you are. LESSON IX.—August 30.—A D ay of Q uestions .—Matt. 22:15-22. G olden T ext .— Render, therefore, unto God the things that are God’s. —Matt. 22:21. I. A D ay in P assion W eek . 1. “A Day of Questions” (vs. 15-46). Caesar the things that are Caesar’s ; and unto
the Lord and His Anointed” (Matt. 22:15; Ps. 2:1-3; Acts 2:23-27). The “ Day of Questions” was a day of battle ; every ques tion was a bombardment. Jesus won many victories with wonderful skill and ease. It was a war of words, but none the less real and deadly. It was a moral conflict,
Passion Week, so called because in it our Lord’s passion or crucial suffering occurred, might be called Passion Week because in it men’s sinful passions reached the climax of wickedness. They conspired “against
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