Passover and the Parable of the Great Feast
It is easy for us to skim over passages in the Word and think we’ve gleaned all we can from them. However, God’s Word is alive and active, piercing until it divides soul from spirit (see Hebrews 4:12). This tells us that God’s Word is always looking to penetrate our hearts so that we can better understand who He is and His plans for us. Passages instituting the Passover Feast are no exception.
The Passover Feast | Is It Still for Today?
“‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.’”—Exodus 12:14 (emphasis added)
“… For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”—1 Corinthians 5:7-8 (emphasis added)
The Significance of Feasts
We can see throughout scripture the significance of meals, banquets, feasts, and tables being prepared for those God desired to be with…
- Isaiah 1:19
“If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
- Isaiah 25:6
“And in this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees.”
- Psalm 23:5
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.”
- Matthew 22:2,4
“‘The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son… “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’”
- Revelation 19:9
“…‘Write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”’”
The Parable of the Great Feast
A way that Jesus revealed the truth and life of God’s Word was through parables.
In Luke 14, Jesus told the Parable of the Great Feast. It was about a Master who planned a great feast. He invited many to come. He prepared the table ahead of time and sent out invitations.
Understanding the Times
In this time, it was customary to send out an invitation that set the date long before the event. People would accept the invitation when it was first given before knowing the exact time.
The time to meet and take a seat at the feast table would be announced on the day of the great feast or festival. Then those who had accepted the invitation would wait for a servant to announce…
“The time has come! Pull up a seat to the prepared table! All things are now prepared for you!”
Dressed in their finest linens, they would journey to the Master’s house at the first call. They eagerly anticipate the commencement by joyfully pulling up their perfectly prepared seat to the table of the great feast.
This custom is reflected in verse 17 when the man “sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’” He had made all the preparations. The great feast was about to begin!
Excuses Led to Empty Seats at the Great Banquet
In the Parable of the Great Feast, Jesus explained that the Master was also eager to see all of those who had accepted the invitation. He was excited to bless those who were willing (by accepting the invitation) and obedient (to pull up a seat to the table) with the best produce of the land (see Isaiah 1:19).
Their Mindset Kept Them from Attending the Great Banquet
But something happened. Excuses were given instead of seats filled. The Master had hoped to see joyful faces gathered around his extravagantly prepared table. But people felt they had more important things to do…
- “But they all with one accord began to make excuses…”—Luke 14:18
This begs the question, if we have accepted the invitation of joining God’s covenant family by receiving the blood of Jesus our Messiah, will we accept the invitation to dine with Him? Do we have willing and obedient hearts?
In the Parable of the Feast, the Master was “angry” and hurt by the excuses and empty seats at his table. He told the servant to “go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind” (Luke 14:21b).
The servant obeyed and asked many to join. Yet there were still empty seats! So the Master sent out the servant again to “compel them to come.”
God Doesn’t Give Up. The Invitation to Join His Great Feast Is Extended!
It is clear that God is the “Master” in the Parable of the Great Feast. He is determined for you to enjoy the feast that He has prepared. He wants to fill His house. He wants to bless you… but you must come when He calls.
Looking at the Parable of the Great Feast in the Context of Passover
We know that feasts are important to the Lord.
There are blessings released when we dine together…
- “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.”—Acts 2:46
There is a command to keep to the Passover…
- “‘… You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.’”—Exodus 12:14
- “… For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast… with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”—1 Corinthians 5:7-8
Therefore… what shall we do?
God is restoring the spiritual heritage of your faith. He is making known to many the significance of His timeline and His ordinances. Many will argue that this is legalistic, and this is why we encourage you to pray, asking God to reveal His heart to you.
The Sincere Truth of the Invitation to the Great Feast
The truth is your Christian faith is birthed out of the Hebraic faith. Your Savior was Jewish and observed these ordinances, not because He had to, but because His heart was sincere and true, just as 1 Corinthians 5:8 says.
Do you understand the blessings of the invitation?
- You are grafted into Israel. Now you have the same covenant promises and inheritance that God released to them (see Romans 11)!
- You are adopted into God’s family. You were purchased by the blood of Jesus and are Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promise (see Galatians 3:29)!
- You are brought near to the Lord by the blood of Jesus. Once without hope, you now have hope as you share in the commonwealth of Israel and are brought into the covenant promises (see Ephesians 2:12)!
You have a covenant right, as a child of God, to experience the blessing of the Passover feast!
Passover is quickly approaching. Don’t let the enemy steal your invitation to the great feast. Don’t let him create an excuse that distracts you from the blessing that has been prepared for you.