How I love the Scriptures. My favorite ones are the ones that don’t seem to make sense. These Scriptures, once understood, are the dearest. Today we will present an explanation of one of these difficult Scriptures; this particular one gives us insight on the timing of the rapture (the taking up of the Bride of Christ).

You are probably familiar with the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew chapter 22. A king was preparing for his son’s wedding and had difficulty getting guests to come to the feast; but, finally the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came to greet the wedding guests, he saw a man who did not have on a wedding garment. The king called the man “friend,” and asked the man to explain why he didn’t have a wedding garment. The man was speechless, then the king had him bound and cast into outer darkness.

Obviously, what is being described here is the wedding feast which we will be attending in the very near future. But, this parable brings several intriguing questions to mind: Who was the man and how did the he get in to the feast? Why was he the only one without a wedding garment? Why was the man called “friend?” Why was the man speechless? And why was he cast into outer darkness considering the trouble the king had getting guests to attend? We will answer these questions in this blog/lesson and also show how this relates to end-time prophecy.

First of all, we need to determine who this man was. The only one who fits the role is Satan. Actually, he didn’t sneak in; he has been there since his creation. God created Satan as a guardian angel, one of the host of heaven. After sin was found in him and even after he deceived Adam and Eve, he still resided in, or, at least, had access to heaven. This can be easily proven by looking at Job chapter 1.

Satan has been the cause of much trouble for us; he is known as the “accuser of the brethren” and the “deceiver.” We have been promised that some day he will be gone. He, Satan, does not have the wedding garment (robe of righteousness) and he will not be allowed to stay for the wedding feast. His access to heaven will cease as so clearly stated in the Scriptures:

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world–he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

It is also interesting that the king called him “friend.” This is the same term that Jesus used with Judas when Judas betrayed Him. Satan betrayed God on day 7 of the creation. To understand this more completely, please read the parable of the “wheat and tares.” The way “friend” is used here denotes the fact that they knew each other and that they had, in the past, a close relationship.

So, this parable is a glimpse into our future: We have all been invited to the wedding feast in heaven. In order to get in we must do two things: (1) accept the invitation and (2) wear our wedding garments. These garments are given to us freely by Jesus. They represent His righteousness, that was paid for on the cross. One day the trumpets will blow and we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and rise to heaven for the greatest feast of all history. Shortly after we arrive, God the Father, will greet the guests and cast Satan out. Satan and his angels will all be thrown to earth while we are at the wedding feast. The earth will be a very unpleasant place with Satan and all of his angels roaming freely and in total control. I personally believe that all of God’s angels will leave the earth and attend the wedding feast; they won’t want to miss out and I don’t think God will require them to do so.

This is very good news for us; not only are we the guests, but we are also the bride. The King will make sure everything is just right.

Dear friends and children, this great day is coming soon: when we will be taken up to celebrate the wedding.

Song of Solomon 2:10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

We won’t have to worry about Satan anymore, because he will be cast out; his time will have run out. During this wedding feast, we will be with Jesus and we will be wearing our wedding garments, our robes of righteousness. We will be seated at the banquet table, and there will be a banner over us, and the banner will be “love.”

Song of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love