In the parable of wedding banquet, we can see a man who was not allowed to take part in the wedding banquet because he was not properly dressed for the ceremony. As we already know through the parable, all the parable contains the secret of the kingdom of heaven; and therefore, this parable is also about the kingdom of heaven. The person without wedding clothes was not allowed in the wedding banquet actually means he will not be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, all the guests or God’s people must properly dressed for the banquet to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Then what are the clothes that we must prepare and wear for heaven?
Wedding Clothes for God’s People
Matthew 22:8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
In this parable who are the guests, they are described as “chosen” people by God and they must be God’s chosen people who are allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, in this parable one was found to be not wearing wedding clothes and taken out from the wedding banquet and thrown out into the darkness (or Hell). Then what is the wedding clothes he did not prepare?
The bible teaches that people of the world can be divided into two groups: People who belong to God and people who belong to Devil. To distinguish them, spiritually different clothes are given to each of them to wear. If we look at a competition when two or more parties are involved in it, each team wear different costumes so that they can distinguish themselves from people of other group. Spiritually it is the same and in the spiritual level a war is going on between the armies of God and Devil. To distinguish them from each other spiritual clothes are given to each of them.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
In this spiritual war what is the clothes we should wear to let people know that I belong to God?
One Example From the Bible
We can see one example from the bible which was given to us to teach us how God will distinguish his people from the evil ones. And also through this God is teaching us the importance of clothes we choose to wear.
2 Kings 10:18 Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal. 20 Jehu said, “Call an assembly in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21 Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other.
Under the pretense that he was holding a great offering for Baal (the sungod which was worshiped by Ahab, the previous king), Jehu gathered all the Baal worshipers and prophets ultimately to kill and destroy them all in one day. So all the prophets of Baal gathered in the place of sacrifice and each of them were given special clothes to wear so that they could be easily recognized by everybody.
2 Kings 10:22 22 And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.
All the Baal worshipers were given special clothes to wear and then all of the people who were wearing the clothes killed at the moment without missing even one.
2 Kings 10:24 24 So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: “If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.” 25 As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: “Go in and kill them; let no one escape.” So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal.
In this way, all the Baal worshiper were separated from the worshipers of God and got destroyed completely.
Spiritual Clothes For the People of God
Even though this was fulfilled physically, this was given to us to teach us what is going to happen in the last days on the Day of Judgment when God is going to separate and destroy all the evildoers who belong to Devil.
Matthew 13:30 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
At the time of this spiritual harvest, those who are allowed to enter into the kingdom of heaven must wear spiritual clothes as sign to let the angels know that they are the ones that belong to God. Then what is the spiritual clothes and how can we get one? In the book of Revelation, God let us know about the spiritual clothes we must wear in the last days to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
According to the bible those who can enter into the holy city (or the kingdom of heaven) are the ones who would wash their robes and therefore we have to wear washed robes. What are the washed robes that we must prepare? Let us find out the mated verse to know the meaning correctly.
Revelation 7:9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Here John in the vision saw the chosen people of God who would be saved and would stand before God in the kingdom of heaven, gathered together from all the corners of the earth and they have one characteristic: white robes, in other words, they have washed their robes white. Therefore, we can say these are the same ones from Chapter 22 who were blessed to enter the heaven after washing their robes. Then how could they wash their robes white?
Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
The great tribulation must be the last disaster that would destroy the earth and the bible teaches the characteristic of the people who would be saved out of the disasters and enter into the holy city that is the kingdom of heaven: “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Therefore, the wedding clothes that we have to prepare for the Day of Judgment is the white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb.Then how can we wash our robe in the blood of the Lamb.
Passover and White Robes
According to the bible, we are sinners and because of our sins we became impure and unclean. Spiritually, we can say our robes got stained and dirty because of our sins. When our clothes are dirty with stains and dirt, we wash our clothes in the clean water to make them clean and white, right? In the same way, when our spiritual clothes are dirty and stained because of our sins, we have to wash them to make them white. Without making them white and clean, we cannot take part in the wedding banquet with our dirty clothes because the most essencial condition of the guests in the wedding banquet is that they must be clean and pure.
Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
The only way for God’s people to enter into the kingdom of heaven is to become the ornament of the bride in the wedding banquet and the qualification to be the ornament is purity and cleaness. There should not be any impure or unclean thing to be the people of God. When they made themselves pure and clean like this, then they can become the ornament for the bride and when the bride goes back to the heaven, they would be allowed to enter along with the bride.
Isaiah 49:17 Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. 18Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.
Then how clean and pure the linen should be to be the wedding clothes for the bride in the heavenly wedding banquet? The bride represents our Mother and the ornaments to reveal Mother’s glory should extremely good and high in quality. Any material which shows any impurity and stains would not be able to be used as ornament for Heavenly Mother. Then how can we–who are already stained and spotted with our sins–make us pure and clean to be the ornaments for God’s wedding ornaments? The bible says that we must wash ourselves with the blood of the Lamb. Then what is the blood of the Lamb that we must wash our robes with to make us clean?
The blood of the Lamb (or Jesus) that cleanses us our sins and impurity is the Passover through which we can receive the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:26 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Conclusion
Therefore, the robe we must prepare for the wedding banquet to enter into the kingdom of heaven is the clean robe washed of sins and impurities through the Passover bread and wine which represent the flesh and blood of Christ. Only those who cleansed themselves with the blood of Christ through the Passover are the ones who would be clean and bright to be the fine linen for the bride and they would be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven as ornaments for the bride. And also it is not just the Passover, but all the regulations of the new covenant such as Sabbath, Third Day, festivals which gives us the cleanseness. Therefore, let us keep the commands of God which would make us clean and beautiful enough to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
On that day everyone will receive a reward from God; he who keeps the feast and becomes cleansed will receive the Holy Spirit of the latter rain, and he who doesn’t keep it and remains unclean will receive the plagues.
From The Law of Moses and the Law of Christ by Christ Ahnsahnghong