The first will be last,,,

In Luke 14: 16-24. KJV, a stern, censorious warning is given by Jesus to all those who hear and then refuse to accept His Father's invitation to come and partake of His Heavenly banquet, and this is in spite of them giving their reasons for doing so. Here we have another take on why the first will be last and the last first.

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Hello Derek,

In this parable, the First are NOT even Last because God says NONE of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper..... They all wanted to work and be married instead of eating from the Lord's Table - God's provision for them.

It's interesting that God has His servant call all the people that cannot WORK or be desired for marriage - the poor, maimed, halt, and the blind. All the ones rejected by the World. I love how they get to taste and eat the great supper of the Lord - God's provision for them.

I'm not sure if they would ever been called if the First had come. The poor, maimed, halt and blind are the minority because there was still room for more at the banquet table. God want's His house filled! I love it! God wants to provide for us - He's a Good Father!

This is an indictment of the nation of Israel, who had the most privileged position among all nations in relation to the true God.

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christcame, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Rom 9:3-5)

If anything, each and every Jew should have immediately believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. These were the men who were literally bidden to the Gospel feast for a very long time. They were "first" in every way. But because of their unbelief and hardness of heart, they became "last" so the Church became predominantly Gentile.

There is a lesson here for those who come on to Christian forums and steadfastly reject the truth from God's Word and the true Gospel. They will be "last" when all is said and done.

The naked unadulterated truth, mentally , spiritually and for some people physically. This is is what is required from the Lord. Forget about your worldly desires, traditions, conditioning, manmade religious doctrines, turn to him and him alone. The naked truth will set you free. Not mankind's version of the truth btw, Jesus version of the truth, which is holy and righteous.

You know something I have always loved about Jesus and is what taught me what it really is to be humble is that he is the king of kings the Lord of Lords the ultimate royal king and yet when he came here he did nothing for himself everything he did was in service to others and to God I mean think about that for a second it's so deep.

This may not be the best answer to the first shall be last but you know i wrote a poem recently about nature and in that poem God spoke through me about the nature of his nature and how it is akin to nature itself.
Nature is everywhere even in my neighborhood there are yards with flowers and trees and green grass I love to just soak it all in and in this poem he spoke to me about how it takes the humble and gentle at heart to see the deep hidden truths that is in nature we pass by nature all the time we walk on the grass and pass by the trees we like flowers but they still are little things to us.

And yet nature itself is like the true nature of God himself, he was never one to be boastful and adores the beauty in the little things, these things which are small to us are in fact in his eyes one of his most proud creations because they show the love and care humbleness and beauty in them.
Nature itself has many lessons to teach us it just takes us to have the heart to be able to see it, this is also how many who have such a heart are treated in this world. Like the grass we can be trampled on, like the trees we can be cut down, like the the flowers of the earth we are fragile and easi;ly bent and broken yet all these things show that simple beauty and serenity of his nature.

Those who shine this aspect of god radiate his love and wonder and life but are often overlooked stepped on and not understood but is the glory of God to hide the deep and hidden truths in such matters

He's going to set a good table too, all choice.

I have to agree with this estimation on truth.

Acts 3 - [look what Peter had to say (after Jesus died on the Cross) to "ye men of Israel" (v.12) who had yet to "repent" (v.19,13b,14,15)] -

Verse 26 "God, having raised up His servant, sent Him first to you, blessing you in turning away each of you from your wickednesses."


[note that this "raise" refers to His earthly ministry BEFORE His death on the Cross, that is, "raise" to a position of prominence (namely, "a prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me [like unto Moses]"), as in v.22 also "raise up unto you"; so "raise" is used in two distinct aspects in this chapter, one being BEFORE His death on the Cross, the other being AFTER His death on the Cross ("raised" from the dead)]

Does this add to the thread. If not ignore it but I do love these verses.

Isaiah 55:1-3

An Invitation to Abundant Life
1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.

love it, teachers often used this 'first shall be last and last shall be first' when herding children in a line. Of course the pushy children want to be first in line.

They then call the one at the back the 'back leader' and often the child right at the back who is last will get the goodies.

John the Baptist is a good example of the first will be last.