God's Banqueting House from The
Night Watches by John McDuff. He brought me to the banqueting
house, and his banner over me was love. Song of Solomon chapter
2 verse 4. He brought me. All of grace. He justifies. He glorifies. The top stone is brought forth.
The banqueting house is entered with shouting, saying, Grace,
grace unto it. Believer, contemplate the journey
ended, the course finished, the victory won. Seated at the marriage
feast of the Lamb in glory, guest talking to guest with bounding
hearts, recounting their Lord's dealings on earth, the watchwords
circulating from tongue to tongue. He has done all things well.
Angels and archangels too will be participants in that banquet
of glory, and bright seraphs who never knew what it was to
have a heart of sin or to shed a tear of sorrow. But, for this
reason, there will be one element of joy peculiar to the redeemed,
into which the other unfallen guests cannot enter, the joy
of contrast. How will this present world's
great tribulations augment the bliss of a world at once sinless
and sorrowless? How will Earth's woe-worn cheek,
and sin-stricken spirit, and tear-dimmed eye enhance the glories
of that perfect state, where there is not that symbol of sadness,
nor the solitary trace of one lingering teardrop? Then will
be realized that sweet paradox. They rest. They rest not. The rest without a rest. They
rest. The eternal pause and cessation
from all the feverish disquietudes of this world's sins and sorrows. All that would disturb the rapture
of a holy repose. And yet it is but the restless
activity of holiness, the divine energy of beings whose grand
element of happiness is employment in the service and executing
the will of God. In this they seize not day or
night. It is sublimely said of the God
before whom they hymn their anthems and cast their crowns that he
inhabits the praises of eternity. My soul, seek often to ponder
in the midst of your days of sadness the joys of that eternal
banqueting house. He will wipe every tear from
their eyes. There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain. One moment at that banquet table,
one crumb of the heavenly manna, one drought from the river of
life, and all the bitter experiences of the Valley of Tears will be
obliterated and forgotten. Look upwards even now and behold
your dear Lord preparing for you this glorious feast of fat
things. Do not be troubled. There are
many rooms in my father's home, and I am going to prepare a place
for you. When everything is ready, I will
come and get you, so that you will always be with me where
I am. He has himself entered the banqueting
house as a pledge and forerunner of the coming guests. He, the
first sheaf of the mighty harvest, has been waved before God in
the Temple of the New Jerusalem as a pledge of the immortal sheaves
still to be gathered into the heavenly garner. The invitation is issued. Come,
for all things are ready. The feast has been prepared,
and choice meats have been cooked. Everything is ready. Hurry to
the wedding banquet. Breeder. Prepare for the feast. Suitably attire yourself for
such a glorious banquet. Put on your beautiful garments,
the righteousness of Jesus, without which you cannot be accepted,
that holiness of heart, without which no one can see the Lord. Soon shall the little hour of
life's unquiet dream be over. And then, oh the glorious surprise
of being ushered into that banqueting table, to know forever the blessedness
of those who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
With the prospect of such joys awaiting me in the morning of
immortality, with the dark nights of death before me, and the grave
my couch, I should be able to say even of its lonely chamber. I will both lie down and sleep
in peace. For you alone, O Lord, make me
live in safety. Psalm 4 verse 8