Tammy's Notes: A Table Prepared

I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table

with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 8:11

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet – Matthew 22

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son He sent his servants to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. Again, he sent out other servants and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: See, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went away,
one to his own farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged …

Reading these two passages fills my heart and imagination with joy and anticipation! At the same time I am saddened at those who reject the invitation. It seems inconceivable that some would choose not to attend. They did not value the King and his Son and want to celebrate with them – they didn’t see the honor of being invited – the free meal and feast to partake. What did they have to do that was more important or more amusing? (Luke 14 also shares this parable.)

It’s absolutely amazing to think our Heavenly Father is preparing as special feast FOR US! Not only will we see God fully – the most awesome experience - but we will meet all the incredible characters we have read and studied about in the Bible. In addition, all the family and friends who have died in Christ will also be in their resurrected bodies joining us at the banquet table. Our loving Savior will take a servant role - Jesus himself will serve us!

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns.

Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and

will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.

Luke 12:37

Come to the Table - Michael Card

We have given the thought of preparing a table much attention in our household of late. My husband has been diligently working on building a table for our daughter and her family. She wanted a large table for daily living and big family gatherings – they plan to host the annual Thanksgiving meal. It has been a labor of love for this father. This table project was the source of reflection in writing this blog.

How Deep the Fathers Love for Us - Stuart Townend

When thinking of a banquet table – a wedding feast – I envision a beautiful covering.

I am also reminded of this verse:

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Song of Solomon 2:4

A chuppah (Hebrew: חוּפָּה‎, pl. חוּפּוֹת, chuppot, literally, "canopy" or "covering"), also huppah, chipe, chupah, or chuppa, is a canopy under which a Jewish couple stand during their wedding ceremony. ... A chuppah symbolizes the home that the couple will build together.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuppah

The Chupah Song (Official Video) The Wedding Song - Pinny Schachter

In My Father’s house are many rooms.
If it were not so, would I have told you that
I am going there to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and welcome you into My presence,
so that you also may be where I am.

John 14:2-3

The Marriage of the Lamb

…Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen,” linen bright and pure. For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Revelation 19:7-9

~~~~~~~~~~

Wedding Banquet Thoughts – Mainstream News Highlights Jesus’ First Miracle

I shared my recent thoughts of a wedding feast and banqueting table:

A Table Prepared
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son …”
Matthew 22
http://tammyjdub.blogspot.com/2018/09/a-table-prepared.html

I deliberated whether to include the miracle at Cana in my essay or these recent media reports in my blog. I didn’t, but now am adding them as an addendum. It’s quite fascinating when Jesus and historical Israel are making the mainstream news in a positive light.

May this news report cause people to dig into the Bible and reflect on miraculous works of the Messiah.

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine – The first miracle at a wedding

John 2:1-3, 11

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

11 Jesus performed this, the first of his signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

https://biblehub.com/john/2-1.htm

IS THIS where Jesus performed water into wine miracle? Archaeologists in Israel uncover tunnels they say could be true location of Wedding at Cana

According to Gospel of John, Jesus changed water into wine at Wedding at Cana

Pilgrims have believed site of miracle to be Kafr Kanna, a town in northern Israel

But experts believe the Cana of biblical times may be a hillside five miles north

Tunnels at Khirbet Qana are marked with crosses and references to 'Lord Jesus'

For hundreds of years, pilgrims have believed the site of the miracle to be Kafr Kanna, a town in northern Israel, where they visit the 20th-century 'Wedding Church'.

But the true location has long been debated – and now archaeologists believe the Cana of biblical times may be a dusty hillside five miles further north.

'For the Gospel of John, Cana is in some ways, Jesus' safe place or operational centre. It is a place he and his disciples return to when they encounter resistance in Judea.

'I would argue our excavations warrant at least a reconsideration of the historical value of John's references to Cana and Jesus.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6114063/Experts-Israel-uncover-tunnels-say-spot-Jesus-turned-water-wine.html

- IMAGES

https://biblewalks.com/sites/khirbetcana.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khirbet_Qana

Recent media reports:

Mystery of Jesus turning water to wine REVEALED as archeologists ...
Express.co.uk-Aug 30, 2018
“I would argue our excavations warrant at least a reconsideration of the historical value of John's references to Cana and Jesus.” ...
Is this where Jesus turned water into wine? Lost tunnels unearthed in ...
The Sun-Aug 30, 2018
Mysterious secret tunnels could be site 'where Jesus turned water into ...
Mirror.co.uk-Aug 30, 2018
Archeologists Believe They Found the Site of Jesus' First Recorded ...
Faithwire-Aug 30, 2018
Is this where Jesus performed water into wine miracle?
WND.com-Aug 30, 2018
BIBLE BOMBSHELL: Archaeologists unearth site of Jesus' 'water into ...
Highly Cited-Daily Star-Aug 30, 2018
Tunnels 'where Jesus turned water into wine' found
Mumbai Mirror-Aug 31, 2018
According to the Gospel of John, Jesus changed water into wine during the Wedding at Cana. For hundreds of years, pilgrims have been ...
'Jesus Christ turned water into wine in a mysterious tunnel'
International Business Times, India Edition-Aug 31, 2018

March 4, 2020 – The residents of Castelvetro, a small village about 10 miles south of Modena in northern Italy, awoke [Italian source Wed., March 4] morning to find Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro — a sparkling red wine — coming from their taps, the local newspaper, Gazzetta di Modena, reported.

What happened? Was it another wedding miracle?

https://triblive.com/news/world/wine-flows-from-water-taps-in-small-italian-town - https://youtu.be/Tl_MbktjTjM

La mattina del 4 marzo -https://gazzettadimodena.gelocal.it/modena/cronaca/2020/03/04/news/castelvetro-settecani-dal-rubinetto-di-casa-esce-lambrusco-grasparossa-1.38549905?refresh_ce

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee

John 21:2 - https://biblehub.com/john/21-2.htm

Kana: Cana, a city in Galilee

Original Word: Κανᾶ, ἡ - https://biblehub.com/greek/2580.htm

Joshua 19:28 - Asher's Inheritance

It went on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.

and Kanah; this Kanah is generally thought to be the same where Christ wrought his first miracle, John 2:1.

Qanah: a wadi between Ephraim and Manasseh, also a city in Asher

Original Word: קָנָה - https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7071.htm

Although none of the Synoptic Gospels mention the marriage at Cana, Christian tradition based on John 2:11 holds that this is the first public miracle of Jesus.^[2] It is considered to have symbolic importance as the first of the seven signs in the Gospel of John by which Jesus' divine status is attested, and around which the gospel is structured.

Locations which are candidates for historical Cana are:

· Kafr Kanna, in Galilee

· Khirbet Qana, also called Kenet-l-Jalil, also in Galilee

· Ain Qana, Southern Lebanon

· Qana, Southern Lebanon.^[13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_at_Cana

https://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/cana.html

https://www.bible-history.com/links.php?cat=40&sub=530&cat_name=Bible+Cities&subcat_name=Cana

VIDEOS

The First Miracle - Archeology Confirms Historicity of Bible

Maranatha Morning Published on Aug 30, 2018 https://youtu.be/aNWvTl_r4so

Experts in Israel uncover tunnels they say could be the spot where Jesus turned water into wine