Jesus had started telling a parable to the religious leaders (Matthew 22:1-3); it was about Himself and their wrong attitude (building on the wrong attitudes of previous generations) to God and His kingdom. The story is of a king who invites a chosen list of people to the marriage of his son. But they refuse to come. The wedding banquet had been prepared at great expense and so more servants were sent out to reissue the invitation.

The response was appalling. The intended guests either did not care, or they became angry that their own little plans were being upset by the king's command. They had no time for him, because their lives revolved around what they wanted to do. He was their king but they owed him no allegiance. The indifference of some was as culpable as the violence of others - because neither were willing to submit to the king's command. No king could tolerate such rebelliousness indefinitely, and time was running out. Their example could ruin not only his son's wedding but also the stability of the entire kingdom. So, he exercised his right to deal with the rebels. Sending in the army was effective: they were destroyed and so was their city.

Jesus was telling the clerics that Father God wanted them to trust His Word and obey what He said. But over many generations, through some 1,500 years since Moses received God’s Law, God’s people had refused to honour Him. Jesus gave them one last opportunity to respond with faith and love (Matthew 23:37). Alas, history tells the rest of the story: they refused to believe in Jesus and killed Him ... but then, in AD 70, the Roman General Titus destroyed the city of Jerusalem including the once-sacred temple - killing many and forcing the rest to work or to flee as exiles to many countries. Refusing God's command meant that they lost everything. This prophetic parable would have its first application within 40 years.

That bit of history is also another parable of God’s judgement of everybody at the end of time. While God is patient in waiting for rebels to come and submit to Jesus, His tolerance will eventually be replaced by an outpouring of His wrath (2 Peter 3:8-10). Hell is as real as heaven and awaits every rebel who refuses to repent. That second application should be alarming; and indeed, the message is intended to be stark. Refusal to come to Jesus is never a viable option because God's wrath is ready to be unleashed: only His mercy holds it back for a little while (Romans 1:18-20). That is why we must be quick to hear and obey God: it is also why the church must proclaim the gospel and exhort people to repent and come to Christ. Responding to God's invitation is not an option, it is a command with wonderful or terrible consequences depending on whether the invitation is accepted or refused. May this truth motivate and mobilise our living and mission today (2 Peter 3:11-14).