Tweet
The Wedding of the King’s Son (A Parable)
[from ''the way prepared'']
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
There was once a King, who was a powerful King over a great and mighty kingdom. He was a noble king, and he loved His subjects very much. The people likewise loved the King, and desired to come into His presence. All the people, from the least to the greatest, looked for any opportunity to be called to the King’s palace, and to be near unto Him.
One day, as the King’s Son came of age, the King began to plan for the wedding of His Son. So the King decided what He would do. The King would make public His intent for His Son to be married, and His promises of great Blessing and Favour toward the one who would become the new Bride.
Search for the Bride
The King then sent swift messengers throughout His vast kingdom, to announce the search for a Bride for the King’s Son. The messengers went from village to village, spreading the good news. A Bride would be chosen from among all the virgins in the Land!
Everyone in the Kingdom knew that the King was wealthy beyond imagination. Therefore ALL the virgins wanted to marry the King’s Son, because of His wealth and good fortune.
Everyone knew that, in time, the King’ Son would become King, and would rule over all the kingdom. What a great honour to be the Bride of the King!
However, the King began to realize that ALL the virgins desired to marry the King’s Son, but He knew there was only one virgin who would truly love Him. How would the King find out which one it was?
The King Devises A Plan
So the King devised a plan to find out which of the virgins would truly love the King’s Son. The King would produce a "Book of Wisdom" to be used throughout the Kingdom.
This Book of Wisdom would state the King’s requirements for a Bride. However, The King would also hide secret messages within His Book of Wisdom, that would reveal exactly what the King would "Delight" in.
The King’s intent was, that these hidden messages would be sought for, and would be found, only by the Bride who truly loved the King’s Son, but would not be noticed or understood by the rest of the virgins. Then the King sent, and distributed the Book of Wisdom throughout His vast Kingdom.
The King's Decree
The King then issued a Decree: "All the King’s subjects who disobey the King’s Book of Wisdom would be officially disqualified." Those disqualified must then "die" to the idea of being Bride to the King.
Immediately there arose a great outcry against the King’s Decree. "Impossible!" cried many of the virgins. "This is worse than death!" cried other virgins, who found it nearly impossible to go through such exhaustive preparation, and to obey such strict rules! The virgins all wanted to marry the King’s Son, but they had been accustomed to their freedom; and most desired to do only what was right in their own eyes.
The King's New Decree
Not long afterwards, however, a New Decree went forth from the King, canceling the Old Decree. The King would henceforth cancel the penalty of Disqualification He had pronounced earlier, against all those virgins who would disobey the King’s Book of Wisdom.
From this point forward, the virgins would no longer be required to keep these rules and requirements the King had written within His Book of Wisdom!
"Oh! What a wonderful King!" sang out all the virgins. There was rejoicing throughout the Kingdom, from one end of the Land to another! "Oh, what joy! The King has set us free from Bondage of the Old Decree! No longer must we meet these harsh requirements!" they all shouted with joy.
Now all the virgins loved the King even more. They all desired, even more than before, to marry the King’s Son; for now all the virgins had been set free from the Bondage of the King’s earlier edict!
Now, the King had been planning all along, exactly what He would do. He knew that there would be one virgin who truly loved the King’s Son, and the plan He devised would find out which virgin this was!
Although the King’s earlier Decree had been canceled, the King knew that the one virgin who truly loved His Son, would seek for, and find, these hidden messages the King had placed within His Book of Wisdom.
This virgin would find these messages, and would begin to practice, and to do voluntarily, everything she found that "delighted" the King. She would learn of the King’s "delights," and she would walk in obedience to the King’s Book of Wisdom — in spite of the King’s New Decree that canceled the virgins’ requirement to obey.
Then the King and His Son went away to a far country, with the promise that they would soon return, and take a Bride for the King’s Son.
Day by day, the Virgins read the King’s Book of Wisdom. Indeed, all the virgins read the Book, and became more and more familiar with the facts concerning the King and His Son, and of the Kingdom. Many even began to look diligently, to determine the day and hour of His return.
However, most of the virgins did not prepare themselves in doing those things the King truly delighted in — for the King’s Decree had set them "free" from the penalty of disobedience; and because they were no longer required to do any of those strict practices and Bridal preparations listed in the King’s Book of Wisdom, they ceased doing them.
The King knew, however, that one of the virgins would find, and do, what the King "delighted" in, just as the King’s Emissaries did; He knew that only one virgin would discover the Mystery of the King’s "Delight."
You see, before the King had left to go to a distant land, He had placed observers –"eyes" in every place, beholding the evil and the good. These went into in all the land, in order to look carefully, and to observe what each virgin was doing, day by day.
These observers would then report back to the King, and in this way the King would know what was in the heart of each virgin; even as the King had done with Hezekiah, one of His princes, that He might know all that was in his heart, so would the King do with the virgins. In this way, the King would know who truly loved the King’s Son, and who did not.
The Arrival of the King's Messengers
Finally, late one night, around midnight, the King’s Messengers were sent throughout the Land, to awaken all the virgins. "Behold! The Bridegroom Cometh!" announced the King’s Messengers. "Come ye out to meet Him!"
All these virgins began to awaken, and to put on their clothing, and to secure their lanterns. However, many of the virgins had a problem — they were not yet ready to go out into the dark of night for a journey of any length, for they had no oil for their lanterns!
Likewise, they had not prepared themselves, in practicing what the King "delighted" in. By the daily decrees of the watchers, by those who observed the virgins in their everyday lives, the King knew exactly who loved Him, and who did not.
Now, the King had known that all the virgins wanted to marry the King’s Son, but He knew most were "carnal," for they were not subject to the Decree of the King. They had shown that they did not truly love Him, by their lack of voluntary obedience.
There was one virgin, however, who truly loved the King. From the hidden messages placed within the King’s Book of Wisdom, she had understood exactly what preparation that the one virgin must have, who would become the Bride of the King. She knew that the goal of the King’s Decree is Love from a pure heart. She also knew that the King had written, "If you love me, keep My Decrees!"
She began to understand the hidden messages within the King’s book of Wisdom; for she had found, and had begun to walk in obedience, and to practice, the preparations found in the King’s Book of Wisdom — even though she was no longer required to do so. She had thus made herself "ready."
A Bride is Chosen
Then all those virgins that had no oil for their lanterns, separated themselves, to find the proper oil, and to do the last-minute preparation that is befitting a Bride. While all those virgins were gone, however, the Bride was taken: the one virgin was chosen, for she had truly shown her love for the King’s Son.
When all the other virgins returned, they asked that they, too, might go away to the Palace of the King, which was beautiful for situation, on a great and high Mountain, on the sides of the north, in the midst of the Kingdom.
"I regret to inform you," said the messenger who stood by the King’s carriage. "A Bride has already been chosen for the King’s Son."
"However, applications will be taken, beginning on the morrow, for virgins to follow the Bride, to come after her — virgins without number, as daughters among Honourable Women, and as Companions, as Bridesmaids, and as Guests."
"You may begin your preparation for this immediately. Good Day!"
And the King’s carriage, and the chosen Bride, and all the Bride’s procession, were carried away, to the palace of the King
[from ''the way prepared'']
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
There was once a King, who was a powerful King over a great and mighty kingdom. He was a noble king, and he loved His subjects very much. The people likewise loved the King, and desired to come into His presence. All the people, from the least to the greatest, looked for any opportunity to be called to the King’s palace, and to be near unto Him.
One day, as the King’s Son came of age, the King began to plan for the wedding of His Son. So the King decided what He would do. The King would make public His intent for His Son to be married, and His promises of great Blessing and Favour toward the one who would become the new Bride.
Search for the Bride
The King then sent swift messengers throughout His vast kingdom, to announce the search for a Bride for the King’s Son. The messengers went from village to village, spreading the good news. A Bride would be chosen from among all the virgins in the Land!
Everyone in the Kingdom knew that the King was wealthy beyond imagination. Therefore ALL the virgins wanted to marry the King’s Son, because of His wealth and good fortune.
Everyone knew that, in time, the King’ Son would become King, and would rule over all the kingdom. What a great honour to be the Bride of the King!
However, the King began to realize that ALL the virgins desired to marry the King’s Son, but He knew there was only one virgin who would truly love Him. How would the King find out which one it was?
The King Devises A Plan
So the King devised a plan to find out which of the virgins would truly love the King’s Son. The King would produce a "Book of Wisdom" to be used throughout the Kingdom.
This Book of Wisdom would state the King’s requirements for a Bride. However, The King would also hide secret messages within His Book of Wisdom, that would reveal exactly what the King would "Delight" in.
The King’s intent was, that these hidden messages would be sought for, and would be found, only by the Bride who truly loved the King’s Son, but would not be noticed or understood by the rest of the virgins. Then the King sent, and distributed the Book of Wisdom throughout His vast Kingdom.
The King's Decree
The King then issued a Decree: "All the King’s subjects who disobey the King’s Book of Wisdom would be officially disqualified." Those disqualified must then "die" to the idea of being Bride to the King.
Immediately there arose a great outcry against the King’s Decree. "Impossible!" cried many of the virgins. "This is worse than death!" cried other virgins, who found it nearly impossible to go through such exhaustive preparation, and to obey such strict rules! The virgins all wanted to marry the King’s Son, but they had been accustomed to their freedom; and most desired to do only what was right in their own eyes.
The King's New Decree
Not long afterwards, however, a New Decree went forth from the King, canceling the Old Decree. The King would henceforth cancel the penalty of Disqualification He had pronounced earlier, against all those virgins who would disobey the King’s Book of Wisdom.
From this point forward, the virgins would no longer be required to keep these rules and requirements the King had written within His Book of Wisdom!
"Oh! What a wonderful King!" sang out all the virgins. There was rejoicing throughout the Kingdom, from one end of the Land to another! "Oh, what joy! The King has set us free from Bondage of the Old Decree! No longer must we meet these harsh requirements!" they all shouted with joy.
Now all the virgins loved the King even more. They all desired, even more than before, to marry the King’s Son; for now all the virgins had been set free from the Bondage of the King’s earlier edict!
Now, the King had been planning all along, exactly what He would do. He knew that there would be one virgin who truly loved the King’s Son, and the plan He devised would find out which virgin this was!
Although the King’s earlier Decree had been canceled, the King knew that the one virgin who truly loved His Son, would seek for, and find, these hidden messages the King had placed within His Book of Wisdom.
This virgin would find these messages, and would begin to practice, and to do voluntarily, everything she found that "delighted" the King. She would learn of the King’s "delights," and she would walk in obedience to the King’s Book of Wisdom — in spite of the King’s New Decree that canceled the virgins’ requirement to obey.
Then the King and His Son went away to a far country, with the promise that they would soon return, and take a Bride for the King’s Son.
Day by day, the Virgins read the King’s Book of Wisdom. Indeed, all the virgins read the Book, and became more and more familiar with the facts concerning the King and His Son, and of the Kingdom. Many even began to look diligently, to determine the day and hour of His return.
However, most of the virgins did not prepare themselves in doing those things the King truly delighted in — for the King’s Decree had set them "free" from the penalty of disobedience; and because they were no longer required to do any of those strict practices and Bridal preparations listed in the King’s Book of Wisdom, they ceased doing them.
The King knew, however, that one of the virgins would find, and do, what the King "delighted" in, just as the King’s Emissaries did; He knew that only one virgin would discover the Mystery of the King’s "Delight."
You see, before the King had left to go to a distant land, He had placed observers –"eyes" in every place, beholding the evil and the good. These went into in all the land, in order to look carefully, and to observe what each virgin was doing, day by day.
These observers would then report back to the King, and in this way the King would know what was in the heart of each virgin; even as the King had done with Hezekiah, one of His princes, that He might know all that was in his heart, so would the King do with the virgins. In this way, the King would know who truly loved the King’s Son, and who did not.
The Arrival of the King's Messengers
Finally, late one night, around midnight, the King’s Messengers were sent throughout the Land, to awaken all the virgins. "Behold! The Bridegroom Cometh!" announced the King’s Messengers. "Come ye out to meet Him!"
All these virgins began to awaken, and to put on their clothing, and to secure their lanterns. However, many of the virgins had a problem — they were not yet ready to go out into the dark of night for a journey of any length, for they had no oil for their lanterns!
Likewise, they had not prepared themselves, in practicing what the King "delighted" in. By the daily decrees of the watchers, by those who observed the virgins in their everyday lives, the King knew exactly who loved Him, and who did not.
Now, the King had known that all the virgins wanted to marry the King’s Son, but He knew most were "carnal," for they were not subject to the Decree of the King. They had shown that they did not truly love Him, by their lack of voluntary obedience.
There was one virgin, however, who truly loved the King. From the hidden messages placed within the King’s Book of Wisdom, she had understood exactly what preparation that the one virgin must have, who would become the Bride of the King. She knew that the goal of the King’s Decree is Love from a pure heart. She also knew that the King had written, "If you love me, keep My Decrees!"
She began to understand the hidden messages within the King’s book of Wisdom; for she had found, and had begun to walk in obedience, and to practice, the preparations found in the King’s Book of Wisdom — even though she was no longer required to do so. She had thus made herself "ready."
A Bride is Chosen
Then all those virgins that had no oil for their lanterns, separated themselves, to find the proper oil, and to do the last-minute preparation that is befitting a Bride. While all those virgins were gone, however, the Bride was taken: the one virgin was chosen, for she had truly shown her love for the King’s Son.
When all the other virgins returned, they asked that they, too, might go away to the Palace of the King, which was beautiful for situation, on a great and high Mountain, on the sides of the north, in the midst of the Kingdom.
"I regret to inform you," said the messenger who stood by the King’s carriage. "A Bride has already been chosen for the King’s Son."
"However, applications will be taken, beginning on the morrow, for virgins to follow the Bride, to come after her — virgins without number, as daughters among Honourable Women, and as Companions, as Bridesmaids, and as Guests."
"You may begin your preparation for this immediately. Good Day!"
And the King’s carriage, and the chosen Bride, and all the Bride’s procession, were carried away, to the palace of the King