The Banquet

A banquet for the king was planned,
Many were invited.
Those who got an invitation,
Should have been delighted.

But on that day, no one arrived,
To glorify their king.
Instead they gathered at the gate,
And there, began to sing.

They sang of kingdoms of their own,
And coveted awards.
They sang of mansions in the sky,
With Heavenly rewards.

And wrapped up in their own affairs,
They could not hear Him call.
So busy tending to themselves,
They heard nothing at all.

They simple stood, and blocked the gate,
Each guest was held at bay.
"Only the worthy gather here!"
Is what He heard them say.

And none could breech this barrier,
The judgment of the crowd.
For sin is all one sees through eyes
So arrogantly proud.

When the king sent His messengers;
They were killed, one by one.
And when the prince chose to go out,
They even killed His son.

They made a spectacle of faith,
Their churches lined with gold.
Garish cathedrals soon rose up,
Designed to be extolled.

The King was cut off from the land,
The priests now spoke for Him.
They used His word to gather wealth,
With zeal, vigor, and vim.

And each church was like a kingdom,
With subjects of their own.
All promised heavenly rewards,
Reserved for them alone.

They judged man's guilt and innocence,
As if THEY knew the heart.
They used the King's own sacred book,
To break His world apart.

And so the King gathered them up
And cast them from His sight.
Left them wailing in the darkness,
In tombs devoid of light.

Then He held another banquet,
For any who remained.
They were brought into His palace,
Just as the King ordained.

But there amongst His guests was found,
So cleverly disguised,
A man who worshiped earthly wealth,
With greed the King despised.

The King ordered the man removed,
His fate would be the same
As those who had deceived the world
And judged it in His name.

And when the banquet feast was served,
The King thanked every guest.
He said: "This food is sanctified.
And you have all been blessed."

"Deceivers will be locked away,
Within that hollow pit.
And you shall live in harmony,
Until your King sees fit"

"To let them walk the earth again,
Though only for a while,
To see if you choose righteousness,
Over conceit and guile."

"If you hold to your convictions,
Their ways will not corrupt.
But if you are seduced again,
The end will be abrupt."

"For heaven is perfect place,
While sin supremely flawed.
Could things like greed, envy and pride,
Dwell in the house of God?"

"And if you try to bring them in,
That's where your path will end.
The King's house is for righteous souls,
Not those who just pretend."

And so the King excused his guests,
And a new age began.
The light of new Jerusalem
Shined on the world of men.

And peace reined for a thousand years,
No wars, no sin, no strife.
So mankind could appreciate
The sanctity of life.

And when the plagues were loosed once more,
They found no place to dwell.
So they were cast into the fire,
Lost to eternal hell.

Those who remained, flocked to the king,
Who removed Eden's sword,
And there they lived forevermore,
Together with the Lord.