Fatal Banquets, by Carl Knott

Fatal
Fatal Banquets
Fatal Banquets
Carl Knott
Scripture records cases of banquets

Banquets
that were the last meals of people who were “eat and drink,
unprepared for eternity. Like many today, they for tomorrow we die”
valued the physical and temporal above the
spiritual and eternal.
The Lord Jesus Christ declared that “the
life is more than meat” (Lk. 12:23). We must eat
in order to live, and doing so isn’t sinful, but we
should not live to eat. Everything, even eating
and drinking, should be done for God’s glory
(1 Co. 10:31).
The author guides us to consider those
fatal meals, and other blessed meals, and the
lessons they offer us.
Carl Knott
73-0121
Apartado 75
41720 Los Palacios y Villafranca,
SE, España
Apartado 78
Estelí 31000, Nicaragua Carl Knott
Fatal Banquets-cover.indd 1 14/01/2021 11:55:58
Fatal
Fatal Banquets
Fatal Banquets
Carl Knott
Scripture records cases of banquets

Banquets
that were the last meals of people who were “eat and drink,
unprepared for eternity. Like many today, they for tomorrow we die”
valued the physical and temporal above the
spiritual and eternal.
The Lord Jesus Christ declared that “the
life is more than meat” (Lk. 12:23). We must eat
in order to live, and doing so isn’t sinful, but we
should not live to eat. Everything, even eating
and drinking, should be done for God’s glory
(1 Co. 10:31).
The author guides us to consider those
fatal meals, and other blessed meals, and the
lessons they offer us.
Carl Knott
73-0121
Apartado 75
41720 Los Palacios y Villafranca,
SE, España
Apartado 78
Estelí 31000, Nicaragua Carl Knott
Fatal Banquets-cover.indd 1 14/01/2021 11:55:58
Fatal Banquets
Fatal
Banquets
Carl T. Knott
1
Fatal Banquets-text.indd 1 25/10/2020 10:38:51

Fatal Banquets
title in Spanish: Banquetes Fatales
Fatal Banquets
copyright © 2020 Carl T. Knott
all rights reserved
published for free distribution
Libros Berea
Apartado 75
41720 Los Palacios y Villafranca, SE
España (Spain)
ISBN: 978-1-7359932-1-8
Impreso en España
Originally printed in Spain
All Bible quotations are from the King James Version
cover photo:: eli-eshaghi-oc97BfPli9o-unsplash.com

Fatal Banquets
Contents
Preface 5
Introduction 9
1. Pharaoh’s Birthday Party 19
2. The Last Banquet of Job’s Children 21
3. Esau’s Costly Meal 25
4. A Fatal Meal in the Desert 27
5. Samson’s Nuptial Banquet 31
6. Nabal’s Banquet 35
7. Solomon’s Sumptuous Feasts 37
8. The Banquets of the Ungodly Rich 39
9. The Banquets in Samaria 41
10. Jerusalem’s Final Banquets 47
11. Belshazzar’s Last Meal 51
12. The Banquets of Ahasuerus 55
13. Esther’s Banquets 57
14. Herod’s Birthday Feast 59
15. The Cancelled Banquet 63
16. The Rich Man’s Banquets 65
17. Those Excluded From Great Feasts 69
18. The Macabre Banquet of Armageddon 73
19. All In Vain 75
20. Blessed Banquets 79

Fatal Banquets
Preface
W ho doesn’t like to eat? This book should

not be taken as a criticism of eating,
but of the priority that many give it.
The writer has been blessed to be a
guest in homes and assemblies in different
parts of the world, and has enjoyed the loving
care of many. Thank the Lord for the service of
sisters who care for the saints, in their homes,
in conferences and special meetings, where
they have worked tirelessy to feed a multitude.
The times are innumerable that we
have enjoyed fellowship, sharing a meal
and visiting with brethren. But without the
ministry of the cooks, we would have gone
away hungry. These faithful souls who work
in the kitchens, often unseen, remind me of
Zabdi and Joash (1 Chron. 27:27-28), who
were in charge of the cellars of wine and of oil
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in David’s kingdom. Few ever saw them, but

they provided for the palace and the temple. In
Mark 9:41 our Lord promised, “For whosoever
shall give you a cup of water to drink in my
name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say
unto you, he shall not lose his reward.” We have
received much more than a cup of water, and
enjoyed Christian fellowship, and for it all we
give thanks.
– Carl T. Knott
July 2020

Fatal Banquets
“It is better to go to the house of mourning,

than to go to the house of feasting: for that is
the end of all men; and the living will lay it
to his heart.”
Ecclesiastes 7:2

Fatal Banquets
Introduction

“...let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall

die.” (Isaiah 22:13).
T hose were the words of the unrepentant

inhabitants of Jerusalem when threatened
with divine judgment. They express the atheistic
philosophy of existentialists and hedonists.
To be clear, it isn’t evil to eat and drink.
We all must do so to live. God our Creator in
His great goodness provided abundant food
in Eden for Adam and Eve. “And out of the
ground made the LORD God to grow every tree
that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food”
(Gen. 2:9, 16). God made our palate and gave
us the ability to taste and enjoy food. When
we do, we should know Who to thank, “Who
giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth
for ever!” (Psa. 136:25).
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Fatal Banquets
But we shouldn’t live to eat. The first

sin was not idolatry, blasphemy or murder,
but simply eating something that God
had forbidden. This shows how important
obedience is to any divine command, even
in what people consider “little things,” like
eating and drinking – daily activities. In
Matthew 6:31-32 Christ teaches His disciples
not to fret about things like food. “Therefore
take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or,
What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall
we be clothed? For after all these things do the
Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things.” Our
heavenly Father made us and knows us well.
He understands that we need to eat. David
declared, “I have been young, and now am old;
yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor
his seed begging bread.” (Psa. 37:25).
Isaiah 62:9 promises that the time will
come for the nation of Israel when “they that
have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the
LORD; and they that have brought it together
shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.” Acts
2:46-47 describe how the believers ate together
after Pentecost. “...breaking bread from house
to house, did eat their meat with gladness and
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Fatal Banquets
singleness of heart, praising God...” All believers

should follow their example.
The Lord Jesus attended a wedding in
Cana of Galilee, and on such festive occasions
there were banquets. When they ran out of wine,
He performed His first miracle and changed
the water to wine – not grape juice – but good
wine, the best! (Jn. 2:10). During His years in
Galilee He took many meals in Peter’s home
(Mt. 8:14-15; Mk. 3:20; 6:41)Later, in John 12:1-3
they made Him a supper in Bethany, and He ate
with the other guests. He also ate in the home
of Zaccheus the publican (Lk. 19:1-8), who was
converted on that occasion. Christ also accepted
invitations to eat in the homes of Pharisees (Lk.
7:36; 11:37; 14:1). But unlike many who cite His
example to justify acceptation invitations to eat
with the unsaved, He used these opportunities to
evangelize and teach. Dinner-table conversation
was His specialty.
In Mark 7:19 Christ made all foods clean.
The apostle Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 10:25
to eat whatever is sold in the market, “asking
no questions for conscience sake.” Again verse
27 instructs, “whatsoever is set before you, eat,
asking no question for conscience sake.” We may
have dietary restrictions for medical reasons,
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Fatal Banquets
for example, high blood pressure or allergies,

and such should be observed. But there are no
spiritual restrictions (cf. 1 Cor. 8:8). 1 Timothy
4:4-5 affirms, “For every creature of God is good,
and nothing to be refused, if it be received with
thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of
God and prayer.”
Gluttons and Excessive Eaters
Nevertheless, it is wrong and vulgar to

eat and drink without restraint, with gluttony
and spiritual carelessness. There are those
whose god is their belly (Phil. 3:19). Many
are careless about their souls, and concerned
only about eating and other pleasures. Even
among professing Christians, there are many
who abstain from all alcohol and yet overeat.
Perhaps they forget that Scripture equally
condemns drunkenness and gluttony. Their
obesity and paunches testify against them,
and bring physical afflictions and health
problems. Deuteronomy 21:20 commands
the treatment of a son who is “a glutton, and
a drunkard.” Both are sins. “For the drunkard
and the glutton shall come to poverty” (Prov.
23:21). The Cretians were known as “alway
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Fatal Banquets
liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” [Gr. “gasthr”

, all stomach, gluttons] (Tit. 1:12). The
prophet Isaiah called the shepherds of Israel,
“dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying
down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy
dogs which can never have enough...” [strong
of appetite, insatiable] (Is. 56:10-11). Such
pastors are found today among evangelicals.
There were herds of false prophets that ate
well at Jezebel’s table (1 Ki. 18:19) while God’s
prophet Elijah was fed by ravens and by a
poor widow. The prophet Micah denounced
those that “make my people err, that bite with
their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth
not into their mouths, they even prepare war
against him” (Mic. 3:5).
In Luke 21:34 the Lord Jesus warns
His followers: “And take heed to yourselves,
lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares
of this life”. The apostle Paul taught thus:
“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in
rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering
and wantonness, not in strife and envying...”
(Rom. 13:13). Observe how gluttony and
drunkenness are both sins of the flesh. It isn’t
a question of not eating or drinking at all.
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Fatal Banquets
Simply put, gluttony is excessive eating, and

drunkenness is excessive drinking.
Of course, it’s better to abstain than to
become enslaved to food or drink. “All things are
lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient:
all things are lawful for me, but I will not be
brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12).
In 1 Corinthians 8:9 we have another
important point, the consideration of our
brethren. We are taught not to use our
liberty in a way that causes a weak brother to
stumble.Brotherly love is to be shown at all
times.
In everything the rule for the believer
is, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give
none offence...” (1 Cor. 10:31-32). In Colossians
2:20-22 we read:
“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ

from the rudiments of the world, why, as
though living in the world, are ye subject
to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not;
handle not; Which all are to perish with
the using;) after the commandments
and doctrines of men? ”
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Fatal Banquets
However, the Lord commands that

believers abstain, not from eating, but from
eating with certain people. “But now I have
written unto you not to keep company, if any
man that is called a brother be a fornicator,
or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a
drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one
no not to eat” (1 Cor. 5:11). “Eat thou not the
bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither
desire thou his dainty meats” (Prov. 23:6)
The apostle John expressed this
blessing, “Beloved, I wish above all things that
thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as
thy soul prospereth” (3 Jn. 2). The priority is
the soul, not the body nor the stomach.
It’s odd to note how when crisis
comes, as we have seen lately, the first and
only thing that many people do is panic and
rush to purchase and stockpile food. They
seek food before God. The Lord teaches His
own not to worry about such things [“take no
thought” Mt. 6:25 means “be not anxious”].
But short-sighted worldlings do the opposite,
they worry and panic saying, “What shall we
eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed? ” (Mt. 6:31). In contrast,
those who belong to Christ have His promise:
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Fatal Banquets
“...your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have

need of all these things.” (Mt. 6:32).
In John’s Gospel the disciples brought
food to our Lord by the well of Samaria saying,
“Master, eat” (Jn. 4:31). Note His reply. “I have
meat to eat that ye know not of ” (v. 32). They
didn’t grasp His meaning, so He explained,
“My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,
and to finish his work” (v. 34). The spiritual
takes precedence over the temporal, the
divine over the human, the eternal over the
temporal. Even believers can have mistaken
priorities, as did those disciples.
But the outright neglect of the spiritual
life and relationship with God is a fatal error
committed by unbelievers everywhere. Those
who pass into a lost eternity will not be
consoled by what they ate, drank or wore in
this life. Let us consider some fatal banquets
that were the last suppers of certain poor
souls.
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Fatal Banquets
18

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Pharaoh’s Birthday Party

(Gen. 40:20-22)

I n Genesis 40:20 we read of the Pharaoh’s

feast: “And it came to pass the third day,
which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made
a feast unto all his servants”. Some religious
groups forbid birthday celebrations. But the
Scriptures condemn worldliness, carnality
and excesses, not birthdays.
Everyone has birthdays, and it’s a good
thing to humbly recognize that life is a gift from
God. The believer can lift up his heart to the
Lord and say, “Ebenezer” (1 S. 7:12), thus far has
the LORD helped us. The years of our lives are
also a stewardship to be wisely administered.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may
apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psa. 90:12). “...
As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deut.
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Fatal Banquets
33:25). We should thank Him for His gracious

care.
The celebrations of kings and other
affluent people tend to be lavish and excessive.
It does not bother them to spend more on one
special meal than others have to spend on
food for months.
Pharaoh’s birthday was a special
occasion also for two of his officials who had
been imprisoned under suspicion of a plot
against him. Sometimes on festive days a king
would show clemency and release a prisoner.
It was a happy day for the cupbearer, or chief
butler (v. 21) who was released from prison
and restored to his service, just as Joseph had
interpreted his dream (v. 13).
The chief baker also was released from
prison, but not to be restored. For him, that
day of the royal banquet was fatal. Perhaps
he thought he also would enjoy the feast and
resume his work in the palace. But Pharaoh
had other plans for him. “He hanged the chief
baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them” (v.
22). Pharaoh’s birthday banquet had a bitter
surprise for the baker.
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Fatal Banquets
The Last Banquet of

Job’s Children’s (Job 1:3-19)
J ob’s sons and daughters, accustomed to

their father’s affluence (Job 1:3), enjoyed
frequent banquets. “And his sons went and
feasted in their houses, every one his day; and
sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to
drink with them” (Job 1:4). In contrast to their
father, nothing is said of their spiritual life –
only their social life is mentioned. In this they
are like some children of believing parents in
our times. However, Job was concerned about
their spiritual condition, as verse 5 indicates.
“And it was so, when the days of their

feasting were gone about, that Job sent
and sanctified them, and rose up early
in the morning, and offered burnt
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offerings according to the number of

them all: for Job said, It may be that my
sons have sinned, and cursed God in
their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”
When God allowed Satan to test

Job and touch all that he had (1:12) the
Omniscient knew that Satan would take the
lives of his children, and He permitted it. That
was one of the greatest tragedies and losses
for Job. All his children died suddenly at the
table. Apparently the food was the only thing
they prepared on that day.
Some parents have to face the loss of
one or more of their children in life. Jacob lost
Joseph for many years when his brothers sold
him into slavery. The father in the parable of
the prodigal son lost his younger son for a
time. Such separations are painful, but there
is the hope of restoration. However, others
know the unspeakable sorrow of the death of
a son or daughter. But Job and his wife are at
the top of the list, because they buried seven
sons and three daughters on the same day. We
can only imagine what they felt.
Job 1:13 reports, “And there was a day
when his sons and his daughters were eating and
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drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house”.

This was nothing new, just their custom.
Then the news reached Job, “Thy sons and thy
daughters were eating and drinking wine in their
eldest brother’s house: And, behold, there came a
great wind from the wilderness, and smote the
four corners of the house, and it fell upon the
young men, and they are dead; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee” (Job 1:18-19). Job’s
children died in one of their banquets – with
their mouths full – with food and drink on the
table. They never knew that the end was near,
nor had time to prepare themselves for death.
In an instant they were launched into eternity.
Nothing is told us of their spiritual condition.
We only know that their father was concerned
and interceded daily for them.
How sad to emphasize social life and
think only of food and drink, filling the mouth
and stomach and leaving the soul empty and
lost! Many commit this fatal error. But sadder
still are the cases of those with believing parents
like God’s servant Job, yet are lost because they
care more about the good life, good food and
music, partying with friends, than their eternal
souls. None of the things they care about will
accompany them in eternity.
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Fatal Banquets
“...for one morsel of meat sold his

birthright.” Hebrews 12:16
24

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Esau’s Costly Meal

(Gen. 25:27-34)
N o one ever paid more than Esau did for

a plate of lentils. It wasn’t a banquet, just
a red pottage, yet for Esau it was both the
simplest and most expensive meal of his life.
He was faint and hungry when he returned
from the field (vs. 29-30). Seeing and smelling
the cooking stew, he said, “Feed me, I pray thee,
with that same red pottage” (v. 30). But Jacob,
coveting the birthright, saw his opportunity
and responded, “Sell me this day thy birthright”
(v. 31). Esau’s reaction revealed his values and
priorities. “Behold, I am at the point to die:
and what profit shall this birthright do to me?”
(v. 32). He exaggerated. He wasn’t about to
die if he didn’t eat that very instant. He was
impatient, unwilling to wait. He despised the
25

Fatal Banquets
birthright that was enriched by the promises

of God to Abraham and Isaac. It was more
important to satisfy momentarily his physical
appetite than any other thing. So he ate and
drank, arose and left. God summarized the
event by saying, “Thus Esau despised his
birthright” (v. 34).
His will always be an example of the
error of valuing the temporary above the
permanent, the physical over the spiritual.
For a few minutes of physical pleasure he
lost everything, when he “for one morsel of
meat sold his birthright” (Heb. 12:16). The
New Testament calls Esau a “profane person”,
that is, one who does not value the spiritual
and sanctified. In his Expository Dictionary,
W. E. Vine indicates that this refers to one
lacking any relationship or affinity with God.
His scale of values was exposed by a plate of
lentils. Judas Iscariot betrayed the Lord for
thirty pieces of silver – a horrible price and a
most wicked deed – on the other hand, Esau
sold everything for a plate of lentils!
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A Fatal Meal In The Desert

(Num. 11)

G od liberated His chosen people Israel, and

led them out of Egypt. He miraculously
guided and sustained them in the desert. He
gave them manna to eat, bread from heaven,
His special provision (Ex. 16). No one else in
the history of the world has ever been fed like
Israel. But before they reached the promised
land, the book of Numbers reports,
“And the mixt multitude that was among

them fell a lusting: and the children of
Israel also wept again, and said, Who
shall give us flesh to eat? We remember
the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely;
the cucumbers, and the melons, and the
leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
27

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But now our soul is dried away: there is

nothing at all, beside this manna, before
our eyes” (Num. 11:4-6).
Their memory was twisted and selective,

for they said “we did eat in Egypt freely.” Had
they so soon forgotten the whiplash, the hard
forced labor and their cries and sighs? Was it
really worth it to return to slavery in Egypt just
to eat tastier food? Psalm 78:18 describes this
incident. “And they tempted God in their heart
by asking meat for their lust.” They despised
the manna that God provided, and demanded
of Moses: “Give us flesh, that we may eat”
(Num. 11:13). Note how God responded to the
ungrateful, complaining, crying people.
“Sanctify yourselves against to morrow,

and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept
in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who
shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well
with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will
give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall
not eat one day, nor two days, nor five
days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
But even a whole month, until it come
out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome
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unto you: because that ye have despised

the LORD which is among you, and have
wept before him, saying, Why came we
forth out of Egypt?” (Num. 11:18-20)
This meat-lovers banquet was the final

meal for many of them. They tempted God,
speaking against Him, complaining about His
provision and questioning His power, saying,
“Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” (Psa.
78:19). Numbers 11 gives us the rest of the story
of that fatal meal.
“And there went forth a wind from the

LORD, and brought quails from the
sea, and let them fall by the camp, as
it were a day’s journey on this side, and
as it were a day’s journey on the other
side, round about the camp, and as it
were two cubits high upon the face of
the earth. And the people stood up all
that day, and all that night, and all
the next day, and they gathered the
quails: he that gathered least gathered
ten homers: and they spread them all
abroad for themselves round about
the camp. And while the flesh was yet
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between their teeth, ere it was chewed,

the wrath of the LORD was kindled
against the people, and the LORD
smote the people with a very great
plague. And he called the name of that
place Kibrothhattaavah: because there
they buried the people that lusted”
(Num. 11:31-34).
This is not some detail of history

that has nothing to do with us. In the New
Testament the inspired apostle Paul puts this
example before the Corinthians to teach them
and us. “Now these things were our examples,
to the intent we should not lust after evil things,
as they also lusted.” (1 Cor. 10:6). Verse 11
repeats the idea for emphasis. “Now all these
things happened unto them for ensamples:
and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come.”
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Samson’s Nuptial Banquet

(Judg. 14:10-19)
S amson, divinely gifted with great physical

strength, failed because he obeyed the desires
of his eyes (v. 2) and his flesh. He entered an
unequal yoke with a Philistine woman, simply
because her appearance pleased him.
He is not the only person who ever
married an attractive face or figure and later
discovered an ugly character. We’re told that
God permitted this to happen, but that doesn’t
mean it was good. Remember that in the days of
the judges every man did that which was right
in his own eyes, and one of the great lessons
of the book is that we should not live that way.
Obviously we live in a world where God permits
much sin and error, but He will sovereignly
triumph regardless of our straying. No one is
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authorized to follow the sad example of Samson.

That is not the lesson God has for us.
When the days of the wedding festivities
arrived, Samson followed the Philistine culture
and made a seven day feast (v.s 10, 12), “for so
used the young men to do.” Many young people
think they should do what their peers are doing.
This banquet was costly for everyone.
Apparently Samson’s parents had to pay for it all
(vs. 3, 5, 10), and gave food and drink to thirty
Philistines for seven days. Samson presented the
guests with a riddle, an enigma, and when they
could not answer it, they threatened his bride
with death if she didn’t give them the answer.
Fearing for her life, and faithful to her nation
rather than to her espoused husband, she used
emotions and nagging to manipulate him daily
(v. 16). When he told her the answer (v. 17),
she immediately gave it to her countrymen and
they escaped the embarrasment of having to pay
Samson.
But Samson answered by going
Ashkelon, killed thirty Philistines, and gave
their clothing to his guests (v. 19). Filled with
anger, he abandoned his wife and returned to
his parents’ home. His wife was given to his
companion (v. 20) whom he had treated as his
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friend. Later, in response to another attack by

Samson, the Philistines burned his wife and her
father (Judg. 15:6). It was a foolish relationship,
divinely forbidden, based on selfish desires, and
ended tragically for all involved.
The New Testament continues this line
of teaching, and plainly warns us not to enter
in to any unequal yoke (2 Cor. 6:14-7:2). The
Spanish have a saying: “Better alone than in bad
company.”
The emphasis is on the experience, not
the relationship. A lavish wedding and banquet,
sparing no cost, with videos and photos of all the
smiles and laughs, and a fabulous honeymoon.
“Make a memory!” Then after a brief time,
when the entertaining experience is past, reality
settles in and divorce comes. Some say about
such marriages, “At least they were happy for a
while”. This is an existentialist, hedonist attitude.
“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” But
remember, after death comes judgment (Heb.
9:27), and no banquet can soften that terrible
blow.
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Nabal’s Banquet
(1 S. 25:36-38)

N abal descended from Caleb, but godliness

is not inherited (v. 3). He was a wealthy
land and livestock owner who lived in Carmel
(v. 2), but was obstinate, cruel and evil. Boaz
and his servants blessed one another (Ruth
2:4), but not so with Nabal and his servants (1
Sam. 25:17). He manifested selfish ingratitude,
and expressed scorn for David and his men.
This of course incited David to anger, just as
Proverbs 15:1 says.
But one of his workers informed Abigail
his wife (v. 14), and she, being wise, hurried
to take gifts to David and seek to assuage his
wrath. By doing so she saved many lives. When
she returned to Nabal, “behold, he held a feast
in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s
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Fatal Banquets
heart was merry within him, for he was very

drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less
or more, until the morning light” (v. 36). Nabal
feasted like a king! He did not have “godliness
with contentment” (1 Tim. 6:6). The following
morning, when his wife told he what she had
done, he had an ungodly reaction, “his heart
died within him, and he became as a stone” (v.
37). Perhaps it was a paralysis or heart attack,
we cannot know. What we do know is that
about ten days later “the LORD smote Nabal,
that he died” (v. 38).
His grand sumptuous feast only served
to highlight his selfishness and hardness
toward others, since he had so much but was
unwilling to share. In the end his body became
as his heart – cold and hard (remember 3 Jn.
2). Nabal lived and died selfishly, and what
good did his last great banquet do him?
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Fatal Banquets
Solomon’s Sumptuous Feasts

(Eccles. 2)

S olomon began his reign well and God

abundantly blessed him. But later he
abused his gifts and blessings, and used them
for his own carnal pleasure. Samson abused
the strength God gave him, and Solomon
abused the riches and wisdom that God gave
him. The book of Ecclesiastes describes his
vain pursuit of happiness and satisfaction in
things “under the sun”, that is, living selfishly
and leaving God out. “I said in mine heart, Go
to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore
enjoy pleasure” (Eccl. 2:1). “I sought in mine
heart to give myself unto wine” (Eccl. 2:3). He
amassed riches, built gardens and pools of
water, had many servants, and sought pleasure
in music. He studied many subjects and wrote
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Fatal Banquets
about them like a great philosopher or erudite.

He provided for every physical pleasure. “And
whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from
them, I withheld not my heart from any joy” (v.
10). We can only imagine the exquisite feasts
of the great Solomon. But after he had tried
everything that money can buy, he declared,
“behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit,
and there was no profit under the sun” (v. 11).
None of these things satisfied his spirit
or brought him lasting joy. We ought to learn
what Christ teaches us. “The life is more than
meat, and the body is more than raiment.” (Lk.
12:23).
Many spend countless hours eating,
drinking, socializing and entertaining
themselves. Later their unprepared empty
souls pass into a lost eternity, where none will
remember what they ate while on earth.
“But godliness with contentment is

great gain. For we brought nothing
into this world, and it is certain we can
carry nothing out. And having food and
raiment let us be therewith content” (1
Tim. 6:6-8).
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Fatal Banquets
The Banquets of
the Ungodly Rich (Psa. 73)
A s we have seen, there are ungodly and

wicked people who have everything.
Asaf ’s Psalm describes them thus, “Their
eyes stand out with fatness” (v. 7). They are
not lacking in food or other commodities,
but in self-control and the fear of God. Their
opulence is visible in their face and bulging
eyes. Everything is going well for them. “They
have more than heart could wish” (v. 7). They
prosper in the world and increase in riches (v.
12).
But it is only that way for a short time.
Theirs is a temporary, fleeting prosperity. The
day of their judgment and eternal poverty is
coming. James 5:1-3 warns that their miseries
are coming.
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Fatal Banquets
They have great feasts, and enough

food to throw away, but nothing of eternal
value. The psalmist explains: “When I
thought to know this, it was too painful for
me; until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then understood I their end. Surely thou didst
set them in slippery places: thou castedst them
down into destruction. How are they brought
into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly
consumed with terrors” (vs. 16-19).
Proverbs 15:17 counsels, “Better is a
dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox
and hatred therewith.” Proverbs 23:1-3 warns,
“When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider
diligently what is before thee: and put a knife to
thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are
deceitful meat.” And verse 6 commands,
“Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an
evil eye” [a miser], and verse 8 warns, “The
morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit
up.” “Better is a little with righteousness” (Psa.
37:16; Prov. 16:8).
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Fatal Banquets
The Banquets in Samaria

(Am. 4 and 6)

T he prophet Amos was sent from Tecoa,

in the south of Judea, to the northern
kingdom of Israel, to denounce their sins and
announce coming judgment. They lived in
idolatry, opulence and hedonism, opressed
the poor and behaved perversely. Amos
announced,

“Thus saith the LORD; For three
transgressions of Israel, and for four,
I will not turn away the punishment
thereof; because they sold the righteous
for silver, and the poor for a pair of
shoes; That pant after the dust of the
earth on the head of the poor, and turn
aside the way of the meek: and a man
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Fatal Banquets
and his father will go in unto the same

maid, to profane my holy name: and
they lay themselves down upon clothes
laid to pledge by every altar, and they
drink the wine of the condemned in the
house of their god” (Am. 2:6-8).
Later the prophet denounced the

women of nobility, the society women of
Samaria, for their cruelty, arrogance and
excesses. “Hear this word, ye kine [cows] of
Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria,
which oppress the poor, which crush the needy,
which say to their masters, Bring, and let us
drink” (Am. 4:1). They were like fattened
cows, but their time was up, and instead of
feast they would have chastisement. It was not
Amos who criticized them, but God.
“The Lord GOD hath sworn by his

holiness, that, lo, the days shall come
upon you, that he will take you away with
hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
And ye shall go out at the breaches, every
cow at that which is before her; and ye
shall cast them into the palace, saith the
LORD” (Am. 4:2-3).
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Fatal Banquets
The prophet proceeded to denounce

the preocupation of those in Samaria with
eating and drinking, luxurious houses,
music and other pleasures. They had lost all
sensibility and sensitivity.
“Ye that put far away the evil day, and

cause the seat of violence to come near;
that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch
themselves upon their couches, and eat
the lambs out of the flock, and the calves
out of the midst of the stall; that chant
to the sound of the viol, and invent
to themselves instruments of musick,
like David; that drink wine in bowls,
and anoint themselves with the chief
ointments: but they are not grieved
for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore
now shall they go captive with the first
that go captive, and the banquet of
them that stretched themselves shall be
removed” (Am. 6:3-7).
Divine judgment was near, severe punishment,

yet they only thought of feasting – eating,
drinking and making merry with their
favorite music.
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Fatal Banquets
It’s the same today. God’s judgments on

this world draw nearer day by day and hour by
hour. The dark storm clouds of judgment are
already on the horizon. Yet people are occupied
with eating, drinking, and entertainment. They
only worry about being bored. The apostle Paul
described this lost generation, which today
includes the well-known “millennials” and the
youth of “generation Z” who live on social media
and sponging off others, while on their way to
perdition.
“...as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity

of their mind, having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life
of God through the ignorance that is in
them, because of the blindness of their
heart: who being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness”
(Eph. 4:17-19).
They aren’t interested in knowing

God’s truth, but they will know judgment and
eternal punishment, where there will be no
banquets, parties, music or movies.
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Fatal Banquets
“For this ye know, that no whoremonger,

nor unclean person, nor covetous man,
who is an idolater, hath any inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let
no man deceive you with vain words:
for because of these things cometh
the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience” (Eph. 5:5-6).
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Fatal Banquets
10
Jerusalem’s Final Banquets

(Isa. 22:12-14)

I n visions of God the prophet Isaiah saw the

Babilonian armies come against Jerusalem.
They were sent by God in judgment for the
inhabitants’ many sins and refusal to listen and
repent. In the year 722 B.C. God had judged
the northern kingdom, Israel, just as Amos
and others had warned. Samaria was levelled
and Israel was taken away into captivity, never
to return. “The LORD removed Israel out of
his sight, as he had said by all his servants the
prophets” (2 Ki. 17:23). But then Jerusalem and
Judah were guilty of the same sins and worse,
and did not heed God’s warnings and reproofs.
Instead of learning from what happened to
Samaria, they continued on their fatal course
(Jer. 3:6-8; Ezek. 23:11). Even the pagan city
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Fatal Banquets
of Nineveh had repented at the preaching

of Jonah (Jon. 3; Lc. 11:32), but Jerusalem
hardened before multiple messengers from
God and their repeated exhortations (cf. Jer.
7:25-26). Therefore Isaiah announced,
“And in that day did the Lord GOD of

hosts call to weeping, and to mourning,
and to baldness, and to girding with
sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness,
slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating
flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and
drink; for to morrow we shall die. And it
was revealed in mine ears by the LORD
of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not
be purged from you till ye die, saith the
Lord GOD of hosts” (Is. 22:12-14).
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “To everything

there is a season”, but when God announced
the time for repentance, they continued with
their banquets and festivities. They were
unwilling to give up their festivities, but they
should have followed Nineveh’s example.
“So the people of Nineveh believed

God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on
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Fatal Banquets
sackcloth, from the greatest of them even

to the least of them. For word came unto
the king of Nineveh, and he arose from
his throne, and he laid his robe from
him, and covered him with sackcloth,
and sat in ashes. And he caused it to
be proclaimed and published through
Nineveh by the decree of the king and
his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor
beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing:
let them not feed, nor drink water:
But let man and beast be covered with
sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God:
yea, let them turn every one from his
evil way, and from the violence that is
in their hands. Who can tell if God will
turn and repent, and turn away from
his fierce anger, that we perish not?”
(Jon. 3:5-9).
Judgment fell on Jerusalem because

the people wouldn’t heed God’s messages sent
through His prophets. How vain their eating
and drinking turned out to be when they lay
dead in their sins!
Things are not different today. God
warns through His Word, and through
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Fatal Banquets
judgments that are signs of what is coming,

but people continue to be preoccupied only
with what they will eat and drink, with
clothing and entertainment. They prefer to
enter eternity having eaten well, rather than
having salvation. They prefer the top forty
worldly songs instead of the four Gospels of
Jesus Christ. They receive not the love of the
truth that they might be saved (2 Thess. 2:10).
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11
Belshazzar’s Last Meal

(Dan. 5)

B elshazzar was the son of Nabonidus and

grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Scripture
at times uses the term “son” to mean
“descendent.” Nabonidus had left his son in
charge of Babylon and gone to fight elsewhere.
The Medes and Persians advanced and
beseiged Babylon. The Bible and the Greek
historial Xenophon report that Belshazzar
ordered a celebration, perhaps a vain show
of confidence in Bablyon’s strong defenses
and abundant provisions. Little did he know
that that was his last night on Earth. As the
shadow of divine judgment darkened the city,
“Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a
thousand of his lords, and drank wine before
the thousand” (Dan. 5:1).
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Fatal Banquets
To make matters worse, “Belshazzar,

whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring
the golden and silver vessels which his father
Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple
which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his
princes, his wives, and his concubines, might
drink therein” (v. 2). This great company of
drunken, gluttonous idolaters spent their last
hours in pagan festivites, eating, drinking,
singing and praising their heathen gods. It
wasn’t unlike some Christmas and New Year’s
celebrations.
Then God intervened. Suddenly there
appeared a hand writing on the wall (v. 5). In
great fear and trembling they finally called
Daniel to interpret the writing (v. 12). Notice
that Daniel was not at the party socializing
with them, but separated from them as a
saint should be. He addressed the foolish
regent respectfully, but disdained his offers of
reward (v. 17). He then reproved Belshazzar
who had not humbled himself before God as
Nebuchadnezzar had learned to do.
“And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast

not humbled thine heart, though thou
knewest all this; But hast lifted up
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Fatal Banquets
thyself against the Lord of heaven; and

they have brought the vessels of his
house before thee, and thou, and thy
lords, thy wives, and thy concubines,
have drunk wine in them; and thou
hast praised the gods of silver, and gold,
of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which
see not, nor hear, nor know: and the
God in whose hand thy breath is, and
whose are all thy ways, hast thou not
glorified” (Dan. 5:22-23).

Then came the divine sentence,
“MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN”.
“This is the interpretation of the thing:

MENE; God hath numbered thy
kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou
art weighed in the balances, and art
found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom
is divided, and given to the Medes and
Persians” (vs. 26-28).
That same night the drunken

Belshazzar died, with his stomach full and his
heart empty. He failed to humble himself in
the face of danger. That famous fool celebrated
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Fatal Banquets
in Babylonian luxury and excess, and died

at the end of his banquet. How many are
like him? They see trouble coming, but only
think of eating and drinking, not of humbling
themselves to seek God.
Gustave Doré:
Daniel interprets the writing on the wall
in Belshazzar’s banquet. Daniel 5
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Fatal Banquets
12
The Banquets of Ahasuerus

(Est. 1)

K ing Ahasuerus (Xerxes), ruled over the vast

empire of the Medes and Persians, from
India to Ethiopia (Est. 1:1). Desiring to make a
show of his greatness and riches, he celebrated
a royal banquet that lasted one hundred eighty
days (vv. 3-4). Immediately following that, he
made another banquet for seven more days (v.
5) and queen Vashti made a banquet for the
women at that time (v. 9). But on the last day
of the second banquet, Ahasuerus called Vashti
to come and be publicly admired her beauty,
perhaps as if she were a trophy wife. It was the
imprudent demand of an inebriated man, and
she refused, and lost her crown.
At the end of those banquets Ahasuerus
had no queen and Vashti had no throne. They
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Fatal Banquets
ate, drank, celebrated, and then behaved

unwisely and were separated.
Today also many enjoy banquets and
entertainment (supper and a show), but their
social life is a mere facade. They smile in
public and snarl in private. They enjoy eating
and drinking and being entertained, as an
escape from their unhappy and purposeless
reality.
Food and drink do not solve a
person’s fundamental problems. In Maslow’s
heirarchy, illustrated by a pyramid, food –
the physiological – is considered a basic and
principal need. But the Lord Jesus Christ
declared to Satan (and his slaves): “Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word of
God” (Lk. 4:4). This is precisely what many are
lacking, not bread, but the Word of God.
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Fatal Banquets
13
Esther’s Banquets
(Est. 7)
A hasuerus decreed the first banquet for

Esther, to celebrate her selection and
coronation as queen (Est. 2:18). Then the
conflict arose between Haman the Agagite
and Mordecai the Jew, Esther’s cousin. Haman
hatched a plot to destroy all the Jews, and
worked to get royal approval.
But God, although He isn’t named in
the book, was working providentially. He
always has the last word, and remembers
His promises to Abraham (Gen. 12:3). So it
was that queen Esther made two banquets to
intercede for her people, the Jews, and invited
only the king and Haman. On the first occasion
she asked for nothing except that the king
and Haman come to a second banquet, and
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Fatal Banquets
promised to then present her petition. This

strategy caused anticipation and underscored
the importance of her pending petition.
Haman, the enemy of the Jews, left
that first banquet happy and full of self
importance, since he alone was invited to
join the king and queen. He was ignorant of
Esther’s plan to isolate, expose and condemn
him. He thought of the exclusive company, his
great privilege and perhaps the menu, but felt
no pangs for the terrible holocaust that he had
put in motion.
But Esther’s second banquet was fatal
for Haman – his final meal. Over dinner Esther
exposed and denounced Haman for his evil
plan to annihilate the Jews. King Ahasuerus
was so surprised and angry that he arose and
went out into the palace garden. When he
returned he found Haman imprudently fallen
on Esther’s bed to plead for his life (Est. 7:7-
8). Seeing him there, he condemned him to
death. Haman went from the banquet to the
gallows and never digested what he had eaten.
He died on the gallows he had ordered built
to hang Mordecai (Est. 5:14), and once again
God’s promise to Abraham was kept (Gen.
12:3).
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14
Herod’s Birthday Feast

(Mt. 14:6-11)

H erod also had a grand birthday

celebration. Some believe that because
the Bible only mentions the birthdays of
Pharaoh and Herod, that birthday celebrations
are evil. This is their deduction, not a Bible
doctrine. Scripture doesn’t speak for or against
birthdays, but it says plenty about sensuality,
excesses and waste. For example, in many
Hispanic countries when a girl turns fifteen
(“quinceañera”), the celebration tends to be
excessive and ostentatious, like a pagan rite of
passage. All birthdays of unconverted people
have a note of sadness, because whether they
recognize it or not, they mark up another
year of sin and are a year closer to death and
judgment. Believers’ birthdays could and
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Fatal Banquets
should be times of humble gratitude for the

years that God has given (Psa. 90:12), for His
mercy, goodness and grace, and for the hope
we have before us.
Herod Antipas, son of Herod the great,
was raised in Rome alongside his brothers
Archelaus and Philip. His father descended
from the Edomites – Israel’s enemies. Antipas
divorced his wive and married Herodias, his
brother Philip’s wife. The rich and powerful are
accustomed to doing as they please, and believe
themselves to be in a special class apart from
regular folk. But John the Baptist, a man sent from
God, reproved Herod (Mt. 14:4). “It is not lawful
for thee to have her.” For this the king desired
to kill him (v. 5), but as a typical politician, “he
feared the multitude,” what reaction there might
be and how his popularity would be affected.
Herodias hated John, and wished to kill him
(Mk. 6:19). John was imprisoned, but Mark 6:20
informs us that “Herod feared John, knowing that
he was a just man and an holy, and observed him;
and when he heard him, he did many things, and
heard him gladly.”
Then Herodias, seething and biding
her time, saw her opportunity. “And when
a convenient day was come, that Herod on
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his birthday made a supper to his lords, high

captains, and chief estates of Galilee” (Mk.
6:21). Typical of the excesses of the rich and
powerful, there was plenteous food, drink,
music with sensual dancing by Herodias’
daughter (Mt. 14:6). Herod was pleased and
unsuspectingly promised to give her whatever
she requested. The trap was sprung! “And she,
being before instructed of her mother, said,
Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger”
(Mt. 14:8). Herodias, a resentful woman and
champion grudge-holder, got her revenge!
Herod was sad but yielded rather than go
back on his oath and be socially disgraced.
Anyway, John was not popular with the rich
and powerful society people. At the end of
that licentious banquet John was decapitaded
in the prison, and only his head went to the
banquet hall, on a platter.
Herod also used the royal court to
mock and disdain the Messiah, our Lord
Jesus, because he remained silent and refused
to do anything to entertain them (Lk. 23:7-
11). Later on, for various reasons Caesar
demoted Herod and he died in exile. Worse,
he will never enter heaven, and where people
like him go, there are no banquets.
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Jan Luyken
The Parable of the Rich Fool. Luke 12
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15
The Cancelled Banquet

(Lk. 12:19-20)

A rich fool planned a great banquet –

probably many of them – but never
enjoyed even a mouthful. When his ground
brought forth plentifully, instead of thinking
of God or others, he thought only of self,
and so he said, “Soul, thou hast much goods
laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,
drink, and be merry” (v. 19). He planned and
provided to be able to retire in comfort and
style, full and happy! “But God said unto him,
Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required
of thee: then whose shall those things be, which
thou hast provided?” (v. 20).
He died without another banquet.
Everything was thought out and prepared,
except for his spiritual condition. He
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thought of resting, eating, drinking and

enjoying himself. Perhaps he thought of
taking up some hobby. But he was a fool
because he gave no thought to his soul, God,
judgment or eternity. He entered eternity
without a banquet and without salvation.
That same night God took his life. He lost all
his possessions, and worst of all, he lost his
soul.
Friends and brethren, the Lord Jesus
Christ warns us, “Woe unto you that are full!
for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh
now! for ye shall mourn and weep” (Lk. 6:25).
There is something more important than a
comfortable retirement with abundant food.
Time is short. The Lord is coming. Judgment
and eternity draw near. We should think
of serving God and saving souls, not of
vacationing, retiring and banqueting. “And
take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that
day come upon you unawares” (Lk. 21:34).

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16
The Rich Man’s Banquets

(Lk. 16:19-31)

T here was another rich man who had

daily banquets. But dying well-dressed
in a comfortable home with a full stomach
is no consolation. “There was a certain rich
man, which was clothed in purple and fine
linen, and fared sumptuously every day” (v.
19). This is not a parable nor an allegory, but
the true story of an affluent man who lost
everything. What luxurious foods adorned
his table, not occasionally but “every day” and
“sumptuously”! Only God knows how much
he spent on fine clothing and food, how much
he ate, and how much he threw away! What
is certain is that although he had many rich
leftovers, he never helped Lazarus who was
not in some distant place, but “laid at his gate”
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(v. 20). He was selfish. He thought only of

what was on his plate. Perhaps like some folk,
he assumed that if he had food so did everyone
else, and if he had eaten so had everyone else.
Neither God, nor his neighbor, nor his
soul, nor eternity were important to him, but
only his stomach and personal comfort. He was
well-dressed in the latest expensive fashion
and well-fed daily, but he died poorly. “The
rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell
[lit. Hades] he lift up his eyes, being in torments”
(vs. 22-23). He did not go to Hades because he
was rich, nor for what he ate, but for his sins,
his selfishness, hardness and impenitent heart
(Rom. 2:5).
We should remember that our
condition before God is not based on what we
eat or don’t eat. 1 Corinthians 8:8 clarifies, “But
meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if
we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not,
are we the worse.” Sadly there are still those who
believe and teach that if we don’t eat or drink
certain things, we will be accepted before God.
They are mistaken. Christ’s doctrine is clear:
“Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever

thing from without entereth into the
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man, it cannot defile him; Because it

entereth not into his heart, but into the
belly, and goeth out into the draught,
purging all meats?” (Mk. 7:18-19).
Spiritual contamination is in the heart,

not in food or drink. We are not speaking of
medical issues but of spiritual ones. So many
are careless about their spiritual condition,
and only think of eating, drinking and
enjoying themselves. This rich man lived for
physical pleasures. If you asked him, he likely
would have said he believed in God. But in
practice he lived like an atheist, like many
today. He died unrepentant and unbelieving,
and for this he was, and is still condemned.
When he opened his eyes, he was a
prisoner in the antechamber of Hell – that
is, Hades – alone, thirsty, tormented by
flames and by memory. He is still there today,
centuries later, waiting for the judgment of
the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15).
In life he had his good things, dressed
well, ate well, lived luxuriously, but did not
seek God nor care about those around him.
Here we see the result of a life centered in
elegant clothing, luxuries and fine food. He
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is a fool who enters eternity unprepared,

without seeking or drawing near to God,
without repenting and believing the gospel,
and without forgiveness and eternal life.
But the sad truth is that even today the
majority of people, rich and poor, die like they
live. Their daily cares are food, comfort and
health. Rich and poor alike covet temporal
things, but are careless about their eternal souls.
The parable of the wedding feast. Matthew 22

by the Dalziel brothers
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17
Those Excluded
From Great Feasts
(Mt. 22:1-14; Lk. 14:16-24)

O n several occasions the Lord Jesus

compared the kingdom of heaven to a
feast, a banquet or great supper. God prepared
everything, and the invited had only to come
and enjoy it. “All things are ready; come unto
the marriage” (Mt. 22:4). But those who were
invited did not want to go, so they ignored
the invitation (vs. 3, 5), and made strange
excuses. Note that their absence was NOT
because they weren’t invited, or were unable,
rather the problem was in their will. God’s
gospel invitation goes out genuinely to all, but
no irresistible grace forces or draws anyone.
Israel, God’s elect nation, is the main
invited guest, but in the parables the servants
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are sent “into the streets and lanes of the city”

(Lk. 14:21). The servants obeyed, but there
was still room. So the Lord said, “Go out into
the highways and hedges, and compel them to
come in, that my house may be filled” (v. 23).
This illustrates God’s universal evangelistic
invitation, and His desire, not for a limited
number, but “that my house may be filled.” The
gospel is “the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek” [Gentile] (Rom. 1:16). There
is room in His house for everyone.
But make no mistake. There is a
condition. Not election, but faith. We must
believe to be saved, and faith is not a gift of
God, but a divinely given capacity and human
responsibility (Jn. 3:18). It has no merit, but
it is necessary in order to be born again and
see the kingdom of God. Therefore the Lord
warns that He will not admit into Heaven
those who do not believe, who are not clothed
with God’s righteousness.
“And when the king came in to see the

guests, he saw there a man which had
not on a wedding garment: And he
saith unto him, Friend, how camest
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thou in hither not having a wedding

garment? And he was speechless. Then
said the king to the servants, Bind him
hand and foot, and take him away, and
cast him into outer darkness; there shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For
many are called, but few are chosen”
(Mt. 22:11-14).
It is because they do not believe that

they are not chosen, not vice versa. God calls
all to repentance and faith, and all could be
saved because Christ tasted death “for every
man” (Heb. 2:9). However, He only saves
those who believe (1 Tim. 4:10). God elects
the believers “to be holy and without blame
before him in love” (Eph. 1:4). In Scripture
election never refers to the unbelievers; it is
not the cause but the result of faith. It is as
simple as that, regardless of how theologians
have complicated and obscured the matter.
But there are many who are in a
Christian family, or have Christian friends,
or who even meet with Christians and imitate
them, yet they themselves are not truly
converted. They believe, like the uninvited
guest in the parable, that all is well because
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they’re in good company. But the Lord
will remove them and cast them into outer
darkness, where there will be great anguish.
So close, and yet lost! Together for a time, but
apart for eternity!
In the great banquet of salvation there
is room for all, but only those who repent and
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will enter.
How sad that some with great knowledge will
not be there, not because God doesn’t want
them, but because they did not accept His
invitation to the great supper!
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18
The Macabre Banquet

of Armageddon
Rev. 19:17-21

A gruesome feast is coming. Humans will

not participate, but rather scavenging
birds of prey – vultures. They will be God’s
special invited guests, to eat the host of
cadavers after the great battle of Armageddon.
First, unclean spirits will gather “the kings
of the earth and of the whole world” to that
place, for “the battle of that great day of God
Almighty” (Rev. 16:14). Jesus Christ will then
come from heaven in righteous judgment
and destroy that great army. Thus we read in
Revelation 19:17, “And I saw an angel standing
in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying
to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven,
Come and gather yourselves together unto the
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supper of the great God.” The menu will not be

suitable for vegetarians, but for meat lovers.
But the meat on that day will be gruesome.
They will gorge on “the flesh of kings, and the
flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on
them, and the flesh of all men, both free and
bond, both small and great” (Rev. 19:18).
All earth’s armies, with their
insignificant weapons and technology, will
oppose the coming of Christ to reign. But
they will be destroyed, and the day of man
will end with the strangest banquet in history.
It is useless to oppose Jesus Christ and the
kingdom of God. All opposition will end in
death, and He will reign forever. This is bad
news for the politicians and the powerful of
this world, but it is sweet music to the ears
of the believers, the faithful. We continue to
pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.”
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19
All in Vain
(Mk. 8:36)

T hose who go from banquets and luxury

to a lost eternity will have no happiness,
no contentment, no peace, no blessing, no
salvation. In life they emphasized food, drink,
fashion, luxury and entertainment. With their
stomachs full, they reclined in satisfaction, not
to be bothered with seeking God. Likewise
many today make light of spiritual things, scoff
at the gospel and those who preach it, and are
irritated if they have to listen to God’s warnings.
All such are fools, and unless they
repent and believe, they will be forever lost.
Theirs is not a lifestyle to imitate. Unless you
separate from them and come humbly to God
through His Son Jesus Christ, your end will
be like theirs. The world is full of vanities that
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occupy and amuse those who live without God.

Existencial and hedonist philosophy says, “let
us eat and drink, for to morrow we die” (1 Cor.
15:32). Today they’re content because they have
food, drink, and music. They’re right, they will
die soon, but then what? They’re unprepared
for eternity, and completely deceived about
their condition. None who lie in eternal
torments console themlves remembering their
banquets or social life. There they lament that
their god was their belly (Phil. 3:19), and that
they neglected their soul. “For what shall it
profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give
in exchange for his soul?” (Mk. 8:36-37). They
have no answer. God warns:
“Love not the world, neither the things

that are in the world. If any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in
him. For all that is in the world, the lust
of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but
is of the world. And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof: but he that
doeth the will of God abideth for ever”
(1 Jn. 2:15-17).
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What use were all the meals and

entertainment? “The kingdom of God is not
meat and drink...” (Rom. 14:17). Filling the
mouth and stomach is not how to prepare for
the future. If you eat well, but lose your soul,
“what shall it profit?” Esaú sold his birthright
for a plate of food. Today both rich and
poor imitate his priorities – they despise the
gospel, forgiveness and spiritual life. To them,
as to Easu, the temporary is mor important.
Proverbs 1:32 warns, “For the turning away of
the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of
fools shall destroy them.”
Some have the deplorable habit of
attending church meetings expecting to get
something to eat. Others attend meetings just
to meet their friends, and from there go out
to eat together. They look anxiously at their
watches and hope the preacher finishes soon,
because they want to get to the restaurants
before there is a line. On one occasion the
disciples encouraged Christ to eat when He
was evangelizing, but He answered, “I have
meat to eat that ye know not of. ” (Jn. 4:32).
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Gustave Doré:
Abraham and the 3 men.
Genesis 18
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Fatal Banquets
20
Blessed Banquets
(Rev. 19:9; Psa. 23)

A gain, it isn’t wrong to eat and drink.

Without a doubt there are meals in
good fellowship and banquets that are special
occasions of blessing. We’ll conclude by
considering just a few, and leave the reader to
search out the rest in Scripture.
For example, in Genesis 18 we read that
the LORD visited Abraham in Mamre, and
he made a great feast for his three heavenly
guests. In typical Middle Eastern fashion, he
offered them “a morsel of bread” (Gen. 18: 5)
but ran and made a banquet – cakes, a young
calf, butter and milk (vv. 6-8). On another
occasion he made a feast to celebrate the
weaning of Isaac (Gen. 21:8). Lot, Abraham’s
nephew, made a supper in his home in Sodom
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(Gen. 19:3) for his two angelic visitors, but it

was interrupted by the perverse Sodomites.
Sadly, Lot’s wife, although delivered, perished
at daybreak, when she turned to look at the
terrible scene of judgment. Lot and his two
daughters survived.
There are two feasts mentioned in the
book of Job, one at the beginning and the
other at the end. The banquet in chapter 1 was
disastrous and sad. But in chapter 42, when
Job was restored, his relatives and friends
shared a meal with him. “Then came there unto
him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all
they that had been of his acquaintance before,
and did eat bread with him in his house: and
they bemoaned him, and comforted him over
all the evil that the LORD had brought upon
him: every man also gave him a piece of money,
and every one an earring of gold” (Job 42:11).
It was an occasion of fellowship, comfort and
encouragement. Here we note the blessing
and salutory effect of sharing a meal.
Twice during His public ministry
the Lord Jesus Christ miraculously fed a
multitude of thousands of people. In Matthew
14:17-21, with five loaves and two fishes He gave
abundant food to five thousand men and to all
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the women and children that accompanied

them. They all ate, were satisfied, and there were
twelve baskets of food left over – more at the end
than at the beginning! In Matthew 15:34-38,
with seven loaves and a few little fishes He fed
and satisfied another multitude – four thousand
men plus the women and children with them.
These were miraculous “banquets.” The simple
provisions were multiplied in the hands of the
Lord, and no one was left hungry. They heard
His teachings, saw His signs, and ate until filled.
But these events were never repeated.
The Lord did not open a kitchen as a social
work, nor did the apostles. Sadly many sought
food from Him instead of salvation, and this
preoccupation with eating continues today.
Many will attend religious services if food or
other material benefits are offered. Thus the
term, “rice Christians.” But our Lord reproved
those who came after Him looking for food.
“Jesus answered them and said, Verily,

verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not
because ye saw the miracles, but because
ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
Labour not for the meat which perisheth,
but for that meat which endureth unto
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everlasting life, which the Son of man

shall give unto you” (Jn. 6:26-27).
Like them, many today are occupied with

temporal benefits, and miss the greater and
eternal blessing that comes through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ.
In the parable of the prodigal son in
Luke 15, after a sad period of separation, the
moment for rejoicing arrived, but only for one
reason. The prodigal returned humbled and
repentant, and his father received him with
a moving display of forgiving love. He then
commanded, “bring hither the fatted calf, and
kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my
son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost,
and is found. And they began to be merry” (vs.
23-24). It was good and necessary to make a
feast and rejoice on such an occasion(v. 32).
The Passover meal was a happy
memorial of liberation for the people of Israel.
It was divinely instituted in Exodus 12, on the
night of the final plague when all the firstborn
in Egypt died and Israel went out free. They put
the blood of the passover lamb on the doors
of their homes, and together ate the roast
lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.
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They ate with haste, dressed and ready for

their exodus. God commanded, “And ye shall
observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to
thy sons for ever. And it shall come to pass, when
ye be come to the land which the LORD will give
you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall
keep this service” (Ex. 12:24-25).
In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus
celebrated the final Passover with His disciples
and used it to institute the Lord’s Supper in its
place, for believers. The apostle Paul writes,
“For I have received of the Lord that

which also I delivered unto you, That
the Lord Jesus the same night in which
he was betrayed took bread: And when
he had given thanks, he brake it, and
said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is
broken for you: this do in remembrance
of me. After the same manner also he
took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in
my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink
it, in remembrance of me. For as often
as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come”
(1 Cor. 11:23-26).
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However, nowhere in the New

Testament is there any teaching or example to
indicate that we should celebrate “Christmas
Eve” or “Christmas Day” with a feast, carols,
etc. These man-made traditions, the festivities
and special Christmas meals are not found in
Scripture. Of course as believers we remember
gratefully that “the Word was made flesh” (Jn.
1:14). But He, the Word, said, “This do in
remembrance of me,” referring to the Lord’s
Supper. Each week we remember Him, worship
and present our offerings. There is no biblical
mandate for anything else in that respect.
Believers in the Lord Jesus are told, “
Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor.
5:7). The first day of every week – Sunday, not
Saturday – believers meet for this “feast of
love” to remember our Lord’s death (not the
nativity), His resurrection and the promise
of His coming – “till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26).
How appropriately we sing Spurgeon’s hymn,
Amidst us our Beloved stands,

And bids us view His pierced hands;
Points to the wounded feet and side,
Blest emblems of the Crucified
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What food luxurious loads the board,

When at His table sits the Lord!
The wine how rich, the bread how sweet,
When Jesus deigns the guests to meet!
It is no sacrament nor means of grace.

Christ does not die mystically, nor is His death
perpetuated. It is a simple memorial, just as He
commanded, “This do in remembrance of me.”
Only believers – the Lord’s disciples
– participated in this biblical memorial meal.
Therefore only baptized believers should
participate in the Lord’s Supper, the “memorial
feast” of bread and wine. We who are in
fellowship meet around those simple emblems,
and there remember, worship and announce
His death till He come. Horatius Bonar’s hymn
expresses it well,
Only bread and only wine,

Yet to faith the solemn sign
Of the heav’nly and divine!
We give Thee thanks, O Lord.
After the birth of the church on the day

of Pentecost, believers practiced fellowship
with one another (Acts 2:42). Verse 46 tells
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Fatal Banquets
that they “did eat their meat with gladness and

singleness of heart....” Those sweet times of
fraternal fellowship, with joy and simplicity,
should still exist today among believers.
Another most excellent banquet will
be when with His saints the Lord celebrates
“the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9).
After the seven years of the Tribulation when
terrible judgments will fall, the Lord will come
to reign. There will be joy, rejoicing and rich
blessing for all who believe in Him. “And they
shall come from the east, and from the west, and
from the north, and from the south, and shall
sit down in the kingdom of God” (Lk. 13:29).
Will you be among them, dear reader, or are
you one of those “of the world, which have
their portion in this life”? (Psa. 17:14) “Blessed
is he that shall eat meat in the kingdom of God”
(Lk. 14:15). The Lord will eat with the saints
in the kingdom (Lk. 22:16).
The 23rd Psalm contemplates the
eternal blessing of believers because they are
under divine care.
“Thou preparest a table before me in

the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup
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runneth over. Surely goodness and

mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life: and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD for ever” (Psa. 23:5-6).
That will be a blessed banquet for the

redeemed, whose Shepherd is the Lord Jesus
Christ! So it will be for all who have repented
and trusted in the Lord Jesus for forgiveness
and eternal life. What a banquet and what
rejoicing in the house of the LORD – heaven
– where they will be with Him for all eternity!
Dear friend, will you be among them, or do
you only have dinner plans in this life?

87

Fatal Banquets
Dear reader,
I t is our privilege to make this book available,

accompanied by our prayers for the Lord’s glory and
your edification. The fact that we are able to publish books
is an evidence of God’s grace, and an answer to many
prayers. It is a ministry, not a business. Our work is mostly
in Spanish, however the following English titles are
currently available. They are also listed on our website:
https://berealibros.wixsite.com/asambleabiblica/books
Is Calvinism Biblical?, by Carl Knott
The Pattern Assembly, by E. A Martin
The Harvest, by Carl Knott
The Christian and Politics, by Carl Knott
I Am A Christian: True or False?, by Jean Gibson
My Bible and I, Introduction to Hermeneutics, by Carl

Knott
Israel: God’s Unique People, by Carl Knott
King Uzziah’s Rebellion, by Carl Knott
Beginning of Sorrows, by Carl Knott

* also available as an ebook
Christian Devotedness, by Anthony Norris Groves
89

Fatal Banquets
In Spanish we have many more titles by a variety of
authors. See the address below.
Para libros en español:

https://berealibros.wixsite.com/asambleabiblica/libros
If you have a question or comment, or desire more

information, please send your correspondence to one of
the following addresses:
LIBROS BEREA
Apartado 75
41720 Los Palacios y Villafranca, SE
Spain
Email: berealibros@gmail.com
In Latin America
attn. Sr. Joseff Samir
Apartado Postal #78
Estelí, 31000, Nicaragua
Email: samir_jimenez@hotmail.com
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Fatal

Scripture records cases of banquets

Scripture records cases of banquets

Fatal Banquets-text.indd 1 25/10/2020 10:38:51

title in Spanish: Banquetes Fatales

published for free distribution

All Bible quotations are from the King James Version

cover photo:: eli-eshaghi-oc97BfPli9o-unsplash.com

Fatal Banquets-text.indd 2 25/10/2020 10:38:51

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W ho doesn’t like to eat? This book should

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in David’s kingdom. Few ever saw them, but

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“It is better to go to the house of mourning,

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“...let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall

T hose were the words of the unrepentant

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But we shouldn’t live to eat. The first

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singleness of heart, praising God...” All believers

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for example, high blood pressure or allergies,

Gluttons and Excessive Eaters

Nevertheless, it is wrong and vulgar to

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liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” [Gr. “gasthr”

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Simply put, gluttony is excessive eating, and

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ

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However, the Lord commands that

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“...your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have

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Pharaoh’s Birthday Party

I n Genesis 40:20 we read of the Pharaoh’s

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33:25). We should thank Him for His gracious

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The Last Banquet of

J ob’s sons and daughters, accustomed to

“And it was so, when the days of their

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offerings according to the number of

When God allowed Satan to test

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drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house”.

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“...for one morsel of meat sold his

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Esau’s Costly Meal

N o one ever paid more than Esau did for

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birthright that was enriched by the promises

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A Fatal Meal In The Desert

G od liberated His chosen people Israel, and

“And the mixt multitude that was among

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But now our soul is dried away: there is

Their memory was twisted and selective,