The term "banqueting-house" refers to a place designated for feasting and celebration, often associated with joy, abundance, and fellowship. In the biblical context, banqueting-houses are settings for significant social and religious gatherings, reflecting the cultural and spiritual life of the people.

Biblical References:

1. Song of Solomon 2:4 : "He has brought me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love." This verse from the Song of Solomon is one of the most well-known references to a banqueting-house in the Bible. The imagery of the banquet hall is used to symbolize the intimate and joyous relationship between the bride and the bridegroom, often interpreted allegorically as the love between Christ and His Church. The banqueting-house here is a place of love, protection, and celebration.

2. Esther 7:1-2 : "So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, and as they drank their wine on the second day, the king asked again, 'Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.'" In the Book of Esther, banquets play a crucial role in the unfolding of events. Queen Esther's banquets are strategic settings where she reveals Haman's plot to annihilate the Jews, leading to their deliverance. The banqueting-house here serves as a place of political intrigue and divine intervention.

3. Daniel 5:1 : "Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them." The banqueting-house in this context is the scene of King Belshazzar's infamous feast, where he and his guests profane the sacred vessels from the Jerusalem temple. This event leads to the writing on the wall, a divine message of judgment against Belshazzar's kingdom. The banqueting-house here is a place of excess and impending judgment.

Cultural and Spiritual Significance:

In ancient Near Eastern culture, banquets were significant social events that reinforced community bonds and celebrated important occasions. They were often marked by the sharing of food and drink, music, and sometimes, the recitation of poetry or storytelling. In the biblical narrative, banqueting-houses are not merely settings for physical nourishment but are imbued with deeper spiritual meanings.

Theologically, banqueting-houses can symbolize the abundance and generosity of God. They are places where God's provision and blessings are celebrated, as seen in the parables of Jesus, such as the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14) and the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24). These parables use the imagery of a banquet to illustrate the kingdom of God, emphasizing themes of invitation, acceptance, and the joy of fellowship with the divine.

Moreover, the concept of a banqueting-house extends to the eschatological vision of the heavenly banquet, where believers anticipate eternal communion with God. This is reflected in Revelation 19:9 : "Then the angel told me to write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" Here, the ultimate banqueting-house is the setting for the consummation of God's redemptive plan, where the faithful are gathered in celebration and worship.

In summary, the banqueting-house in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol, representing not only the cultural practices of feasting but also the spiritual realities of divine love, judgment, and the hope of eternal fellowship with God.

The Water-Springs
... of pure bright water. The King has brought us into His banqueting-house,
and His banner over us is love.'. "O children, well and ...
/.../bevan/three friends of god/chapter xxix the water-springs.htm

Spiritual Revival, the Want of the Church
... since you could say, "My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies?"
How long is it since "he brought you into his banqueting house, and his ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 44 1898/spiritual revival the want of.htm

The Unsatisfied Life and Its Remedy
... Not first to the banqueting house"that will come in due season; but first to be
alone with Himself. How perfect! ... He brought me to the banqueting house,. ...
/.../taylor/union and communion/section i the unsatisfied life.htm

Forward
... This little book, whose design is to lead the devout Bible student into the Green
Pastures of the Good Shepherd, thence to the Banqueting House of the King ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/union and communion/forward.htm

11TH DAY. After Grace, Glory.
... the reality? If the wilderness table contain such rich provision, what must
be the glories of the eternal banqueting house? Oh! my ...
/.../macduff/the faithful promiser/11th day after grace glory.htm

Chapter ii.
... I sat down under the shadow of him whom I desired, and his fruit was sweet to my
taste.4. He brought me into the banqueting house, and his banner over me was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/chapter ii.htm

The Excuses.
... should be issued some days before, and that the invited guests should a second time
be warned by a messenger to repair to the banqueting house when the time ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/xxi the excuses.htm

April 14 Morning
... He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was
love."His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. ...
/.../anonymous/daily light on the daily path/april 14 morning.htm

September 2 Evening
... I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. ...
/.../anonymous/daily light on the daily path/september 2 evening.htm

Assurance
... He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love.' Cant
2:2. The blessed ordinances are the banqueting-house, where God displays the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/6 assurance.htm

Banqueting-house (1 Occurrence)
Banqueting-house. Banqueting, Banqueting-house. Banquetings .
Multi-Version Concordance Banqueting-house (1 Occurrence). ...
/b/banqueting-house.htm - 6k

Banqueting (6 Occurrences)
... heart. (YLT). Song of Songs 2:4 He brought me to the banquetinghouse, and
his banner over me was love. (KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV). Jeremiah ...
/b/banqueting.htm - 8k

Banquetings (1 Occurrence)

/b/banquetings.htm - 6k

Banquet (58 Occurrences)
... Thus (Songs 2:4), "He brought me to the banqueting-house" is literally, "the house
of wine," and Esther 7:2 has in the Hebrew "a banquet of wine." In the New ...
/b/banquet.htm - 36k

Esther (48 Occurrences)
... Other details, such as that of the king's passing from the queen's banqueting-house
into the garden, show a similarly exact acquaintance with the palace as it ...
/e/esther.htm - 58k

Book (211 Occurrences)

/b/book.htm - 101k

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