Jesus Himself told how the elect ones on the guest list refused. The non-elect came instead (Lk 14:16-24).
The decision had been made by “the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem” (2 Chron 30:2) to hold the Passover the very next month. In order to do this, the news had to be communicated to the whole nation “from Beersheba to Dan” (v 5). So “runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: ‘Children of Israel, return to the Lord’” (v 6). The message warned against doing like their fathers, committing trespass against the Lord and being stiff-necked in their rebellion. Instead, they should “enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God” (v 8). There was even hope that, if Israel turned to God, those who had been taken captive in foreign lands “will be treated with compassion by those who led them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him” (v 9). The response was two-fold. Some “laughed at them and mocked them. Nevertheless some…humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem” (vv 10-11). The early Christians found the same responses. At Antioch, the Jews “opposed the things spoken by Paul,” but the Gentiles “were glad and glorified the word of the Lord” (Acts 13:45, 48). At Mars Hill, “some mocked…However, some…believed” (17:32, 34). We shouldn’t expect anything different. It will always be thus, until the final day, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. On this occasion, “many people…gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast” (2 Chron 30:13). And some day we’ll see the innumerable multitude who have placed their trust in the Lord.