As Jesus Christ rode into the city of Jerusalem, which Christians commemorate on Palm Sunday which begins the Holy week observances. Many believed that His entrance into the city would bring about all the things that Israel had hoped for all those many year.
There was an air of expectancy.
Each of the Gospels give an account of this event , it seemed to many the fulfillment of the the prophecy in Zechariah was unfolding before their eyes, the Messiah was come and with Him the Messianic Kingdom the restoration of Israel.
"And when they drew near to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, to the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,Saying to them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them to me.And if any man say ought to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
"Tell you the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.And
a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut
down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way." Matthew:21:1-8
The palm branches that they waved and cast before the joyful procession shows that they believed that the Messianic kingdom had arrived, The Palm branch was used to build the "booths" or "Tabernacle" for the Feast of Tabernacles which was part of the Old Covenant, Holy days, (see Leviticus:23) this particular Feast was associates with the Kingdom of the Messiah due to its mention in the prophecy found in Zechariah:14:16-19 which also speaks of the Messiah's victory over the nations in rebellion against the God of Israel.They believed that victory was at hand.
Hosanna
As Jesus rode into the city all of Jerusalem was stirred by His entrance, there were shouts of rejoicing, the people cried out Hosanna, which means literally "save us now" this cry reveals more than we might believe, it not only reflected their hope that the appointed time of the restoration of Israel had arrived but it also was a veiled demand on their part to guide the course of events and benefit as they could, it also exposed an impatience to wait for Jesus to act as He would rather than as they would have Him act.
"And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
"And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee".(9-11)
The Temple
Jesus' first action was to go to the Temple, the center of Israel's relationship with their God. This relationship turned into a business in the hands of some of the religious establishment. Many of the activities that were taking place were not appropriate for the Temple of God , so Jesus drove them out, those who made merchandise of religion and profited were found scattered . Jesus' actions were to demonstrate the reverence the people of Israel should have in the worship of God.
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said to them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves" (12-13)
Many sought for the Kingdom to be set up then and there, but as the Biblical accounts show us the religious leaders conspired with and through Judas' discontent and greed , resulting in the arrest of our Lord and His death on the cross.
Then the parting of the heavens to a great shout, we see Jesus riding that glorious white horse which symbolized victory in the ancient world, followed by all who have come to believe in Him, riding upon white horses as well, which was pictured by the colt that trotted along as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem that Palm Sunday so long ago.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a clothing dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his clothing and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" Revelation:19:11-16
Each and all caught up and in His wake of victory as He brings at long last His Messianic Kingdom over all things. In Jesus we can have a transformed life in hope as we await that glorious day that Palm Sunday looked ahead to. This is what we await when He rides into the Jerusalem our lives. Amen
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said to them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves" (12-13)
Many sought for the Kingdom to be set up then and there, but as the Biblical accounts show us the religious leaders conspired with and through Judas' discontent and greed , resulting in the arrest of our Lord and His death on the cross.
Not What They Wanted
The many in the crowd did not get from Jesus what they wanted, they missed the point of His coming into Jerusalem instead of establishing the "kingdom" as they envisioned it to be, but instead Jesus went to the Temple and removed those things that did not belong, it seems that He was more interested in their relationship with God rather then political objectives. Jesus did not ,at that moment, come to give them the kind of victory that they wanted, but one just as real and ultimately greater than they could conceive.He acted out more then they understood through the whole procession into the city and His actions at the Temple.
When He Rides In
The same thing can occur to us when Jesus rides into the Jerusalem of our lives, we can rejoice and give glad shouts of Hosanna, and anticipate that all those things which we hope for will be ours. We may hope for victory over life's challenges and personal difficulties, we want His Kingdom in all its fullness immediately and all those things scripture hold forth to each of us . In our impatience we shout Hosanna! "save us now."
At times we cry out "save us now" and when our Lord chooses another purpose in our lives we can become disappointed, just as some of those who shouted the cry of Hosanna at Jesus' entry was within a week were lifting their voices in the angry mob that cried out calling for Jesus' crucifixion.
At times we cry out "save us now" and when our Lord chooses another purpose in our lives we can become disappointed, just as some of those who shouted the cry of Hosanna at Jesus' entry was within a week were lifting their voices in the angry mob that cried out calling for Jesus' crucifixion.
Instead of giving us wealth and power Jesus instead moves to the temple of our lives, that is our relationship with God. Jesus rides in ,and out drives our the merchandisers of our being, that is our selfish motivations and desires there is no place for them in the temple court of our relationship with the Great God. We are to a "house of prayer" persons who are in communion with the great God.
Victory
The glorious entry into Jerusalem, when Jesus came humbly into the city of Jerusalem , even as the crowd shouted and waved the palm branches, on that donkey with the colt that walked aside Him only peered ahead to that day of victory that our Lord will share with us all. In Revelation we see those who have freely received Jesus as their Lord each clutching in their hands His kingdom ,symbolized by the palm beaches that they hold.That colt walked along in the procession reflects how our victory is born out of His victory ,that colt is each of our's to ride.
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands" Revelation:7:9
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands" Revelation:7:9
Then the parting of the heavens to a great shout, we see Jesus riding that glorious white horse which symbolized victory in the ancient world, followed by all who have come to believe in Him, riding upon white horses as well, which was pictured by the colt that trotted along as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem that Palm Sunday so long ago.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a clothing dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his clothing and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" Revelation:19:11-16
Each and all caught up and in His wake of victory as He brings at long last His Messianic Kingdom over all things. In Jesus we can have a transformed life in hope as we await that glorious day that Palm Sunday looked ahead to. This is what we await when He rides into the Jerusalem our lives. Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
Washington, Pennsylvania. http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus www.gcfountainoflife.org
The Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on the RKP
Radio Network 1710 & 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin, Pennsylvania. and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville ,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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