Today Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem as Zion's king as foretold by the prophet Zechariah, "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9) Jesus has visited Jerusalem from time to time, as reported by the other gospel writers, but He has conducted the majority of His ministry outside the city. This is His final journey to the city. He enters it today to the shouts of "Hosanna!", but later in the week His ears will ring with cries of "Crucify Him!"
"As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" (Mark 11:1-3) Critics who say Jesus never claimed to be God have evidently never read the Scriptures properly. He clearly calls Himself the "Lord" here in verse 3. He frequently uses the Messianic title "Son of Man". He refers to God as His literal Father. He accepts worship as if He is God Himself. A person would have to deliberately put blinders on his heart and mind to be able to read the gospels and still assert Jesus never said He was God.
"They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, 'What are you doing, untying that colt?' They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go." (Mark 11:4-6) Kings rode donkeys when they came in peace; horses were for battle. At His first advent we find Jesus meek and lowly, riding on a donkey, coming in peace. But at His second advent we find Him mounted on a white horse, waging war against the enemies of God, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19:11-16)
When God became flesh and dwelt among us, He wore a cruel crown of thorns. But when He comes to dwell among us forever, He will be crowned with many crowns. He will be the head of every nation. He will have sovereign rule over all the earth. Christ Jesus will be the king of all peoples. Like any king who comes to power, He must vanquish His foes and establish His absolute authority. But unlike earthly kings, the kingdom He establishes will be one of righteousness. There will be nothing unfair in it. There will be nothing corrupt in it. He will rule over us with love, the same love that compelled Him to give His life for us.
"When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, He sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (Mark 11:7-10) "Hosanna" means "Save now!" The people are recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, but they want the kingdom to come now. They are declaring Him their king in a political sense. They want Him to rescue them from the power of Rome and to establish His authority over Israel. They quote from Psalm 118, which has Messianic undertones, but interestingly they skip over verses 22-24 (the verses that indicate the rejection of Christ at Jerusalem: He is "the stone the builders rejected") and go straight to the verses which suggest ultimate and absolute victory, "Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." (Psalm 118:25-26a)
Jesus deliberately presents Himself as king to the people. He purposely sets this scene up to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah. The people understand what He's saying and they respond joyfully. They believe Jesus is the Promised One. They are seeking the salvation of the nation more than they are seeking the salvation of their souls, and I can't help but be grateful that the religious leaders of Jesus' day rejected Him, for if He had not gone to the cross, where would be the eternal and perfect sacrifice for our sins? I'd still be lost, "separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world". (Ephesians 2:12)
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