Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It is the day when we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey.
True Discernment has a great post up describing this event. I suggest reading it all.
There are several paragraphs in that essay that I would like to highlight; particularly because in a similar manner as back then, there is currently such a heightened and frenzied political atmosphere today here in America! People are looking for some sort of “savior” who will get us out of the political, social, cultural, and financial mess we find ourselves in.
Excerpt:
On that first Palm Sunday, the people also honored Jesus verbally: “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ / ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ / ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Matthew 21:9).
In their praise of Jesus, the Jewish crowds were quoting Psalm 118:25–26, an acknowledged prophecy of the Christ. The allusion to a Messianic psalm drew resentment from the religious leaders present: “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’” (Luke 19:39). However, Jesus saw no need to rebuke those who told the truth. He replied, “I tell you . . . if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40).
Some 450 to 500 years prior to Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah had prophesied the event we now call Palm Sunday: “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).
The prophecy was fulfilled in every particular, and it was indeed a time of rejoicing, as Jerusalem welcomed their King. Unfortunately, the celebration was not to last. The crowds looked for a Messiah who would rescue them politically and free them nationally, but Jesus had come to save them spiritually. First things first, and mankind’s primary need is spiritual, not political, cultural, or national salvation.
When we look at this with wisdom filled eyes, we will notice that nothing has really changed since then! Mankind’s primary need is STILL spiritual; above all else! Of course, the political, cultural, and religious (i.e. “national salvation”) challenges going on can affect one’s spiritual decisions. The crowd cheered Jesus on Palm Sunday; but because their expectations of a Messiah were not met, they yelled “crucify him” just days later!
Excerpt from article link:
Even as the coatless multitudes waved the palm branches and shouted for joy, they missed the true reason for Jesus’ presence. They could neither see nor understand the cross. That’s why, “as [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies . . . will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:41–47). It is a tragic thing to see the Savior but not recognize Him for who He is. The crowds who were crying out “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday were crying out “Crucify Him!” later that week (Matthew 27:22–23).
Look at what they missed from the Old Testament Scriptures that would have helped to inform them who He is:
Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Mat 21:5 “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
This is just one prophecy that was exactly fulfilled by Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies!
For a crowd to cheer Jesus one day, and jeer at him and scream “crucify him!” just six days later shows how utterly faithless people can be.
We can easily see how they can turn from the truth when they are not anchored in God’s Word and Truth!
How can we reconcile this?
Here’s the answer:
Jesus is the faithful one. He is faithful even when I am not (2 Timothy 2:13).
That is the crux of the matter. Even when we aren’t faithful, Jesus ALWAYS IS!! That is why we can trust Him with our very lives – now and for all eternity. How great is our God! He is the TRUE hope for our lives.
The following is a timeless truth:
I no longer live, but Christ lives in me and the life I live today in the body is by faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave his life for me (Galatians 2:20).
Jesus loved us all THAT MUCH – that He would die for our salvation. We know we can trust His promises, for three days later, he rose from the dead.
Excerpt from link above:
There is coming a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10–11).
The worship will be real then. Also, John records a scene in heaven that features the eternal celebration of the risen Lord: “There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9, emphasis added). These palm-bearing saints will shout, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (verse 10), and who can measure the sum of their joy?
Hat tip: True Discernment
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