Today we are celebrating what Christians deem as Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday before Easter. We call it Palm Sunday because John tells us in John 12:12-13 that those who wanted to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem lay palm branches in the path where He would ride a donkey into Jerusalem. Many had heard of the miracles Jesus had performed. Most recent to this event was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The city would have been full of those coming to celebrate the feast of the Passover. I’m sure the news about Jesus was spreading fast. They were ready to celebrate and seek this miracle worker. They were crying out Hosanna. The word Hosanna was a Syriac word that meant to “save now,” or “save I beseech thee.” They were proclaiming the truth of the Messiah that the Lord sent, yet it would not be long until their joyous sounds would change.
John 12:12-13 “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
None of the events took Jesus by surprise. He is an all-knowing God, yet as the perfect man sent to sacrifice Himself for the sins of all mankind, He must have felt very mixed emotions as he heard the cheers of Hosanna, while knowing what he would soon endure.
Mark 11 gives us one account of this day. As a fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus sent two of His disciples to Jerusalem to retrieve the colt of a donkey. This colt had never been ridden before, and yet, he yielded himself to carry Jesus. Sometimes we can learn much from God’s animals. Are you yielded to be used for Jesus however He chooses?
Mark 11:1-6 “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man says unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.”
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The riding of a donkey symbolized peace and many kings would ride into an area on a donkey to symbolize peaceful intentions. In Isiah 9:6, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Our Prince of Peace was celebrated that day, not because He would pay the price for our sins, but because they saw Him as an earthly king who would free them from the bondage to others.
This was such a magnificent day. Many laid palm branches on the trail He would travel. They threw down their cloaks to cover the dirt. As they lay the palms down as a symbol of victory and goodness, they had no idea it was symbolic of the true victory He would win. In less than a week He would win the victory over sin and death.
As we look back on what happened over 2000 years ago, let us look with gratitude and love. Right now, the world is in turmoil. Wars, illnesses, politics, and those who seek to terrorize others keep many living in fear. In 2020 we had the onset of a deadly virus called COVID-19, it drew the attention of the entire world and changed the way we function. Let us not be drawn from the real focus and purpose of our lives, which is to glorify and honor our King Jesus. Let us not be as the Jews were. They were short-sighted and missed the true meaning of Jesus’ life on this earth. Let us look beyond all the gloom and doom, and focus on God who is still on the throne, and so worthy of our worship. Nothing takes Jesus by surprise, He is still in control. Worship Him and focus on His goodness no matter what your circumstances are today. This life will come to an end for each of us one day and all that will matter then is what we’ve done with Jesus now.
