Sunday, April 05, 2009

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem On A Donkey


Just as prophesied, Jesus Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on a donkey came to be just as written.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and  upon colt the foal of an ass.  Zechariah 9:9.

I can almost see a picture in my mind the holy city of Jerusalem, being crowded with multitudes of people who had come for the annual Passover Feast. As they neared Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them: 

"Go into the village over against you, and straightway yea shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them unto me.":  Matthew 21:2

And the two disciples did as Jesus commanded of them and brought the donkey, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set them thereon.  Only a king would be treated this way, as is recorded in 2 Kings 9:13.  Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top.

The people knew their King had arrived. What a glorious site to behold! And a great multitude spread their garments in the way: others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried saying Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Matthew 21

Jesus specifically chose to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey because it fulfilled Zechariah's  Messianic prophecy. However, the scripture scene depicts one of Jesus and the zealots, who were ready for Jesus to take on the Romans but Jesus Himself displays a much slower, calmer, peaceful pace as He rides into the city of Jerusalem on the ass.

The choice of the donkey by Jesus to present Himself as King over Israel was no accident. This action portrays Jesus as the royal, but peaceful king that He was coming as, or the Prince of Peace, and not a warrior figure the Jews wanted to defeat their enemies, the Romans. We read in the Old Testament where the royal prince, Mephibosheth came into the city of David riding upon an ass 2 Samuel 19:26 and Ahithopel rode upon an ass in 2 Samuel 17:23.

 While the scene of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding upon an ass pictures Jesus as their royal King, the multitudes  of zealots who had gone up to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast,  escorting Jesus,  did not understand that Jesus was not coming to be their warrior king, but  their Prince of Peace, even though Jesus was not riding on a horse. A king came riding upon a horse when the king was ready for war.


The Apostle Paul, who was the Jewish Apostle chosen by Christ (Acts 9:15) to spread the good news to the Gentles and who wrote most of the New Testament of Christ, instructed believers to celebrate the Passover Feast, the day our Lord, the Prince of Peace,  died on the cross for our sins, in I Corinthians 5:6-8.

Your glory is not good.  Know ye not that a little leaveneth the whole lump?.

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.  For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerety and truth.

We are no longer slaves to sin, but have been set free through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, let us set this day aside to celebrate the Seder with purity and truth.

One day soon, our King is coming back again, just as He promised, to save the remnant of Israel, Zechariah Chapters 12 and 14, and set up His Kingdom, where he will rule out of Jerusalem, Israel on David's Throne.  What a glorious time it will be for those who have surrendered their lives over to, and who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ, the one true God of the universe,  to forgive their sins.

Related Story: Jesus Celebrates The Passover Meal-The Last Supper
Related Story: Jesus Christ Fulfilled The Passover
Related Story:: Jesus Cleanses The Temple
Related Story: Jesus Christ, Our Passover Lamb

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