A Donkey and a Horse
some notes from Kenneth Trent pastor of Second Baptist, Channelview, Texas
Prelude
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With what is happening in our world today and everything seems to be pointing to the soon coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
It would be good to focus on this day, Palm Sunday the day that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ entered into Jerusalem as the coming Messiah.
To the people at Jerusalem they saw him as an earthly king that was going to deliver them out of the hands of the Romans.
The laying of the palm leaves was a political jesture.
Christ came as our spiritual king, bringing deliverance from the bondage of sin, a far greater king than an earthly king.
That is why I would like to share with you A Donkey and a Horse, “Symbols of the Nature of the two Comings of Christ”.
So please stand with me this morning as we read from the Word of God. Turn to John 12:12-15.
Scripture
The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
"Hosanna!”
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
“The King of Israel!"
Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
"Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt." John 12:12-15 (NKJV)
Prayer
Introduction
We will take a look at the “Symbols of the Nature of the two Comings of Christ”.
The first coming on a “Donkey” and the second coming on a “Horse”, as you can see the nature and purpose of the 1st and 2nd comings of Christ are vastly different.
The First Coming:
In His first coming, our Lord Jesus came as the “Suffering Servant” riding on a donkey, to redeem us from our sins by His atoning death on the cross.
Israel, as a whole, rejected Him because they thought the Messiah would liberate them from Roman bondage and return political power to the nation of Israel.
Their eyes were blinded to the great prophecies which related to the Messiah written by Isaiah seven hundred year earlier.
1. Consider:
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.”
Isaiah 53:5-7 (NKJV)
But His second coming will be totally opposite.
When our Lord returns, He will come in awesome power and unspeakable glory.
The first task of which will be the total destruction of the armies of the Antichrist assembled in the Valley of Armageddon.
Immediately thereafter, He will assume His rightful place on the throne of David from which He will rule the world in truth and justice for one thousand years.
Let us give some thought as to how the donkey depicts the circumstances that prevailed during His first coming and how the horse depicts the circumstances that will prevail at His second coming.
The donkey symbolizes the first coming of Christ!
The donkey suggests humility and was often the object of ridicule.
2. Regarding humility, our Lord said:
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart…” Matthew 11:29.
3. Regarding ridicule:
“Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him…And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.” Luke 22:63,65.
In Bible times, the donkey was ridden by kings to convey the message of “peace”.
Thus the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 is beautifully fulfilled in Jesus, which reads:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV)
4. The Lord is Our Peace:
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:14-18 (NKJV)
5. Prophesied in the Old Testament:
“And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice…” Isaiah 9:6-7
Jesus has come to this world as the Prince of Peace. To seek and save those who are lost. They did not accept him as King and the world is still rejecting him.
Have you accepted him as King of Kings? Time is drawing nigh!
The Second Coming:
1. Consider:
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:3
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
2. Fulfilled in our Lord Jesus:
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 (NKJV)
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 (NKJV)
3. Prepare Yourselves
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Matthew 24:36
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:44
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:8
The horse symbolizes the second coming of Christ!
4. Our coming King
Throughout all ages, kings rode horses into battle.
John envisioned the Antichrist riding “a white horse” going forth to conquer (Revelation 6:2)
As the donkey symbolized the first coming of Christ…the horse symbolizes His glorious return in power and glory to execute judgment.
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. [12] His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
[13] He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
[14] And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
[15] Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
[16] And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)
Invitation
Have you met the King riding on a donkey?
Have you accepted him as your Savior or have you rejected him.
Are you willing to submit to his authority?
Are you willing to lay down your palm branches before him and proclaim him as your King, Lord and Savior?
You don’t want to wait!
Woo unto those that meet him as the Conquering King riding on a white horse.
Better to meet him on a donkey than on a horse.
Come to him today, before it’s too late.
You don’t want to wait!
Woo unto those that meet him as the Conquering King riding on a white horse.
Better to meet him on a donkey than on a horse!
Come to him today, before it’s too late.
