The King Is Coming

Palm Sunday

April 8, 2001

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Read the words of the song King is Coming

Every time we come to Palm Sunday I am reminded of the words of that song. They fit so well with the return of the king to

Jerusalem on that day. But this morning I want us to back up to the prophecy that foretold that day more than five hundred years earlier.

Zechariah 9:9-10

The King is Coming

1. The call for rejoicing 9a

rejoice and shout - vigorous and enthusiastic expression of joy

The picture conjured up is of the women coming out to greet the victorious army as it returns from victory in battle.

1 Sam. 18:6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.

7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."

The question for the people of Zechariah’s day is what on earth is there to rejoice about?

480 BC - the temple has been rebuilt - it is nothing near the grandeur of Solomon’s - the Shekinah glory has not returned

few Jews have returned from the exile

aliens inhabit most of the land

most of Israel is extremely poor

What is there to rejoice about?

2. The reasons for Rejoicing 9b-10

A. The return of the King 9b

this is the return of the ultimate Davidic King

HIS Character:

Just/Righteous - conformity to an ethical or moral standard

measures up to the standard of God’s nature and will

serves God, delivers poor, supports weak and obeys

God’s laws

not Athaliah, Ahaz or Manasseh

NIV Psalm 72:1 Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.

2 He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.

2 Sam 23:3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ’When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,

4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.’

Having salvation - does not = born again

= deliverance from real enemies and catastrophes.

Gentle - meek - lowly man = poor man or one brought low by affliction - one who survived by serving others

Riding on a donkey - humility and peace - not an arrogant conqueror, but one who is a lowly servant

contrast - Alexander and Busephalus

B. The Reign of the King 10

A kingdom of Peace

destruction of the implements of war

speak peace to the nations

Peace = shalom = not only the absence of strife

= fulfilment or completion

because of Jehovah’s presence the nations will enter a state of wholeness, unity and restored relationship

the ultimate fulfilment of the Abrahamic Covenant

"in you all the nations of earth shall be blessed."

A Kingdom of Sovereignty 10

reign from river to the ends of the earth

universal sovereignty

3. What application can we draw from this message?

A. A sureness to God’s word

verse 9 has already been fulfilled literally by Jesus entry into Jerusalem in Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38

trust in the rest of the message

B. A warning to be ready

Revelation 19:11 ff

C. Hope for the future

The King is Coming