What Is Going On Here?

PALM SUNDAY IS MORE THAN JUST THE WAVING OF PALM BRANCHES. PALM SUNDAY IS MORE THAN TELLING THE STORY OF JESUS RIDING ON A DONKEY. PALM SUNDAY IS THE CATALYST FOR FULFILING PROPHECY. PALM SUNDAY NEEDED TO HAPPEN.

THE HIGHEST PEAK OF SALVATION HISTORY IS NOW BEING ACCOMPLISHED WHEN ALL THAT HAS BEEN ANTICIPATED AND PROMISED WILL SOON BE ACHIEVED. IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE JESUS SPEAKS THE WORDS OF LUKE 22:37, “…EVERYTHING WRITTEN ABOUT ME BY THE PROPHETS WILL COME TRUE.”

THE CELEBRATION OF PASSOVER HAS JERUSALEM PACKED WITH WORSHIPPERS AND AFTER THREE YEARS OF MINISTRY, JESUS NOW TALKS IN A WHOLE NEW TONE. THIS YEAR, FOR PASSOVER, JESUS SAYS, IN MATTHEW 26:18, “MY APPOINTED TIME IS NEAR.”

LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF WHAT WE KNOW AS “HOLY WEEK” ACTUALLY BEGINS BACK WITH LUKE 9:51, “WHEN THE DAYS DREW NEAR FOR HIM TO BE TAKEN UP, HE SET HIS FACE TO GO TO JERUSALEM.” THE TIME HAS COME AND JESUS OBEDIENTLY SETS HIS SIGHTS ON BEGINNING THE END OF HIS MISSION. THERE ARE TEN CHAPTERS IN LUKE COVERING THIS JOURNEY THAT IS WAY MORE THAN JUST RIDING A DONKEY DOWN THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM.

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER OF JESUS ON THIS JOURNEY IS ONE OF REJECTION AS THE SAMARITANS WOULD NOT RECEIVE HIM. JAMES AND JOHN IN BITTER DISGUST WANT TO COMMAND FIRE DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO BURN THEM ALL UP. JESUS RESPONDS WITH A POWRFUL STATEMENT, “FOR THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN’S LIVES BUT TO SAVE THEM” (LUKE 9:56).

THERE WAS MANY THINGS JESUS ACCOMPLISHED: HE SENT OUT THE SEVENTY INTO MINISTRY. JESUS TOLD THE PARABLE OF “THE GOOD SAMARITAN.” HE TEACHES HIS DISCIPLES TO PRAY. JESUS HEALS 10 LEPARS AND WELCOMES CHILDREN TO BLESS THEM. HE TAKES THE TIME TO STOP AT A SYCAMORE TREE TO HAVE A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH A MAN NAMED ZACCHAEUS.

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, THERE ARE AT LEAST 45 PARABLES, TEACHINGS, PREDICTIONS, WARNINGS, AND HEALING ENCOUNTERS THAT JESUS MAKES WITH THE PEOPLE AND HIS DISCIPLES. JESUS HAS COMMANDED EACH SITUATION WITH PRECISION AND IN FULL AUTHORITY. JESUS, THE PROPITIATION, REACHES THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND NOW PREPARES FOR THE DESCENT INTO JERUSALEM.

JESUS OCCUPIES THIS CRUCIAL GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AS THE MESSIAH. THIS IS NO ACCIDENT, FOR IT SPEAKS OF PROPHECY WHEN JESUS WILL RETURN TO THIS VERY PLACE A SECOND TIME AS THE PRINCE OF PEACE! ZECHARIAH 14:4, “ON THAT DAY HIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, EAST OF JERUSALEM.”

JESUS IS READY BECAUSE HE HAS PREPARED HIMSELF TO BE READY AND WILLING TO TAKE SUCH A JOURNEY. FIRST, JESUS SENDS TWO DISCIPLES AHEAD TO GET A SPECIFIC COLT FOR HIM TO RIDE. THIS IS A COLT THAT HAS NEVER BEEN RIDDEN. ANOTHER CLUE! AN UNRIDDEN ANIMAL IS A SYMBOL OF PURITY AND SOMETHING THAT IS ONLY FITTING OF A KING!

THE “CODE WORD” FOR GETTING THE COLT IS TO JUST SAY, “THE LORD NEEDS IT. THE WORD “LORD” IS THE WORD “KYRIOS” WHICH IS A TERM USED FOR BOTH A PROPERTY OWNER OR MASTER, AS WELL AS THE PRIMARY NAME FOR GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. THAT IS ANOTHER CLUE! SO, BY SAYING THE “LORD HAS NEED” IS ACTUALLY SAYING THAT IF ANYONE OBJECTS, THE OWNER, GOD HIMSELF, NEEDS THE ANIMALS. HERE WE SEE THAT THIS WAS TRULY GOD’S PLAN ALL ALONG!

THEN, WE MUST ASK, WHY A DONKEY? HISTORY TELLS US THIS IS NOTHING NEW! RIDING A DONKEY FOR CEREMONIAL ENTRY INTO A CITY WAS AN ACT OF KINGSHIP. 1 KINGS 1:33-44, WE READ OF KING DAVID HAVING HIS SON, SOLOMON, ANNOINTED AS THE NEXT KING. “AND THE KING SAID TO THEM, “TAKE WITH YOU THE SERVANTS OF YOUR LORD AND HAVE SOLOMON MY SON RIDE ON MY OWN MULE, AND BRING HIM DOWN TO GIHON. AND LET ZADOK THE PRIEST AND NATHAN THE PROPHET THERE ANOINT HIM KING OVER ISRAEL. THEN BLOW THE TRUMPET AND SAY, ‘LONG LIVE KING SOLOMON!’”

THE DONKEY IS A SIGN OF PEACE! THEREFORE, A MAN WHO RIDES A DONKEY COMES IN PEACE AND ISN’T LOOKING FOR WAR. ALSO, FROM A ROMAN INTERPRETATION, HE IS A KING WHO IS NOT LOOKING TO CONQUER NOR LOOKING TO REBEL AGAINST CAESAR!

THE PEACE JESUS SYMBOLIZES THROUGH THE USE OF A DONKEY IS THE PEACE HE GIVES TO EACH OF US! JOHN 14:27, “I AM LEAVING YOU WITH A GIFT—PEACE OF MIND AND HEART. AND THE PEACE I GIVE IS A GIFT THE WORLD CANNOT GIVE. SO DON’T BE TROUBLED OR AFRAID.” THE DONKEY NOT ONLY SYMBOLIZES PEACE, BUT PROCLAIMS THAT JESUS IS KING!

THE TIME HAS NOW COME! JESUS IS HELPED ONTO THE DONKEY AND BEGINS THE RIDE INTO JERUSALEM FULFILLING MORE PROPHECY OF ZECHARIAH 9:9, “REJOICE, O PEOPLE OF ZION! SHOUT IN TRIUMPH, O PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM! LOOK, YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU. HE IS RIGHTEOUS AND VICTORIOUS, YET HE IS HUMBLE, RIDING ON A DONKEY—RIDING ON A DONKEY’S COLT.” THE PEOPLE LINING THE STREETS BEGIN TO REJOICE AND PRAISE GOD.