Sunday, April 1, 2012

Sunday Faith Blog

"The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. ..."  John 12:12-19


For anyone interested in more, I found this excellent explanation of Palm Sunday:


The people who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus learned that Jesus would enter Jerusalem shortly thereafter riding on a donkey. The people of Jerusalem interpreted this to mean that Jesus was the Messiah. But their conception of the Messiah was that He was King David come to conquer the world, deliver them from their Roman enemies, and bring peace. They expected Him to destroy their enemies by might. So he rode in just like the prophet Zechariah said He would. But he did not fulfill the next verse, Zechariah 9:10, where He establishes world peace. He will fulfill that verse when He returns. The people expected him to fulfill it then.
The reason that they proclaimed Him king this day, shouting "Hosanna!" and turned on him a few days later shouting "Crucify!" is because He did not do what they expected. They thought he was an impostor. Their traditions and teachings led them to believe that the Christ would come and conquer. They did not realize, or did not accept, that the scripture also said he must first suffer (e.g., Psalm 22 and Isaiah 36).
The triumphal entry proved two things. It was Jesus' statement to Jerusalem and the world that He was indeed the Messiah. He fulfilled the Zecharian prophecy that promised the Israelites that their king, in the form of David the conqueror, would ride into Jerusalem meekly (which he truly did after the defeat of Absalom) and that he would then deliver the nation from their enemies.
It was also proof of the fickleness of mankind. One day Jesus was their conquering hero, the next He was a liar and a charlatan who entered Jerusalem as Messiah only to fail to accomplish the promised mission of delivery. People today are just as fickle as they were then.
This was the beginning of a series of what the world would consider to be misadventures. Yet, these supposed "misadventures" were all in the will and the plan of God. He knew that these things would lead to the crucifixion of His Only Begotten, which would allow for the salvation of multitudes, yea for the very salvation of us in this day some two millennia after the fact.

Have a Happy Palm Sunday... interesting to consider that the man, Jesus, humbled himself by riding on a donkey instead of on a great stead like the people thought he would...A week later, he died, and many in Jerusalem and Rome, cynics from the start, turned off even more because he didn't appear like King David, galloping into Jerusalem, heard enough about the crucifixion that they started believing all he'd said.  Quite a story......

z

13 comments:

Ed Bonderenka said...

Kings who came in victory rode steeds (symbol of war).
Kings who came in peace rode donkeys (not what you rode into war).
We're studying Zech right now.
It's an amazing prophetic book.
Check out ch 11. Describes the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD because of their rejection of Jesus (outwardly because of their rebellion against Rome.
Just as earlier, ch 9 described their deliverance from Alexander the Great.
Happy April Fools day! "The fool says in his heart their is no God."

Silverfiddle said...

The reason that they proclaimed Him king this day, shouting "Hosanna!" and turned on him a few days later shouting "Crucify!" is because He did not do what they expected.

I've heard it said that the Old Testament must be read in light of the New Testament, and both must be read with your own human heart in mind.

The reason that they proclaimed Him king this day, shouting "Hosanna!" and turned on him a few days later shouting "Crucify!" is because He did not do what they expected.

How often do we do the same in our own lives?

Bob said...

Quite a story......

And, it's not over.

Thanks for the great post.

Z said...

Ed, I'll definitely check that out, thanks.

SF...Seems to me that the NT is like a body of only flesh and no bones. The bones are the basis of our faith, The OT.
The heart can get us in trouble, but do see your point.

Bob...I'm glad you liked it!

Ticker said...

Outstanding post Z. Great explanation of the events and the expectations of the Jewish people of Jesus day.

The song called the Holy City which is often performed at this time of year came to mind and I posted it and will carry this link over to Ticker's blog so folks can read it.

Bunkerville said...

Excellent post. Which shows how fickle man can be. Hope you had a great day.

TS/WS said...

I like 2Kings chapter 23.
The 6th verse
'And he (Jo-si-ah) brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerusalem unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.'
The sacrifices to Molech.
Most Bibles changed to 'the graves of the people'-omitting 'the children'.
verse 13
'And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the 'mount of corruption', which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ash-to-reth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Che-mosh the abmination of the Moabites, and for Mil-com the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.'

Ash-to-reth = mother earth/gaea/athena/venus.
Che-mosh = Molech.
Milcom = Molech.
Different regions-different names.

And Then THE MOUNT OF CORRUPTION.
THE MOUNT OF OLIVES!
Jo-si-ah purified the Mount of Olives so Yahushua could 'GIVE THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT'.
Verse 27
And the Yahueh said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.
That is why Yahushua told the disciples that He would return to His Fathers House and prepare a place for them. That was/is a custom of the Hebrews (Israel and Judah) for a marriage.
The Marriage in Heaven. Reuniting Israel and Judah before Yahueh (The Father).
Jo-si-ah is loved more than any other king; he cleansed the way for Yahushua.
Read all of the 2Kings 23.
The only time Yahushua became very angry, encountering the Money Changers.

Oh, and,
Verse 29
Jo-si-ah was slew at Me-gid-do.
The reason why the Final Battle will be at Me-gid-do.
Excuse me for going on and on.

Z said...

MEGIDDO is apparently now a commune area in Israel.

Ed Bonderenka said...

In case anyone missed it: Har-Megiddo sounds a lot like Armageddon.
Zech 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
And I'd like to add that Jesus went to the cross to prepare a place for his disciples. What He prepared was the Temple of God in which there are many dwelling places (french: mansions), which is comprised of living stones (the saints). Jesus prepared the church, his Body. He told them of this at the same time He was explaining about abiding in the vine.

Z said...

Wow, Ed...Armageddon does sound like those other places...
yikes!

TS/WS said...

Also, He did conquer. That is why He is called the second Adam.
He will return to reclaim the earth as His Kingdom.
Satan knows he has but a short time.
Satan tricked Adam out of his dominance over the earth.
Yahushua did not tell satan that He was the one. Thus satan had Him killed-without first asking the Father for the permission.
Satan broke his contract with G_d, returning dominance of the earth to Yahushua.
Thus all of our sins were forgiven by the act of being nailed to the cross by a overzealous satan.
And, we live in the Grace Administration.
We will still sin-being human, but we shall not mock nor do lawbreaking (the commandments) willfully intentionally (to spite The Father).

christian soldier said...

He WON the battle against Lucifer-

We Christians are to "OCCUPY til I come..." (the command of Jesus - Lk 19) - in other words- HOLD THE GROUND WON!
Are We!?!!

Have a grand Holy week - my friend--
Carol-CS

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