Thoughts on Psalm Sunday 2014
13 AprOver 2000 years ago about this time, it appears the Sadducees had a tradition where they believed the Messiah would show up four days before Passover and its amazes me how they missed it here.
The Sadducess would make sure the gates to the Temple were kept open so the Messiah could walk in straightway to His rightful place in the Temple. I suppose they did not understand yet how Jesus/Yeshua can appear anywhere and anytime He likes.
Keep in mind that it appears a sense of Jewish nationalism was at an all time high on this particular day. Which means the Romans were all on high alert fearing the Jew may try another revolt as they did in times past. Like with the Maccabbean Revolt about 150 years earlier where they were victorious. So the Romans may have thought here comes those crazy religious radical and there leader Jesus. It must have been pretty tense like right after 9/11 in New York City that day.
As this is the day Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9,” Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
We read in Matthew 21:5,” Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” Jesus had instructed His disciples to bring a donkey and a colt, and so they do exactly that as it was prophesied in Zechariah. The significance here seems to me is what sort of King rides a donkey? Keeping in mind that Joseph and very pregnant Mary with the Holy Spirit promise inside her came into town on a donkey.
The donkey is often used as “a beast of burden,” and I believe this is symbolic of what kind of King Jesus is representing here as when He will return as written in Revelation, He rides a white horse. However, this first time Jesus comes to be a servants of all since that was His purpose to come offer us salvation and serve humanity. Most people can see that a donkey compared to a horse is quite a contrasts.
If Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a horse it would have gone against prophecy and reinforced the prevalent notion that Israel’s leader would be some great military King who would overthrow the Roman oppressors. Jesus sent a very clear message to the multitude when He entered Jerusalem riding one of the two donkeys as appearing a very humble, serving king.
The disciples put their garments on the donkeys for Jesus to sit on as they entered Jerusalem, “then the multitudes started spreading their garments on the road, and still others were cutting palm branches from the trees, and spreading them all across the road.” Which certainly implies that the multitude recognized Jesus as a king. Like in the case of Jehu, all the garments for Jesus to walk on and palm branches served as a sort of poor man version of a red carpet.
You see in 2 Kings 9, the prophet Elisha sent a messenger to give a Word from the Lord to Jehu. After pouring oil over Jehu, the messenger said to him in verse 12,
…’Thus says the Lord, “I have anointed you king over Israel”‘. After this declaration was made, all the people there threw their garments down and placed it under Jehu’s steps to honour him, and they blew the trumpet, shouting, “Jehu is king!” 2 Kings 9:13.
It appears that the Dome of the Rock now stands where the Temple once stood that Jesus entered here, which I expect may soon be rebuilt as prophecy indicates will happen. In fact the Jews seem to have everything in place to refurbish the insides once the Temple is rebuilt. How long does it take to build such a structure today? It could happen very quickly.
The Lord Jesus went down that road riding a donkey that had never been ridden before.
Now I know some equestrians friends that have trained horses with so much love, understanding and proper leadership that they are able to ride a horse that has never been ridden before in a safe corral or environment without the horse ever even bucking.
Horses and donkeys are prey animals and do well to follow the herd leader. Possibly the reason for two donkey was having the second donkey help the young colt feel more secure. However, in this case since we know that God caused that Donkey to speak in Numbers 22:28, and all things are possible with Him. It stands to reason that donkey probably felt honoured and privileged to allow the Lord Jesus to ride him for the first time ever. I image that Donkey was never the same after this experience especially with anyone else who rode him home. He probably told his Donkey friends all about it the rest of his life. Research indicates animals have an array of emotion of that like people.
In some ways that donkey seems to be like many of us when we came to Jesus for the first time and got saved, receiving the Lord’s forgiveness and salvation. We come to Christ with a lot of negative fearful programming, we come with all our sin issues realising doing it our own way is not working out very well. We are so used to having our own way, but then we have this supernatural encounter knowing we have met our Creator and we simply need to yield our life to Him just as that donkey yielded his back to Jesus.
After we are born again we should realise what an honor it is to be of use to the Lord of all Creation for the rest of our life’s into eternity. That Christ even calls us friend and blesses us is extraordinary in itself. Now keep in mind as Jesus is riding this privileged donkey the crowds here may have heard about or even witnessed Lazarus resurrection as they were shouting out “Hosanna” which means, “Save us now!” Which was Yasha anna in Hebrew.
They were quoting from Psalms 118:25,” Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
To come in the name of the LORD is to come in His authority. Jesus is the light of the world. Light is more powerful that all darkness.
Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would be a Light to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:6,” I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;’
John 8:12,” Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Sometimes you can say things and not understand what you are really saying, as here is an example because the Jews did not appear to fully understand the prophecies that they had memorized so faithfully and were shouting out “Save us now!” as Jesus rode by them.
Just as the Jewish people sang out this chorus in Solomon’s day, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.’
2 Chronicles 7: 3,”And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”
So here is an example of Presence of God appearing and filling the first Temple built by Solomon.
Now think this through that same Holy Spirit presence can be experience by us in our individual Holy Temples, our bodies as we yield our life to Christ. As we pick up our crosses and follow Him. Luke 9:23,” And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Just as what was happening here in Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, as the presence of God is about to walk into the Temple. Now the Lord wants all your mind, body and spirit and soul for a Temple of the Holy Spirit. He wants to fill you up and stir up the gifts He gave you, so that it is no more you that lives but Christ that lives in you.
When you humble yourself and worship the Lord everything else melts away, all your troubles and issues. God has also healed many people this way of all sorts of things. Maybe we should just sing, “He is good and His love endures forever,” until we are filled to overflowing with the presence of the King of king’s and Lord of Lord’s. I dare say, that scripture so many Christians use trying to get an unbeliever saved in Revelation 3:20,” Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Is written to the believer not the unbeliever!!! Because Jesus wants all of you and many Christians’ are only giving part of themselves to Him. Taking up your cross daily means dying to yourself everyday and living for Christ.
Do we always welcome His presence into us as a Temple? I mean are we quick to answer His knock on our doors? Do we recognise His voice when He comes to speak with us? Or are we too busy doing our own thing in our own way? Do you rush about to clean up the mess first before letting the Lord in? Believe me He knows all about your messes and still agape loves you. This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us pray without ceasing. Let us include the Lord in everything we do, think and say.
The Jews sang about this in Psalm 24:7,” Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”
What if He comes when you least expect Him?
Matthew 24:44,” Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
I pray the Lord’s supernatural peace, healing, provision and protection cover you always with oceans of Agape love in the almighty name of Jesus/Yeshua!
PASTOR CASPAR
(c) Caspar McCloud Ministries Inc
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