March 20
Bible Reading: John 12:12-19
John 12:14-15, “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!’”
Matthew 21:1-3, “Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.’”
The Romans celebrated any glorious victory with a lavish parade. The triumphant commander rode in a four-horse chariot accompanied by his army, captives, and the spoils of his war. But Jesus rode no war horse when he entered the city of Jerusalem. Instead, His steed was a donkey’s colt!
It was the exact fulfillment of a centuries-old prophecy, and in keeping with His divinely ordained purpose. Though the people (and even the disciples) were looking for a powerful king to deliver them from the Romans, Jesus came in humility as a servant to deliver us all from sin. Having a feeding trough for a cradle in His birth, nowhere to lay His head in His life, and a borrowed tomb for His body in His death, it was altogether fitting for Him to ride the colt of a donkey in His triumphal entry. He came to triumph, but not in the sense most thought. His triumph was at the cross where He defeated sin, death, and the devil too!
“The ass was used by judges and kings in the Old Testament on errands of peace; the horse was used mainly as a charger in battle. By this conscious fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus offered Himself as a king of peace, not as a warrior. He asserted royal claims, but not militarily.”
Merrill Tenney
Jesus is coming again, but He’ll be riding a great white horse instead of a donkey. Having a robe ripped in blood, and accompanied by the armies of heaven, He’ll strike down the nations, and rule them with a rod of Iron. “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16)! As the Servant King, He is worthy of our love and devotion in all respects!
The first time Jesus came in humility to die on a cross for sins. He’s coming again in glory to reign over all forever.
HE IS LORD
Emptied of His glory; God became a man,
To walk on earth in ridicule and shame.
A Ruler, yet a Servant; a Shepherd, Yet a Lamb;
A Man of Sorrows, agony and pain.
He is Lord, He is Lord!
He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!
Ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess That
Jesus Christ is Lord
Humbled and rejected, beaten, and despised.
Upon the cross the Son of God was slain.
Just like a lamb to slaughter, a sinless sacrifice;
But, by His death His loss became our gain.
Satan’s forces crumbled like a mighty wall.
The stone that held Him in was rolled aside.
The Prince of Life in glory was lifted over all,
Now earth and heaven echoes with the cry.
LookingtoJesus 