March 18, 2008
Mark 11.1-11
The atmosphere in Jerusalem that day was ecstatic. The crowd was wild with excitement shouting praises to Him. Jesus was riding on a donkey. We read in the Old Testament that kings rode on donkeys at the time of ordination.
The previous week Lazarus in Bethany died. Jesus raised him from the dead. People were thrilled! Whoever has heard of such a miracle? News spread like wildfire! The people thought that He must be the Messiah and their coming king!
They have been waiting for the Messiah to come and deliver them from the Roman tyranny. If Jesus raised the dead, healed the lepers and opened blind eyes and if He fed 5000 with 5 loaves of bread He must be the one who had come to be their king!!!
So they were waving palm leaves and shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” meaning “Save now Messiah, who comes in the name of the Lord”.
Waving palm leaves showed their national desire for liberation. About 150 years before this, when the Jews regained the Temple from the Syrians they celebrated by waving palm leaves! They expected Jesus to liberate them from the Romans.
Of course, Jesus was their King. He wanted them to know that He was their King. But not the king they were expecting!!
For the Roman soldiers in Jerusalem, the sight of Jesus riding upon a donkey was amusing. A Roman king would ride upon a stallion with warriors following. Jesus did not fit their concept as a king!
The cheering of the crowd annoyed the hypocritical Jewish leaders as they considered Jesus as their enemy. They were furious about His claims as the Messiah and the Son of God. They demanded Him to stop the people from shouting in praise to Him. But Jesus refused. He said that if the crowd kept quiet the rocks would break forth with praise.
All other times when Jesus performed miracles He told the people not to spread the news because He did not want them to see Him only as miracle worker. But this time He rejoiced in their praises. He wanted them to know that He was their Messiah and King. Not as a king they thought of. He came as the Servant King! They did not understand!!
The religious leaders instigated the crowd against Him. Within a few days the crowd that cheered Him turned against Him and screamed that He should be crucified.
They rejected the Servant King! They did not understand Him!
In Psalm 24 we read about the coming of the King of Glory. There was a shout asking the gates to open for Him to enter. Those inside asked, “Who is this King of glory?” The reply came. “The Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle” When Jesus came He was engaged in war with satan and his evil forces. He did not spare them. He conquered them at the Cross. The war was not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers. He never negotiated and never would negotiate with evil.
The people did not understand who He was. They did not open the gates of their hearts.
The second time there is going to be the shout again to open the gates for the King of Glory to come in. He is coming again, but not as a warrior. He has already won the victory! He is coming as the Sovereign King and it is not too far from now!
They did not understand the King!! Do we?!!!
