Good morning to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever stood in a place which has a very rich history, and you either read or recount in your mind some of the great events which have occurred in that place in the past? Perhaps you’ve stood in Rome near the ruins of the Coliseum, or in Athens, or in Egypt near the pyramids or maybe you’ve had the remarkable privilege of being in Jerusalem!
Would you join me today, standing on the hills east of Jerusalem? Allow time to roll back, about 2000 years… look around, do you see and hear the crowds all around you? It’s the beginning of Passover week. The city of Jerusalem is packed to overflowing, the hillsides have little shelters built everywhere for people who can’t find a room these days. Nearby towns like Bethany and Bethpage a few miles east, or Bethlehem a few miles south are also packed to overflowing. Thousands of Jews have come from all over the Empire… this is Passover week!
From our vantage point on the eastern hills, as you look at this remarkable “City of David” it is similar although much smaller than this famous recent picture of Jerusalem. The “Eastern Gate” was not closed up 2000 years ago, and as we stand and watch, there’s a steady flow of people entering Jerusalem and the grand Temple mount through that gate!
Of course the “Golden Dome” was not there 2000 years ago, instead, in that very place, was the great Temple. King Herod’s workers had spent many years refurbishing it and it was nothing less than spectacular, attracting pilgrims from thousands of miles away! By the way, do you know what is under that ‘Golden Dome’ today? Nothing! As you enter through any of the large arched doorways, the underside of the Dome is magnificently ornate. But quickly you’ll see, the center of that empty room has a waist high railing and at the railing there is no floor! A huge opening in the floor reveals a large rock cluster below… it’s the tip of Mount Moriah, the place where Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him, as recorded in Genesis 22! For Muslims, they believe it was not Isaac but Ishmael who Abraham took there and God provided a ram in the thicket which became the sacrifice that day.
Yesterday the calendars of our world proclaimed that it was Palm Sunday. Christians around the world celebrated that famous event recorded for us in the Gospels. John tells us Jesus and His disciples had spent the night before at the home of His dear friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus in Bethany.
Matthew and Luke tell us Jesus sent two of the disciples ahead to find a donkey colt which had never been ridden, and bring it to Jesus so He could ride it to Jerusalem that morning. Now that sounds strange, doesn’t it? Why did Jesus need to ride, when everyone else walked? Jesus always walked…many miles, why this time did He want to ride? Matthew explains “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets many years before…” (Matt. 21:4) and then Matthew quoted the prophet Zechariah who had written: ‘Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech. 9:9)
For the last few weeks we’ve been following Jesus on His route toward His Easter weekend. It is now Passover week. Everything Jesus is doing now is very calculated. A never before ridden colt would be uncontrollable… but just as Jesus calmed storms on Lake Galilee, so Jesus calmed an unbroken donkey colt, and quickly people gathered around waving branches, even some throwing their cloaks on the ground to form a type of red carpet. People shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Hosanna was a word which meant “Save Us” or “Savior“!
These people recognized Jesus as the man who had been doing unbelievable miracles everywhere He went, for the past many months. Cripple people were healed, blind people were seeing, deaf people hearing, storms calmed, thousands of people fed with a few biscuits and minnows, even dead people raised to life!
While people couldn’t fully explain WHO Jesus really was, His power was undeniable, and thus the thought of making Him king and urging Him to lead a rebellion against Roman domination was gaining momentum with many people, even though Jesus never spoke of that ambition. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God and urged people to become God honoring people. He never spoke of setting up an earthly kingdom or challenging the rule of Rome. But people are always looking for a hero, aren’t we?
The people shouted again “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” This was now a direct quote from one of their favorite Psalms proclaiming the greatness of God and His help for His people, Psalm 118. Listen: “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Hosanna, O LORD save us! O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. The LORD is our God, and He has made His light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:24-29)
It’s becoming a wave of adoration and praise now sweeping all across the hills east of Jerusalem. People are running in all directions. It’s almost like a coronation, a parade of praise for a great dignitary! What is happening here in this spontaneous celebration?
Luke tells us “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd shouted to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples! But Jesus responded, ‘I tell you if they keep quiet even the stones will cry out!” (Luke 19:40)
The disciples, we presume, were thrilled, finally Jesus was receiving the accolades He deserved! The people were caught up in the momentum of celebration, I’m sure many wondered what it would be like if this miracle working Jesus would actually become their king? But from Jesus’ perspective on that little donkey colt, what was Jesus seeing as He looked out over the crowd, and into the eyes of His disciples and close friends? What did Jesus see as He looked across the Kidron Valley to Jerusalem, the great city of so much history for Him?
Jesus could see all the way back to that day in Genesis 22 when Abraham brought Isaac to that hilltop, ready to sacrifice him, and then God provided a ram caught in the thicket, to become the sacrifice. Abraham gave God a new name that day… Jehovah Jireh, ‘The LORD Provides”! But Jesus knew that He as the Son of God would not have the same deliverance experience. No ram, no animal could be a sufficient sacrifice to pay the sin price for all humanity.
God the Father had sent Jesus, God the Son to become the atonement sacrifice so humanity could be ransomed from our sin bondage and condemnation. As Jesus looked at Jerusalem, He could see another hill, just outside the city walls, Golgotha it was called. On that hill, in less than one week, Jesus knew He would be crucified to pay for the sin rebellion of our human race. Oh what emotions must have welled up in Jesus as He sat on that donkey, listening to the cheers of the people, but looking at Golgotha!
Jesus could see every great event that had ever happened in that remarkable city of Jerusalem all the way back over the centuries. From Jesus’ vantage point on the hills east of Jerusalem, riding on that small donkey colt, that day, surrounded by thousands of cheering people, many of whom in only a few days would be crying out “Crucify Him”…oh my!
Luke records for us: “As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, ‘If you had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19:41-44)
For those close enough to Jesus to have heard Him say these words, I imagine it was shocking, confusing, horrifying. What could Jesus possibly mean by saying these things? But it was true… less than 40 years later, in 70ad the Roman army encircled and destroyed Jerusalem and that great Temple, and thousands of people were mercilessly killed. And down through history to our present day, that great city of Jerusalem has been destroyed and rebuilt over and over again as humanity fights over territory and hillsides and cities. Yet to this day no city in the world draws pilgrims, worshipers as Jerusalem does.
Matthew writes: “When Jesus entered Jerusalem that day, the whole city was stirred and many asked ‘Who is this man?” (Matt. 21:10) Let’s pause right there… look around, listen to the noisy crowds.
What is your answer to that question today? Who is Jesus by His own declaration? Who do you say Jesus is? Everything of importance in your life hinges on your answer to that question! This week we will walk with Jesus to Golgotha, His crucifixion and then next week, His resurrection…what does it all mean in your life my friends?
Let’s join a recent worship concert on the steps leading up into Jerusalem, singing this great song “Hosanna”!! Here’s the link…
Today’s Scripture is Luke 19:28-44.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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