Have you ever thought much about the story of Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem? Most who hear this story, probably don’t see the greatness of it. Let me tell you a little more about it.
At the time Israel was under the Roman rule, and wasn’t an independent nation. It had fallen due to the rejection of God’s word 560 years prior, to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon which is Iraq.
In God’s word, for those who read it, learned of a king who will reinstate Israel. And the king will come through the line of King David. So for those who believed Gods word, they were expecting a king sent by God.
In Zechariah 9:9, God’s word says to Israel; “Say to the daughter of Zion; see your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
You might pick up he’s on a unbroken animal, but he’s the king who is going to reinstate Israel! A man doesn’t come to town on a donkey without weapons and a giant following to overthrow the existing powers of Government, on a donkey!
Herod, Pilate, and Roman guards were there, and they enjoy making examples of anyone who wants a piece of them!
In Mathew 21 is this story. After Jesus entered through the Golden Gate, He went directly to the money changers tables, made a makeshift whip and overthrew those in charge!
Not Rome, Pilate, Herod, but those who SOLD sin forgiveness!
God works in a way the world doesn’t understand!
All who believed were expecting, a earthly king like David, they expected the king God was to send would act in a way of the world. Riding in with weapons and strength. Ready to fight and die for the cause! But not on a donkey and attack the religious money changers! This surely isn’t the way a new king and government comes to town.
You need to know that the religious of the temple area exchanged your money at a lower rate for temple money at a higher rate. Then sold you at a inflated value doves or lambs so you and your family can let a priest kill it in front of you. Then the priest keep it and sell it back to you for something to eat for more temple money. And they have the gall to look at you and tell you, your sins are forgiven, and don’t you feel better now! Now you get to go home considerably broker, and carry the same guilt of sin you had before hand, and trying to believe what you did washed away your sins.
Since childhood, Jesus went every year to Jerusalem, for the Passover feast. He saw man trying to gain forgiveness from sin by this same fiasco every year. He felt compassion for man and just required men and women to simply ask forgiveness for their sins. Repent by turning away from their sinful lifestyle. And they can rest assured that He would remember our sins no more.
Yes. He rode in. Was ready to die and did. He was and IS, the expected King, foretold about in God’s word that they were all expecting. And He overthrew the dominating power in charge of ALL mankind, those who sold the forgiveness of sin.
He claimed and achieved Kingship that day! For Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the King who forgives sins for FREE! No other king could ever do this!
