Matthew 21:1-11
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
21 As they approached
Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two
disciples, 2 saying
to them, “Go to the village ahead
of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her.
Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the
Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to
fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “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.’”
6 The disciples went and
did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their
cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the
road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the
road. 9 The
crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son
of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna in the
highest!”
10 When Jesus entered
Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered,
“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Have you ever tried to ride a
donkey? How about playing basketball
while on a donkey? I have, and it is not
an easy task! Donkeys can be so stubborn
that you can push and pull them and they won’t move. They may even just decide to buck you off,
something that they can do very well. I
find it very interesting that Jesus chose a donkey foul and his mother to take
him into the city. Since I know nothing
about breaking a donkey, or horse for that matter, I am not sure I know what I
am talking about but this is a little of my theory, it would be easier to break
a colt if his mom was nowhere around. I
have a feeling that you could have a very loud heehawing event if someone tried
to ride a donkey’s colt right in front of them.
That mamma donkey would be telling that baby not to do it, buck him off,
stand firm and don’t let that human being push you around! Jesus, however, did not send the disciples to
town to get a tame animal but one that would show others how he had control
over the animals. As well, it fulfilled
prophey.
Just as the entry of Jesus when He was born, His
arrival into the city as the king was much different than most of us we
think. He came into this world not in a
lavish mansion but in a stable. He rode
into the city as king, not the way a king would want to be announced but on a
donkey, one of the most stubborn animals that I know. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the King
of Israel as stated in the Old Testament, first found in Deuteronomy 17:14 20. 14 When
you enter the land the Lord your
God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and
you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15 be sure to appoint over
you the king the Lord your
God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a
foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must
not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people
return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way
again.” 17 He
must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not
accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
18 When he takes the throne of
his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this
law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. 19 It is to be with him,
and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to
revere the Lord his God
and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider himself
better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then
he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
There were many kings
before Jesus arrived as a babe. Some
were good, some were better, and some were outright bad. One thing they all had in common is that they
were not perfect. Some started out very
humble and became king’s that broke all the rules. Jesus was the only One who was perfect. He didn’t have to copy the law down in order
to remember it, He made the law. He didn’t
have money or fame, He didn’t marry, and He always took the time to help the needy. This Jesus was the King the Israelites had
been waiting for. He didn’t come on a
chariot, He had no guards to protect Him, He simply rode into the city on the
foul, an unbroken, untrained, untamed stubborn animal.
Many people that day were
shouting praises to His name but they did not know who they were shouting
praises to. They were all excited
because a “great prophet” was amongst their midst but they did not realize that
this was not a great prophet but the One that fulfilled prophesy, the One who
Was, and Is, and Is to come.
Just as in the days of old, we
forget to see Jesus for whom He truly is.
We get all excited about Jesus but many do not even know why they are so
excited. We believe He will provide for
our wants rather than depending on Him for our needs. We shove Him in the corner when we get too
busy with family, friends, and television.
We seem to forget, just as the people who were shouting His praises,
that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Today as you seek Him may you find that He is the King of Kings, that He
loved you so much that He gave up all the glory to sacrifice Himself for
you. Be sure to thank Him and give Him
praise for being a faithful King, righteous Lord, and Sovereign God.
Seeking Him with all my heart,
Sheila
