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Lesson One of the Book of Daniel,
Introduction to the Book of Daniel
The Gospel of John, The Period of Crisis, The Entry Into Jerusalem, Part
V, John 12:12-15 - Lesson 102
Lesson - Lesson - The Period of
Crisis, Chapter 11:54 to 12:36a,
The Entry into Jerusalem, verses 12:12-19
Read Verses
John 12:12-19, On the next
day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was
coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him,
and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the
Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was
glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that
they had done these things unto him. The people therefore that was with him
when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare
record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had
done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye
how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
John 12:12,13, On the next day
much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming
to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and
cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the
Lord.
This day that we read of in this passage is the fulfillment of prophesy.
Zechariah over 500 years previous to this day foretold the presentation of the
Christ of God to the nation.
We read in Zech. 9:9, Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0
daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Every jot and every title of this prophesy was fulfilled by our Lord Jesus
Christ on this, his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
The place is Jerusalem, the day perhaps is Sunday of the crucifixion week.
We call this day Palm Sunday because palm branches were spread before him like a
red carpet would be today for a king.
Jesus Christ knows what is to take place.
Their are no surprises ahead of him.
His face is set as a flint, as a rock, to do his Father's will.
He knows that doing his Father's will, will require the greatest sacrifice this
world has ever known.
He knows that he will be called upon to suffer the greatest pain this world has
even witnessed.
His meat was to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work.
He was here to finish the job for which he was sent.
He was so attuned to the Father's will he could of himself do nothing else.
The importance of this event is indicated by the scripture itself because it is
recorded in Matthew (21:1-9); Mark (11:1-10); Luke (19:29-38); and John
(12:12-15).
All accounts agree in substance with each Gospel adding certain detail.
Matthew ties the account closely to Zechariah's prophecy (9:9). mentioning the
colt and its mother.
Mat 21:2-5, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and
straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and
bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say. The Lord
hath need of them; and straightway he wIll send them. All this was done, that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter
of Sion, Behold"thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an as~, and a
colt the foal of an ass.
Two donkeys for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Zechariah, 500 years earlier said the King would ride upon two donkeys.
An ass and a colt, the foal of an ass.
Jesus Christ wanted no misinterpretation of what he was telling Israel.
This is how the Messiah was to enter Jerusalem.
Christ did not enter Jerusalem upon a war horse of conquest but upon a colt
representing humility and peace.
Most of us would have found the grandest and strongest and most impressive of
horses to make our grand entrance, wouldn't we?
But our ways are not God's ways.
The time when he will enter sitting upon a white horse is not this time.
This was the time of humility.
He was not come to overthrow but to
bring peace.
He was not to come on a war horse, he was not to walk, he was to ride on two
donkeys..
First an ass, then a colt, the foal of an ass.
It is likely that Christ rode the donkey for the more difficult part of the
journey, transferring to the colt upon actually entering Jerusalem.
There a large crowd applauded Him, spreading the road with their garments and
with branches.
They acknowledged Him as the son of David.
Zechariah said Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of
Jerusalem:
The people fulfilled this command and cried Hosanna: Blessed is the King of
Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
There is no doubt that Jesus Christ wants to clearly show that he is the King of
whom Zechariah speaks.
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus Christ is of vital significance in
understanding. the messianic mission of Jesus.
Prior to this moment, Jesus had refused to allow any public acknowledgement of
His being the Messiah.
By mainly conducting His ministry outside Jerusalem, He had kept conflict with
the Jewish religious leaders from intensifying.
He avoided display, he did not seek attraction.
He did not strive, nor cry; nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets.
His disciples were told to tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
As they came down from the Mountain of Transfiguration, he charged them that
they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were
risen from the dead.
He had said in the past, My time is not yet come.
Now. the time was at hand. This was not the time for things concealed, but it
was now the time for things revealed.
This was the time for his opponents to understand the strong messianic
implications of the manner of His entry into Jerusalem.
The riding upon the colt, the garments and palm branches in the road, and the
shouts of the multitude--all of this pointed to Jesus as the Messiah.
When He was urged to quiet the people, Jesus replied, "I tell you that, if these
should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
It was the Father's will that the people not hold their peace but cry out
Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
God would have his Son enter Jerusalem with the exclamations of adoration.
Christ takes charge here. He takes the initiative. He sees that God's will is
carried out.
He orders the ass and the colt, the foal of an ass.
The owner of the two animals was moved by God at this time to provide them
because it was the Father's will.
This was the time because the scriptures required it to be.
Jesus Christ was always-about the Father's business and the Father's business
was well documented in his word.
Jacob spoke of this triumphal entry when in:
Gen 49:10, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the
people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice
vine;
Binding his foal unto the vine. The vine is Israel and the choice vine is Christ
himself.
Daniel spoke of this entry in his prophesy of the seventy weeks.
The entry into Jerusalem in this public and hailed manner was Jesus Christ's
formal presentation of himself to Israel as their prince.
This day was the end of the sixty-ninth week of Daniel's prophesy.
Sir Robert Anderson in his book "The Coming Prince" shows a proof that this is
true. I quote from his book:
"No student of the Gospel narrative can fail to see that the Lord's last visit
to Jerusalem was not only in fact, but in the purpose of it, the crisis of His
ministry, the goal towards which it had been directed. After the first tokens
had been given that the nation would reject His Messianic claims, He had shunned
all public recognition of them. But now the two fold testimony of His words and
His works had been fully rendered and His entry into the Holy City was to
reclaim His Messiahship and to receive his doom....."
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