“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out,
‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’
And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
‘Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!’
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.“ - John 12:12-16
In Biblical times, people waved palm branches to celebrate victory and give honor to the victor. Here had arrived the Messiah - the one who would save them! He rode a donkey, a fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, he was the king! But what they didn’t realize was that he was not entering in a military context (which would have featured a horse, mule or chariot), but he was coming in peace and humility. A handful of days later, he would be crucified. His death would seem to crush all hope of salvation. But on Sunday, He resurrected - proving His claim as the Savior of the world who had the power to defeat even death!
May you take time reflect on Christ’s victory and the victory we share as a Child of God this Holy Week!
