THE TENDER KING!

THE TENDER KING!

Zech 9:9

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O 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.

Ps 118:24-27

24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Matt 21:8-9

8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

What a spectacle this was! The Jewish historian, Josephus, writes that both Alexander and Agrippa were welcomed into Jerusalem in this same fashion. It was the parade of the triumphant king! Some think that the parade wound its way through the booths that had been set up for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2). We know that this was prophesied by Zachariah and even the Rabbis acknowledged that Zachariah 9:9 spoke of the coming Messiah. That is why the Pharisees asked Jesus to silence the unprompted Hosannas (Luke 19:39-40). Jesus responded with his famous statement that if these held their peace the rocks would immediately cry out.

Matthew tells us that Jesus, the king, went into the Temple and chased out the money changers and those who sold sacrificial animals (Matthew 21:12-14). In this way the king exercised His authority immediately. Verse 14 also shows the nature of the kingdom when Jesus, amidst the overturned commerce, healed the sick. Mark inserts the cursing of the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14) and indicates that the cleansing of the temple took place a day later after a night of rest in Bethany. A careful look at the scriptures does not reveal any discrepancy.

Matthew 21:9 tells us that the people cried “Hosanna.” This was from Psalm 118. Hosanna literally means “save now” or “save now, we beseech thee!” So we both see and hear this crowd waving palms and crying out to their new King to bring salvation and prosperity. He would indeed bring salvation but at a terrible cost. Psalm 118:27 tells us how this would be done: “…bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” The Lamb of God would soon take away the sins of the world and bring salvation.

Rev 7:9-10

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Dear Lord, bring salvation to the unthinking multitudes even as they shout their Hosannas! AMEN