Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the commemoration of
Jesus triumphal entry into
Jerusalem. What happened that day? One way to answer that question is to examine
closely the three quotes of the Old Testament in today’s passage.
·
Matt. 21:5 is a quote of Zechariah 9:9, recognized
by Matthew as fulfilled as Jesus entered the city. And behind Zechariah’s words is the statement
in Psalm 2:6 that, in response to the rebellious kings of earth, God had
established His King in Zion. Was He
talking about David? No! Psalm 2:7-9 tell us He was talking about
David’s greater Son, the Son of God. He
is the One who will bring to an end the rebellion, the One who will rule the
nations. What happened on that Sunday was
that the King offered Himself to His people.
He made the offer in a manner consistent with His ministry: not on a big
white horse, surrounded by His army but on a donkey, in humility.
·
Matt. 21:9 records the words of the people, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the
Lord. These words are from Psalm
118:26a. When you go back to Psalm 118
you see that these words appear shortly after 118:22: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief
cornerstone. The Jewish shepherds
(leaders) were building a building, and Jesus was a stone that didn’t fit their
blueprint. So they rejected Him. Then 118:23 tells us that this is the Lord’s doing. This was God’s work! And even more amazing, 118:24 tells us that
we should rejoice in the day of the Messiah’s rejection. Like Paul we should glory or boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
(Gal. 6:14). Think of it: rejoice in
Jesus’ death. And why? Because the rejected stone was destined to
become the chief cornerstone of a new building, a holy temple, the Church that
would be filled with people from every nation.
Through His rejectiond His rule of the nations would begin to take
shape.
·
Matt. 21:16 tells us there would be no silencing
the children who cried out in praise to the Son of David. Jesus was quoting Psalm 8:2. Again, if you go back to Psalm 8 you will
find something else about that day. What
is it that moves even infants to cry out in praise? It is the fact that entering Jerusalem that
day was God Himself, our Creator. In 8:3-4
David wonders how the great Creator could bother with insignificant mankind
(8:3). How could the infinite God take
time to visit man? But in fact that is what God did. God came to earth, making Himself a little lower than the angels. As Heb. 2:6-8 shows, this is talking about
Jesus. He is God in the flesh, paying a
visit to man by His Incarnation. And this
humility reaches its deepest limits by His arrival at Jerusalem. But then what does it say of Him? You
have crowned him with glory and honor (8:5-6). The promised throne in Zion from which the
King will rule the nations is still the plan.
Someday He will actually arrive in Jerusalem on a great white horse,
followed by His mighty army (Rev. 19:11-16).
On that day the King of Israel, the Cornerstone
of the Church, God Himself, arrived in Jerusalem. Within days the praise of the people would
become crucify Him! May our praise be from hearts that are bowed before
the King! Someday every knee will bow to
Him, even those under the earth (those
who rejected Him). Today is the day to
choose your King, to confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).
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