The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…” John 1: 29, NKJV
Gracious God, may Your Word come alive to us as we study; and may it cause revival in our souls! For Christ’s sake; Amen
Today we begin a series on the sufferings that Christ endured during the last week of His life, here on earth.
Today is Sunday, the first day of the week. In Jerusalem the air is filled with excitement. Jesus had sent two of his disciples into the city to borrow a colt (Luke 19: 29-34) and is about to make His triumphant entry. You see, Jesus must fulfill all Scripture. ” ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey…’ ” (Zechariah 9: 9).
On another occasion, the people, who had experienced the miracle of the bread and fishes, along with his disciples, had tried to make Him king by force, but He would not allow them. Now it is He who initiates the action of the kingly entrance into Jerusalem. He realizes that “His time has come,” and that this will be His last trip to Jerusalem, ” ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour’ ” (John 12: 27).
The disciples, and the common people, are beside themselves with joy. They place their coats on the colt and after setting Jesus upon it, they begin shouting their royal praises and jumping for joy; they lay their coats and cloaks in His path, “As [H]e was now approaching the path down from, the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’ ” (Luke 19: 37, 38, NRSV). Jesus knows that this procession and grand acclamation will lead to Calvary. He also knows that after Calvary, it will cause many to go back to the Scriptures and study for themselves the prophecies concerning Jesus; there they will discover that He was indeed, the long awaited Messiah. “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53: 11).
This is a most unusual procession. Unlike the triumphal entrance of a king returning from battle bringing his captives as a trophy of his triumph, Jesus’ procession is just the opposite. These are the captives that He has rescued from the kingdom of darkness. “The blind whom He had restored to sight were leading the way. The dumb whose tongues He had loosed shouted the loudest hosannas. The cripples whom He had healed bounded with joy, and were the most active in breaking the palm branches and waving them before the Saviour. Widows and orphans were exalting the name of Jesus for His works of mercy to them. The lepers whom He had cleansed spread their untainted garments in His path, and hailed Him as the King of glory. Those whom His voice had awakened from the sleep of death were in that throng. Lazarus, whose body had seen corruption in the grave, but who now rejoiced in the strength of glorious manhood, led the beast on which the Saviour rode” (The Desire of Ages, p. 501). Yet in the midst of all this joy, the Saviour weeps (Matthew 19: 41-44)!
“Crown Him with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne; Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own! Awake my soul and sing Of Him who died for thee; And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity” Matthew Bridges and Rev. by Godfrey Thring (The Church Hymnal, p. 223).