The King Is Coming

There is a great old hymn of the faith entitled, The King Is Coming. I love that old hymn. It really gets my blood flowing. I am always looking forward to that great day when Jesus will return and gather His faithful people together and take us home with Him to spend eternity worshipping at His feet. Oh, what a glorious day that will be!

Although that hymn is looking forward to the Second Coming of Christ, the Old Testament saints had a similar view of the future as they looked forward to Messiah's first coming. To them also the King was  coming! Check out Zechariah 9:9 where he speaks of and prophesied about the coming of Christ:

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.

When Messiah comes, Zechariah declared that He would arrive like a king. In ancient times, when a king arrived home from war, having won a great victory, he would often lead his captives into the city while riding on a donkey, or more accurately, "a colt, the foal of a donkey" (v. 9b). People would celebrate along with the king by spreading cut branches and their coats on the road before him.

That is what Jesus did nearly two thousand years ago. He came riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey like a victorious king. Afterall, He was about to claim victory over Satan. The only thing was His victory would come by way of a cross and a grave from which He would rise again. But the people didn't understand.

Today is Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We celebrate the salvation He brings. We should celebrate this day because this is the day when Jesus came to Jerusalem to die for you and me. He came specifically to redeem us from our sin. He came to ser us free. He came to draw us to Himself and make us one with Him. Enjoy this great day. Amen.