Even before Adam was created, God knew that this particular day in the life of Jesus Christ was coming. Many prophecies concerning the events of the next 9 days had been recorded in the Old Testament centuries before Jesus was even born. The next few days were going to be, by far, the most difficult days Jesus would ever spend on earth. However, this day the horror and nightmare of the coming crucifixion were to be preceded by his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Very specific arrangements for this day had been divinely appointed. Two disciples were sent into Bethany near the Mount of Olives to bring Jesus an ass and her colt. They were given exact instructions on where to find them and exact orders on what to say if they were challenged. When they brought the animals to Jesus they put their clothes on them and Jesus proceeded to ride into Jerusalem amidst the exultations of a multitude who were laying their garments and tree branches in front of him. Their cries of Hosanna could be heard through the entire city.
Folks came running and when they saw him on the colt and all the people crying out, “Hosanna in the highest,” they began to ask, “Who is this?” That’s an excellent question. For contained in the accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke are the answers to that question recorded here for all to see for all eternity.
Who is this?
This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee – Matt 21:11 – and what a prophet he was – there’s never been one just like him before or since – he told his disciples that they would find an ass and her foal upon entering the village, that they would be tied, and that by simply saying “the Lord hath need of him,” the men who asked would let her and the colt go – and so it was – in Mk 10:33-34, Jesus told his disciples 10 very specific things concerning his trial and crucifixion and everyone of them was fulfilled exactly the way he said they would be: 1) the events took place in Jerusalem, 2) he was delivered to the chief priests, 3) and to the scribes, 4) they condemned him to death, 5) they delivered him to the Gentiles, 6) they mocked him, 7) they scourged him, 8) they spit upon him, 9) they killed him, and 10) the third day he rose again.
Not only could he tell the future, but he knew what people were thinking, he saw Nathanael under a fig tree miles away, he knew the past of the woman at the well, he knew Lazarus had died and he also knew that he would rise from the dead – on top of all that, he had sign miracles even greater than the great prophets, Moses and Elijah – he made the lame to walk, the blind to see, the maimed to be whole and the dead to live – he cured leprosy and cast out devils.
Who is this? I’ll tell you who. This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth – the greatest prophet who ever lived – compared to Jesus, Mohammed was not a prophet at all – he was just a man like any man – his body is stuck in his grave and his soul is in hell until it is condemned for all eternity in the lake of fire.
This is the Son of David – Matt 21:9 – oh how significant to Israel is this appellation – Jesus is a Jew by birth – he is a descendent of the great king David and therefore the rightful heir to the throne of David – and even greater than his earthly genealogy is his heavenly pedigree – he is the Son of God – by the miracle of the virgin birth, Jesus Christ is both the Son of man and the Son of God – it was this fact that should have confirmed for the Pharisees that their Messiah had indeed arrived – instead it just infuriated and silenced them, see Matt 22:41-46 – and to this day, Israel as a nation, is still ignorant of this fact – how odd that they would welcome our President as an ally to protect them in the Middle East and would reject their Messiah, Jesus Christ – we can’t do anything but “talk” about peace – every national alliance that Israel has ever had failed and most of the time their friends have become their enemies – Jesus Christ is the only one who can provide them with lasting peace [Is 9:6-7].
This is the King – Lk 19:38 – Listen, he is the one who made this universe and all that is within it – he is the one who is holding it all together today – all kings who have ever reigned in the earth received their authority from him and ruled only as long as he wanted them there – he has no counselors – he has no fears – he has no imperfections, limitations or weaknesses – he needs no allies because no one can help him – he is sovereign, what he says goes and no one in this universe or in all of eternity is going to stop him – he is the supreme commander of everything visible and invisible – he is the executive branch, the legislative branch, the judicial branch and the military all tied up in one king – he doesn’t have to get approval for anything he does – he has more power than all of the nations of all time put together – he has more resources, more energy, more weapons, more gold and a better army – his most powerful enemies, the devil and his principalities, fought Jesus when he was just a man dying on the cross and Jesus made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it – do you think that the likes of Darwin and Richard Dawkins are going to get rid of King Jesus just because they use their foolishness to talk some people out of believing in him – if the whole world quit believing in him, they couldn’t make him go away – you can’t intimidate him, humiliate him, ridicule him, deceive him, obliterate him or impress him – you can’t define him, understand him, describe him, see him, touch him or force him to prove himself to you – he’s his own king with his own ways and his own thoughts and you are not going to change him – he’s the king – he’s the same yesterday, today and forever – that ‘s why God says he’s the King of kings and the Lord of lords – there’s not another one in the world like him – his dominion is everlasting – his kingdom is infinite – and his peace is forever – one of these days whether you like it or not you are going to bow your knee to him and proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord” to the glory of God – like S.M. Lockridge said, “That’s My King” – is he your king? Do you know him?
This is the Saviour – Zech 9:9 – the tragedy this day is that the multitude shouting out there didn’t realize the prophecy that was being fulfilled in front of their eyes – their king had just fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy – he came to Jerusalem “having salvation” – he had come as the Lamb to take away the sin of the world – he had come to save Israel as a nation and as a nation, they turned him down and rejected him – it is one of the saddest and most incomprehensible things in the Bible – look, when he died on the cross he provided the perfect substitution for us – when he shed his blood he provided the perfect propitiation for us – when he went to hell he provided the perfect eternal payment for us – and when he rose from the dead he provided the perfect life for us – he said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me,” and again, “ I am the resurrection and the life,” and again, “He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” – and he rose from the dead to prove it – you are helpless to save yourself – and with such a great Saviour as Jesus why would you even try?
Conclusion: You just need to humble yourself before Jesus the great prophet, Jesus the Son of David, God’s only begotten Son, Jesus the Almighty King, Jesus the Saviour and ask him to save you – he and he alone is the only one in all of eternity who can save you – as with Israel who rejected him shortly after Jesus rode into town, it would be the saddest thing in the world for you to turn him down now – won’t you receive him today?