“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) This was a very clear old testament prophecy written a little more than 600 years before it actually took place.
Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and BRING THEM TO ME. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, (Then Zechariah 9:9 is quoted) So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude (pleistos ochlos: a very great number of common people) spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “HOSANNA (hōsanna: “deliver us.” the cry of the people who recognized Jesus as the Messiah) to the Son of David! ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:2-9)
Why did Jesus choose the lowly donkey instead of getting a magnificent horse to ride in on?
- FIRST OF ALL: Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem and it was triumphant because He had done so without the normal bloodshed that happens when a new king comes in people.
- SECOND: in the ancient Biblical world, a leader rode on a horse if he was coming in for war and a donkey to SIGNIFY PEACE. “You will keep in PERFECT PEACE all who trust in you…” (Isaiah 26:3)
- THIRD: Jesus used the donkey so He could connect with the common people.
This was all so clear and evident as to who Jesus really was! Why did these same people cry “crucify Him” six days later???
-Bill Stockham