Riding on a Donkey
“Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” Matthew 21:5
It is fitting that we are starting this passage at the same time we are approaching Passover and Resurrection Day. The next few chapters will be all about the final days for Jesus before His sacrifice on the cross.
Today’s reading is about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before Passover. Everyone was gathered there because of the celebration and observance of the event. Jesus rode into the city on a donkey’s colt and the significance was clear to anyone who knew the scriptures. The prophecy was that the Messiah would come into the city riding on a colt, which was a sign of royalty, the Messiah. This is why they cried out “Hosanna” which means Lord, save us! What the people didn’t realize was that He was actually the spotless Passover Lamb coming to be offered up by the high priest for the sin of the world. To the people there that day He was coming to deliver them up from the oppression of the Romans. However, the true reason He came was because He was God’s spotless Payment, not for His sin, but for theirs and ours today. He came to deliver us from the oppression of sin.
He was royalty yes, because He is the King of kings and He was there to save the people, but not how they thought He would. He was brought into the city to be presented to the priests for inspection like all the other lambs that were being brought that week. The difference was that He would be the last and final sacrifice that would ever need to be made for sin. Finally, Someone had come to cleanse the people from the sin they had allowed in way back in the garden of Eden.
Today I want to encourage you to consider the spotless Lamb of God. He came to be the sacrifice for all sin and His sacrifice still cleanses us today. Jesus’ supernatural work on the cross covers all people for all eternity. Take some time today to thank Him for the provision He made at Calvary and worship Him because He is worthy of our adoration.
Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 21:1-11
1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, “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.
3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.
8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
The Daily Dose 