JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

Zech. 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation,

gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

          With these words the prophet was speaking directly of Jesus’ triumphal entry (see Matt. 21:4).  "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"  This is what the crowd shouted as Jesus rode, triumphantly, into the city of Jerusalem.  But in these few words, much was said.  “Hosanna” literally means, “save us!”  To cry “hosanna” was to acknowledge Jesus as the Savior.  And they called Him “Son of David.”  King David was considered the prototype of godly kings.  To acknowledge that Jesus was the “Son of David” was to say that he was not only king, but a king after the pattern of David.  The phrase commonly referred to Messiah.

          Look at the text above one more time.  Zechariah does not only say: “Rejoice,” he says: “Rejoice greatly!”  And why should we rejoice at Jesus’ coming?  We celebrate because He is the King.  Not just “a king,” though; Jesus is “the King.”  He is unlike any other king.  And most important of all, He is “YOUR King” and He has come to you.  Zechariah goes on . . .

· He is a righteous king.  Not just a good king or a benevolent king or a wise king; He is pure and right in everything He does.  Not just in our eyes, but in the eyes of God the Father. 

· He is the bringer of salvation.  He does not wield royal power to save and protect His people for a brief period in history; the salvation Christ brings is everlasting. 

· He is a humble and a gentle king.  He loves His people as no king ever has.  He leads them with a gentle hand and His purpose is to make of them what they could never make of themselves – a holy nation and a kingdom of priests.

· He is the source of our peace.  He comes, not on a charger but on a donkey.  He is the Prince of peace.  In Him alone we find an end to the conflict between sinful man and righteous God.

          Rejoice!  REJOICE GREATLY, for YOUR King has come to YOU!

Pastor Keith Andrews