A New Kind of King

Introduction

On December 4, 1977 in Bangui, capital of the Central African Empire, the world press witnessed the coronation of his Imperial Majesty, Bokassa I. The price tag for that single event was $25 million. In preparation for the event, a stadium was renovated for this purpose. Streets were scrubbed, buildings were painted, and even beggars were driven out of sight.[1]

The $25 million was spread over a great number of lavish and wasteful luxuries. A throne was crafted, made of gold-plated bronze at a cost of 2.5 million. The empress was wearing a coronation gown that cost $72,400. The imperial scepter, sword, and other pieces of jewelry amounted to $5 million. So that the guest could comfortably travel around Bangui, 60 brand-new Mercedes were ordered from Germany. The cost of the air-freight alone was $5,000 per car.

Bokassa desired to have a regal air to the coronation and demanded that a troop of Central African soldiers spend the summer of 1977 in Normandy to learn how to ride horseback European style. Twenty-five hundred dignitaries throughout the world were invited. One by one fellow emperors and presidents refused to attend the event. Most of them either boycotted the event or sent a representative in their place. Bokassa’s response to this was “they were jealous of me because I had an empire and they didn’t.” Six-hundred accepted his request and 100 of those were journalists. Even the Pope was requested to come and hand him his crown for the coronation, but the Pope refused to attend the event. He explained that he was too old to travel that far. Plus, the Vatican was no longer in the habit of crowning royalty.

A French composer was commissioned to honor the emperor by writing both an Imperial March and an Imperial Waltz. A poet as well wrote the following:

The successor of Clovis the Great

Of the heroes of Greece and of Gaul

Of Charlemagne and Saint Louis

Of Bonaparte and de Gaulle.

It's Bokassa, Caesar Augustus

The most illustrious of the French!

Let's prostrate ourselves before his bust

Let's celebrate everywhere his favours.

Bokassa, the new Bonaparte

Bangui, his illustrious city

Eclipses Rome, Athens, Sparta

By its brilliant beauty."

The Emperor was carried through the dusty, rutted streets of the capital, Bangui, to his coronation in a velvet and gilded coach drawn by eight white imported horses and emblazoned with gold emblems built to replicate that of Napoleon. On its roof were mounted five golden eagles.

Four-hundred and fifty pounds of roses were flown in that morning and strewn along the road as lines of soldiers stood along the route, cheering obediently. Bokassa offered a regal wave, just like he had practiced after watching videos of Queen Elizabeth.

At one end of the stadium, on a raised platform in a sea of blazing red carpet and drapes, stood a nearly 12-foot-high and 15-foot-wide throne covered with crimson velvet, trimmed with gold and backed by a massive golden eagle.

Bokassa’s 32-pound, floor length robe was decorated with 785,000 tiny pearls and over 1.2 million crystal beads. He personally replaces his gold laurel wreath with his new crown, a crown that was topped with a 138-carat diamond and cost over $2 million to manufacture.

While guests sweltered in the 100-degree heat, the self-proclaimed emperor ascended a giant golden throne shaped like an eagle with outstretched wings, donned a 32-pound coronation robe containing 785,000 pearls and 1,220,000 crystal beads, and then crowned himself with a gold crown topped by a 138-carat diamond that cost over $2,000,000 to manufacture.[2]

Only a couple of years went by before Bokassa was overthrown in a coup. Sadly, his removal came after his arrest of hundreds and the killing of 100 students for whining about having to buy the school uniforms his wife had made in her new factory.

Today is Palm Sunday and we celebrate an entirely different king and entirely different triumphal entry.

The colt. Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of him to Bethphage, and told them, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: The Lord has need of it.,” ( ESV). Harkening back to his “crib,” Jesus once again finds a significant moment of his life amidst the humility of stable animals. Let’s take note of the significance of this colt.

Fulfillment of prophecy. Potentially, as we consider the significance, we realize that Jesus entrance into Jerusalem was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Luke doesn’t include this prophecy in his gospel, but both Matthew and John do. John writes, “Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!’” ( ESV). In so doing he quotes from , where Jerusalem is called upon to rejoice at the coming of their king.

Display of peace. This would have been a ridiculous display had it not been in accordance with Zechariah’s prediction. There is an ancient middle eastern custom in which a victorious king would ride into a city at the head of his troops, and the animal on which he chose to ride was significant.

If he was seated upon a horse, it was a sign that the city would be put to the sword for the king was riding his “warhorse” as a sign of judgment against the conquered people. However, if the king chose to ride a donkey . . . it meant that the king was coming in peace (you can’t fight a battle on a donkey).[3]

This custom seems to have been lost by the time of Jesus entrance into Jerusalem however. By this time, a king would typically ride a mighty warhorse into the city. But Jesus is a new kind of King.

Display of humility. Not only did this colt communicate peace, but it as well displayed humility. It seems likely that the crowd had connected Jesus triumphal entry with the prophecy in Zechariah, but it also seems likely that their minds were attached to the concept of the coming King not the idea of humility. Jesus on the other hand, understood and signified great humility. For some reason the apostle John doesn’t include one one of the phrases from Zechariah. Zechariah writes, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey” ( ESV).

Disciples cloaks. The disciples brought the donkey and its’ colt to Jesus (). A sign of peace and a sign of humility, but most certainly not a sign of grandeur. This humility is furthered by the lack of any saddle. Unlike Bokassa’s golden-plated coach which was drawn by eight imported horses. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt that had no saddle. Instead, the disciples took off their cloaks and threw them over the little colt, so Jesus had something to sit on.

The owners. No imported horses were flown in from Europe. Instead a colt was borrowed, a colt that had multiple owners. These owners were so poor that no one of them could afford the colt themselves. This is the group of people that likely lined the triumphal entry.

The crowd. As the disciples delivered this most humble of poor beast to Jesus, “two streams of people met, the one coming from the City, the other from Bethany. . . . Their enthusiasm seems only to have been kindled when they saw the procession from the town come to meet Jesus with palm-branches, cut down by the way, and greeting Him with Hosanna-shouts of welcome.[4]

Calvin. He is attended . . . by a large [entourage]; but of what sort of people? Of those who had hastily assembled from the neighboring villages. Sounds of loud and joyful welcome are heard; but from whom? From the very poorest, and from those who belong to the despised multitude. One might think, therefore, that he intentionally exposed himself to the ridicule of all. But as he had two things to do at the same time, — as he had to exhibit some proof of his kingdom, and to show that it does not resemble earthly kingdoms, and does not consist of the fading riches of this world, it was altogether necessary for him to take this method. [5]

Palm branches. One might say that the icon of Jewish independence was the palm branches. At the rededication of the temple in 164 BC, the people “carried boughs and green branches and palms, for him that had given them good success in cleansing his place” (). A few decades later, in 141 BC, the people celebrated the winning of full political independence under Simon “And they entered . . . with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and harps, and cymbals . . . because the great enemy was destroyed out of Israel” ().

The proclamation. This poor group came out in droves to see this peaceful and humble presentation, and yet their declaration was anything but subtle. “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ( ESV). They obviously came out to greet a hero. This verse in Luke is a composite of a couple of Old Testament passages, and in which Jerusalem is called upon to rejoice at the coming of their king. “When the crowd shouted Hosanna . . . which is a cry for “salvation now,” they were begging for something far beyond anything they anticipated.”[6]

The appeal by the religious leaders. Amidst the group of worshipers were some Pharisees. Of course, they are furious at this presentation and beseech him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” Up to this point, it appears that Jesus has remained silent, but “He could be silent no longer . . . with a touch of quick and righteous indignation, pointed to the rocks and stones, telling those leaders of Israel, that, if the people held their peace, the very stones would cry out.[7]

Luke 19:41–44 ESV

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

ESV).

These verses are only found in the Gospel of Luke. We still have fresh in our minds the portrait of the triumphal entry. Poor and humble as it was, it was magnificent. Imagine the crowd of people that thronged Jesus and his disciples. A path had been cleared for his entrance. People’s cloaks and palm branches had been laid down by eager worshipers. The crowd must have been loud, but then all of a sudden, Jesus is weeping.

Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, but this was different than that. In that case, the word used refers to crying and shedding tears. In this case, however, klaio refers to wailing, lamenting over, and weeping. This would have been a scene. Everyone around him is excited as they usher in their Messiah, and he stops as he sees the city of Jerusalem and wails.

He says, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” He laments and weeps over the city of Jerusalem because he knows that he offers peace, and yet he also knows that they are going to reject him and kill him. They are not going to receive his peace. They are going to instead be destroyed. Not even 40 years later, this prophetic statement would come true as the Romans would utterly destroy Jerusalem.

Let’s not leave with our image of Jesus being on that humble road weeping. Let me draw your attention to an image that lines up more with our desires for the Messiah.

Revelation 1:4–6 ESV

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ( ESV).

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest [signifying greatness and judgment]. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow [signifying purity, glory, and wisdom]. His eyes were like a flame of fire [signifying judgment], 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace [reflecting Christ’s moral purity and the expected purity of those who walk with him], and his voice was like the roar of many waters [power and authority, He cannot be silenced]. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars [referring to his care of the church], from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword [he speaks and expects to be obeyed], and his face was like the sun shining in full strength [in Him is the source of light and righteousness]. ()

Respond in humility. What a glorious picture. And what is our response to this Messiah? We ought to all follow John’s appropriate response to this glorious image of Christ. John writes, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (). John responded with brokenness and humility. That is always the appropriate response to seeing God.

God responds with grace. God’s response to humility and brokenness is always the same as well. He extends grace. “he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” ().

God directs, and we obey. Once we are humble and broken and God has extended grace, He always seems to follow up his grace with direction. For John, God told him, “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (). For us it’s going to be different, but John’s response ought to be our own – that being obedience.

We end this morning with a brief reading of Christ’s future triumphal entry.

Revelation 19:11–16 ESV

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

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[1] Much of the following story was summarized from an online article. Yann-Arthus Bertrand, “Enthronement of Emperor Bokassa I of Central African Empire,” (World History in Photo, May 19, 2014) Accessed March 22, 2018. http://worldhistory-photos.blogspot.com/2014/05/coronation-of-emperor-bokassa-i_19.html

Editors of Encyclopedia Brittanica, “Jean-Bedel Bokassa.” Encyclopedia Brittanica. February 15, 2018. Accessed March 22, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Bedel-Bokassa

[2] Wikipedia contributors, "Coronations in Africa," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coronations_in_Africa&oldid=827304182 (accessed March 23, 2018).

[3] Robert Massey, “Welcoming the King,” (Sermon Central, May 8, 2003). Accessed March 22, 2018. https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/welcoming-the-king-robert-massey-sermon-on-lordship-of-christ-57942

[4] Alfred Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 2 (London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1886), 366.

[5] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 447–448.

[6] Gerald L. Borchert, , vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 42.

[7] Edersheim, 2:368.

A New Kind of King

Introduction

Introduction

Our King’s Humility (19:29-35)

Our King’s Compassion (19:41-44)

Our King’s Glory