A. Background

1. The Historical Context in Jesus' days:

• Political Climate
• Spiritual Climate
• Social Climate

2. The Passover in Exodus 12

• God hears the cries of the Israelites for deliverance and sent Moses to free them
• In the month of Nisan, God promised the Israelites a new way of life as a free people

As with the Paschal lambs, who were chosen on the tenth day and sacrificed on the fourteenth, Jesus was accepted as the Messiah on the tenth day and sacrificed on the fourteenth as the ”Sacrificial Lamb of God."

B. The Significance

1 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them on immediately." 4 Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled: 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them. ---Mt 21: 1-6

1. Jesus' Foreknowledge

• Jesus anticipated and knew that the animals would be present
• Everything took place as the disciples were instructed

This demonstrated Jesus' foreknowledge, authority, and sovereignty.

30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here." ---Lk 19:30

2. Jesus on a Colt

33 And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gihon. 34 And have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoints him there as king over Israel, and blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ---1 Kg 1: 33-34

Jesus did not come as a Warrior King, but instead, He came in peace to conquer the spiritual hearts of the people, bringing eternal peace between God and man. Jesus was the Prince of Peace.

3. Biblical Prophecy Fulfilled

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! (refers to City of Jerusalem) Behold your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ---Zech 9:9

"These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him." ---Jn 12:16

C. The Response

1. Crowds spread cloaks and palm branches on the road

7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ---Mt 21: 7-8

a. Spread Cloaks

• a sign of respect and welcome

"Then they hurried, and each man took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!” ---2 Kg 9:13

b. Palm Branches

• symbolized the people's hopes and wishes for national liberation.

“They greeted Jesus as a king, though ignorant of the nature of His kingship. It would seem that they looked upon Him as a potential nationalist leader, with whose help they might be able to become wholly independent of foreign powers.” ---Tasker

2. Crowds shout praises and blessings

9 Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” ---Mt 21:9

a. Who were these crowds?

Two distinct crowds:

• Passover pilgrims
• Residents from Jerusalem and surrounding areas

b. What were they doing?

Shouting:

• Hosanna to the Son of David
• Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
• Hosanna in the Highest

The reign of Jesus, our Messiah King, is far greater than anything that the human mind could ever imagine or plan.

God's ultimate salvation plan for mankind was to send His beloved Son as a sacrificial lamb to overcome the final battle against sin and death.