A long-awaited promise of God is now about to be fulfilled,
the Messiah’s coming into the Zion, the city of Jerusalem to die for the sin of
all nations including the nation Israel. Earlier, Prophet Zechariah saw a great
vision, the coming of the Messiah, and prophesied that he would come riding on
a donkey, on a colt, the foal of donkey. “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and
victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah
9:9) It was loudly foretold and taught the Messiah’s coming repeatedly and
faithfully to their ears and minds to take heed to it. But they are not yet ready
to receive the blessed Son of God but rather completely ignorant and even
resistant against their Messiah Jesus Christ. Those who do not pay attention to
the words of God will never be ready. The Scripture says this is the year of
the Lord’s favor now. “For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and
in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s
favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Otherwise, the word of
God says that the dreadful time will come swiftly and suddenly (Hebrews 10:31).
The Lord Jesus is entering the city to die but he is not filled with self-pity
but with full of compassion and mercy of God that he weeps over the city of
Jerusalem where the stubborn children are rebelliously resisting and opposing to
the coming the blessed King of Israel. But this must move on despite of their
rejection of the king as told in the parable of ten minas. This is what is
going on right now to all people. Are we welcoming the king or rejecting him?
“After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to
Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount
of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “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. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are
you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” Those who were sent ahead went and
found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners
asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road
goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to
praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the
king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the
highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the
crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he
replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” As he approached
Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had
only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from
your eyes. The days will come upon you
when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem
you in on every side. They will dash you
to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone
on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke
19:28-44)
Jesus has arrived at the hill called the Mount of Olives and
sends two of his disciples to bring a colt tied in the village ahead. It must
have been prearranged during one of previous visits to Jerusalem by Jesus who
zealously fulfills all Scriptures, even unto death. The disciples obey and
bring the colt to Jesus and throw their cloaks on that colt and put Jesus on it.
People spread their cloaks on the road where the Lord Jesus is going along. This
is the exact fulfillment of the word of God prophesied by Zechariah. It sets
the tone of his kingship that he does not reign and rule with the iron hand
like military power but with humility and peace as Prince of Peace. Jesus says
to his disciples, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and
my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Apostle
Peter reports the kingship of Christ in his Epistle to the saints, saying “When
they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he
made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1
Peter 2:23)
As Jesus arrives at the place where the road goes down the
Mount of Olives, the whole crowds of his disciples begin joyfully to praise God
in loud voices for all the miracles they have seen, “Blessed is the king who
comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” The
coming of Christ brings pure joy and peace into the core of humans who believe and
welcome him. God the Father is lavishly pouring out eternal life to those who
believe in him (John 3:16). Why is it said, “Peace in heaven and glory in the
highest?” Because it is the moment of reconciliation with God who forgives
their sins through the Son’s blood and accepts them as his beloved children. That’s
what our Father God is after, deliverance from the bondage of sin and death and
adoption as his sons. Eternal peace has been restored in the hearts of the
redeemed through the blood of Christ. It is exactly the moment of revealing the
glory of God in the highest! Because it is the moment of revelation what God is
as he is. Jesus says in the parable of the lost sheep that when one sinner
repents the whole heaven is greatly rejoicing with the Father God. The whole
crowd of Jesus’ disciples are praising God without no reason. They have
witnessed all the good works and miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ. They have
heard all the teachings on the kingdom spoken out of his own mouth. The words
of God have fallen on their hearts and minds and healed and cured in their
hearings. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Hearing the word of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. How much more
time may we make laboriously and tirelessly to read the Scriptures!
But there are some folks out there who do not like the loud
voice of praising God by the crowd of Jesus’ disciples. They are the Pharisees
and the religious leaders and officials. They demand Jesus to rebuke his
disciples for making such a loud noise. To their eyes, it is completely nonsense
because they are blinded and darkened, not understanding the Scripture at all.
It was all written by the Law and the Prophets. The Pharisees have given their
great deal of time in studying the Law and the Prophets, but they do not
understand why the crowd of people are joyfully praising God. Jesus says to
them, “And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have
never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for
you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because
you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures
that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:37-40)
They have seen and witnessed with their own eyes but refuse to believe in Jesus
Christ because they belong to the devil. Jesus replies to them, “If they keep
quiet, the stones will cry out." The stones do not cry and Jesus knows it better
than anyone else because he is the Creator. Even if the stones cry out it would not be clearly recognized. To
the unbelieving people, the clear voices made by the disciples and the vague
voices by the stones do not make any difference. But Jesus is saying here
either men or the nature cannot keep quiet for the coming of the King of kings
and the Lord of lords.
“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over
it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you
peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when
your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you
in on every side. They will dash you to
the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone
on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke
19:41-44)
Jesus is full of compassion and pity for the nation who is
blindly and stubbornly rejecting the Promised One to come and weeps over the
city which is going to go through a terrible time. The judgment days will come
upon them when their enemies will build an embankment against them and encircle
them and hem them in on every side. They will dash them to the ground, them and
the children within their walls. They will not leave one stone on another,
because they do not recognize the time of God’s coming to them. This had exactly
been fulfilled in A.D. 70 by the Roman Armies led by General Titus. This is the
picture of the last judgment which our Lord Jesus Christ says to his disciples
during the Olivet Discourse recorded in Matthew Gospel Chapter 24 and 25. “For
then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world
until now—and never to be equaled again.” (Matthew 24:21) The human history is speedily
moving on toward the Day of the Lord. The prince of this world will eventually
be punished and hurled down into the fiery furnace forever. When the Lord God
calls up the elect into heaven from all corners of the earth, he will release
the constrain of evil power and the man of lawlessness manifests his full
power, creating great a havoc on the earth. “For the secret power of
lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue
to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be
revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and
destroy by the splendor of his coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)
The Lord God wants everyone to be saved and is very
reluctant to judge them. The judgment of God is said a strange work by Prophet
Isaiah. Jesus is weeping over the great city which God himself will dwell forever
because these people are not softening their hearts but hardening and inviting
the heavy hand of God upon themselves. How much compassionately and mercifully
has our Lord Jesus Christ been inviting them to come in and take peace and rest
under the mighty wings of God like a shepherd who goes after a lost sheep until
he finds it. Prophet Isaiah cried out to the people of Israel to return to the master.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they
shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good
things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the
sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)
February 28, 2017
© 2015-2017 David
Lee Ministries – All Rights Reserved.
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