It's Time to Praise Jesus - Matthew 21:1-11

THE TIME HAD COME! For 33 years Jesus had come as a pilgrim to the festivals; Now He comes formally presenting Himself as Israel’s rightful King – pressing His claims as Israel’s King in Israel’s capitol!

Matthew 21:1-11

When the large crowd of the Jews heard that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. - Jn. 12:9

Jesus reveals His sovereignty - V. 1-5

God sovereignly orchestrated the details so that the disciples would find the donkeys, the donkey’s owners would give permission to take it, and the colt would let itself be ridden on. Trust Jesus to sovereignly orchestrate details in your life as well!

Now in ancient days, kings would often ride a donkey (or mule) into the capitol if they wanted to display that they were the humble servant of their people (1 Kings 1:43-44), or a white horse if they wanted to display that they were the triumphant King.

Jesus receive His praise - V. 6-11

The disciples probably led the mother in front of the colt, and it followed, bringing Jesus down Olive Mountain into Jerusalem on the 10th day of Nisan, what we now call Palm Sunday. From that ridge Bethlehem was also visible. Perhaps they could see Passover lambs being brought into Jerusalem even as the Lamb of God was going in!

Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their father’s houses, a lamb for a household…And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. - Exodus 12:3, 6

And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. - Leviticus 23:40

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out!” - Luke 19:39-40

And now the LORD says, He who formed Me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him; and that Israel will be gathered to Him – for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and God has become My strength – He says, “It is too light a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you a Light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth. - God to His Messiah in Isaiah 49:5-6

At His second coming Jesus Christ will return and masses within Israel will look on Him whom they pierced and convert in mass (Zech. 12:10; Romans 11:26-27). Then Jesus will rule the world from Jerusalem for 1,000 years, as anticipated in the feast of Tabernacles (Acts 1:6-7; Revelation 19:11-20:6). In the meantime we take the gospel to all peoples (Acts 1:8;, Matt. 28:18-20).