Riding on a donkey

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

RIDING ON A DONKEY

John 12:12-19

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

"Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!" 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 15 "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."  

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

NIV

We have come to what is known as the triumphant entrance of Jesus. We celebrate this day, calling it Palm Sunday. In just one short week, he will have been beaten, mocked, crucified, buried and resurrected, the day we celebrate as Easter Sunday. However, back to his entrance on a donkey. The symbolism of his riding on a donkey is of a king entering a city in peace. When Jesus comes back, when he comes riding on the clouds, he will be upon a white horse, the symbol of a conquering King. Thus the King of kings comes to Jerusalem as the King of peace. We know he has said that he will give us His peace, not as the world gives peace, but as He gives peace. This is not the peace as opposed to the havoc of war, although we could also see that as well, in the sense of the war that wages within us. If we trusted Jesus completely we would have peace within. But the Greek word translated peace has a meaning distinctly directed to faith in Jesus. It carries the meaning of the tranquility of the soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever lot that is. This is the King of peace coming to Jerusalem to die on the cross for us. The people were so excited to see Jesus coming in such a public way. Surely they thought he was going to take over control of Israel and overpower by his authority the Roman occupiers. Their manner in which they welcomed him was all in accordance with prophecy. He's riding on a donkey, the colt of a donkey, was spoken by the prophet Zechariah.

Zech 9:9

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.

NIV

People from all over the city were coming to see Jesus, there was excitement in the air, anticipation as to what was going to happen. Now others who might have kept their distance because of fear from the Pharisees were now being open about their enthusiasm over Jesus. The city was in an uproar over Jesus making his way into the city on a donkey. Peace, at last, would be theirs. However, the Pharisees had other plans. They were no happy, all they could see that it was getting out of hand. They could only see the whole place was going crazy, the whole world has gone after him. Would that not be great, if the whole world would go after him? Someday that will happen, at least every knee will bow before him, as he judges the world. But for now, our concern should be to be filled with excitement, anticipation, enthusiasm because Jesus came to live in our heart. We should be in a constant state of palm waving, of laying our cloaks down, our lives down in front of him. He has come riding on a donkey to bring us peace.