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Announcer (00:00:00): It's time to think about the Bible like you never have before. This is Christian Questions. After this episode, go to ChristianQuestions.com to check out other episodes, Bible study resources, videos, download the CQ app and more. Today's topic is, "Why Did Jesus Ride Into Jerusalem?" Coming up in this episode, Jesus naturally drew the people's attention. Who wouldn't want to know about the man who healed the sick and raised the dead? The day he rode into Jerusalem was a high point, as countless thousands mobbed him and called him their Savior and King. Amazing. But what really did it all mean? Here's Rick and Jonathan.

Rick (00:00:38): Welcome everyone. I'm Rick. I'm joined by Jonathan, my co-host for over 20 years. Jonathan, what's our theme scripture for this episode?

Jonathan (00:00:47): John 12:12-13: "The large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him and began to shout, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel."

Rick (00:01:05): The last week of Jesus' earthly life was both eventful and tumultuous. His riding triumphantly into Jerusalem four days before his crucifixion was a dramatic and unmistakable display of hope and respect by the hundreds of thousands who honored him as he rode. The events that would take place after this kingly entrance into the city would also be dramatic, as the wheels of betrayal and murder furiously spin toward their grizzly end. Through all of this, Jesus never faltered in his character or his objectives. Today we're going to focus on the powerful messages and prophetic fulfillments that came from his inspiring ride into Jerusalem. And its meaning is far deeper, far deeper than many realize.

Jonathan (00:01:56): As Christians, we all appreciate what Palm Sunday represents. Riding triumphantly into Jerusalem was the most public event of Jesus's earthly life. What we may not realize is that Jesus did not ride into Jerusalem on Sunday before his crucifixion. He rode in on Monday. This is an important fact. We want to always be as accurate with God's word as we can. Well, how do we prove it was Monday?

Rick (00:02:27): All right. Now, this is a big question because it's always Palm Sunday in everybody's mind, but we're saying, actually, it's Monday. Let's do the calculation of days according to scripture. So Jonathan, we're going to run through some scriptures that make this very, very clear. We're going to begin with John 12:1:

Jonathan (00:02:46): "Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany with Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead."

Rick (00:02:54): So you have a timing marker; six days before the Passover. Now we know the Passover that year was the same day as the Sabbath, which was always Saturday, the last day of the week. We have two scriptures that make this very, very clear. They're both in John 19. The first scripture is going to focus on the Passover. Jonathan, John 19:14:

Jonathan (00:03:15): "Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour (or 6:00 AM). And he (Pilate) said to the Jews, Behold, your King!"

Rick (00:03:27): So you have Pilate saying at the sixth hour, the day of preparation for the Passover. The day of preparation is always the day before. Now, John 19. And so it's the day before Passover, he says, "Behold, your King", and he's crucified that day. Now we have John 19:31 in relation to the Sabbath:

Jonathan (00:03:50): "Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away."

Rick (00:04:04): So the day of preparation for the Sabbath was also the next day. So you've got the Passover day of preparation, next day. Sabbath day of preparation, next day. So you're the day before the Sabbath and the Passover, which are on the identical day this particular year. Six days before Saturday is Sunday. So Jesus arrived at the home of Lazarus on the Sunday before Passover. The scriptures are very clear as to when he rode into Jerusalem. Go back to John 12, and let's look at verses 12-13:

Jonathan (00:04:38): "On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him."

Rick (00:04:49): The next day can only be Monday.

Jonathan (00:04:53): Rick, you're such a numbers guy. <Laugh> No wonder you caught this. <Laugh>

Rick (00:04:57): No, but you know what? The scriptures lay it out. All we have to do is just pay attention. And really, the answers are all in John 12 and John 19. You put them together and it's like, wait a minute, look at this! And Jonathan, we don't think about this because Palm Sunday is always Palm Sunday is always Palm Sunday, which is always Palm Sunday. However, what we're saying is it's Monday. It's Monday. We all know that Jesus was crucified on the same day as the original Passover lamb was slain. And we're going to get into that in a big way in a little bit. That was the day before Passover, as we just described with those John 19 scriptures. Now, let's go back to the Exodus 12 account, just for a quick moment to put the days again in order.

Jonathan (00:05:43): Verse 6: "You shall keep it until the 14th day of the same month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight." Now, twilight was 3:00 PM which was the ending of the day. So the 14th of Nisan was the day before Passover, and the 15th was the Passover. So Sunday equals the 9th of Nisan. Monday equals the 10th of Nisan, Tuesday the 11th, Wednesday the 12th, Thursday the 13th, Friday the 14th, and Saturday equals the 15th of Nisan.

Rick (00:06:23): And we understand that because according to the Jewish calendar, the next day began at 6:00 PM. And see, that's something that throws us off. So you had Jesus crucified at three o'clock in the afternoon. At six o'clock the next day begins.

Jonathan (00:06:43): Rick, why all this fuss over the date?

Rick (00:06:46): <Laugh> Because I'm a numbers guy. No, because here's the thing; because what we'll soon see is that the accurate date provides a powerfully specific reference to prophecies that show us very precious truths regarding Jesus' death. So this Palm Monday becomes a tremendous connecting piece, and the scriptures make it plain. We're just following the breadcrumbs of scriptural thought and process here.

Jonathan (00:07:21): And Rick, the harmony of scripture should not be clouded by Christian tradition. I mean, we have to be very, very careful. I have a quote here from McClintock and Strong Cyclopedia, and it says, "The Greek church Palm Sunday was apparently observed as early as the fourth century. In the Western church, the usage certainly existed in the 7th century. The ordinary reckoning of the events of Passion Week places this event, as its name imports, on Sunday, but a more careful examination of the gospel narratives inclines us to locate it on Monday."

Rick (00:08:03): So what we're looking at is saying, what if we get really accurate with scripture? What other lessons can we begin to unfold? What other lessons can we begin to learn? And the answer is, there's some very inspiring things here with Palm Monday. Say it with me, Palm Monday, because that's the way the scriptures describe it. So let's look back at the six days before Passover when Jesus arrived at the home of Lazarus. We already read John 12:1, but Jonathan, this time let's read John 12:1-8:

Jonathan (00:08:38): "Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made him a supper there; and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure spikenard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."

Rick (00:09:06): So they arrived six days before Passover, and he's at the home of his dear friend and Mary does this beautiful, beautiful thing. You've got this wonderful setting, this peaceful fellowship that's happening. What happens in the middle of it? Well, let's go to verses 4-8:

Jonathan (00:09:25): "But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was intending to betray him, said, Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denari and given to the poor people? Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore, Jesus said, Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have me."

Rick (00:09:58): All right. You always have the poor, but you don't always have me. Several important points here.

Jonathan (00:10:04): Jesus knows what is coming and chooses to stay with his friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

Rick (00:10:11): You realize the tremendous connection he had with them. They were friends. They were followers, but they were friends. He had a place to rest his head and rest his heart. I think that's such a beautiful thing.

Jonathan (00:10:26): Next point: Mary performs this beautiful anointing as an act of love and profound respect.

Rick (00:10:33): It is. It is this incredible act all on her own. Nobody asked her to do it, and she just wants to honor Jesus. What you see, the heart of Mary, Martha and Lazarus reflected not only in their hospitality, but in Mary's anointing. Next point:

Jonathan (00:10:52): Judas complains.

Rick (00:10:54): Yes, he does. You have this incredibly wonderful environment and you have this complaint. And then what's the next point?

Jonathan (00:11:01): Jesus corrects. This correction plainly tells all listening, including Judas, of upcoming events.

Rick (00:11:08): So it's interesting because he's letting Judas know he's going to die. Now, a lot of times when we look at Judas and the betrayal, he's like, well, I'm sure Jesus can work his way out of this thing. And so I can just make a little money in the process. Jesus let everybody know. Now, nobody was able to understand or accept it, but he was plain. She's preparing for my death. Very, very, very strong understanding by Jesus of what's about to happen. And that's also reflected in John 12. We're now going to continue with verses 9-13:

Jonathan (00:11:44): "The large crowd of the Jews then learned that he was there; and they came, not for Jesus's sake only, but they might also see Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well; because on account of how many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus." You know, I wonder if Jesus was there at his friend's house to warn him because Jesus knew the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Lazarus also. Let's continue in verse 12-13: "On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him, and began to shout, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel."

Rick (00:12:33): So we've put this whole context out on the table in this first segment to just get a sense of the broad picture. He starts out six days before the Passover at the home of his friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and the next day he rides into Jerusalem. That's what John 12:9-13 just told us. So several points here. First of all, Jesus, as reflected in the last verses you read, Jonathan, with all of these people coming out to meet him, Jesus was being sought after with great intensity.

Jonathan (00:13:06): Lazarus had also become a spectacle to the public.

Rick (00:13:09): Yeah, you're right. Going there to warn him, I think is a very reasonable thought and deduction here. The next point; the chief priests and Pharisees were quietly waiting for Jesus and now Lazarus as well. And we know that because after he raised Lazarus from the dead, both of them were in their sights to be put to death.

Jonathan (00:13:31): Word traveled quickly through the multitudes, and they also waited for Jesus.

Rick (00:13:36): They did. The multitudes were waiting, but for very different reasons. So it's like everybody is waiting for Jesus. And the last point: Jesus would enter Jerusalem and the hearts of people on the 10th of Nisan. We're going to expand on that thought and that date in a little bit as we expand the narrative here. So Jonathan, we've got Palm Monday according to scripture, and we've got the context of how and why it's there, and we're going to begin to unfold its meaning. As we wrap this up for this point, we've got Jesus, Jerusalem, Prophecy and Passover. Where are we?

Jonathan (00:14:17): Jesus knew he was facing his death in just a few days. He also knew that there were several powerful prophecies that he would be privileged to fulfill as he faced his earthly end. Even before the big events occurred, we could see how he was continually aware of the details and following God's direction. Are we watching what is happening around us and seeing God's direction in our lives?

Rick (00:14:44): If we're disciples, are we doing what Jesus did? Jesus contributed to God's will by setting the stage as he noticed and capitalized on the details of his moment-by-moment experiences.

Jonathan (00:15:00): We can see everything in place for Jesus to be received by the people. What other prophetic details were also in place?

Rick (00:15:10): When we take the time to put it all in order, we begin to realize that God's plan is deeper, more detailed and more interconnected than we might imagine. Jesus riding to Jerusalem was an absolute fulfillment of a prophecy in Zechariah 9. But even more startling is how Jesus was also fulfilling an older and even more significant set of scriptures. So before we go to Zechariah 9 and that amazing prophecy, let's look back. Let's go way back into Israel's history, going back to examine the details of the very first Passover. Because what we will see, folks, is that Zechariah 9 and the very first Passover are hand-in-hand in teaching wonderful lessons. Jonathan, we're going to look at Exodus 12:1-14. We're just going to summarize these key points. Let's start with Exodus 12:1-2:

Jonathan (00:16:14): "Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, this month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you."

Rick (00:16:23): This initial command from God signaled a new beginning. Israel was about to become a free nation under God, and this would be the first aspect of their new law. This Passover event would be the first aspect of their new law. Let's just take a quick look at Matthew Poole commentary on this:

Jonathan (00:16:44): "But as to sacred and ecclesiastical matters, this shall henceforth be your first month."

Rick (00:16:50): So it's saying in relation to religious things, Israel, you're changing your calendar. This is the first month because you need to see this as this new beginning, because this truly was. You couldn't get a bigger, new beginning than Israel being released from slavery. So that's the first piece. Exodus 12:2-4, let's continue:

Jonathan (00:17:14): "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, On the 10th of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household. Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them." Now, we've just been talking about the 10th, haven't we?

Rick (00:17:41): Yes. Yeah. So you've got on the 10th of this month, they take a lamb to themselves. So this is a specific day, a specific task and specific conditions. Choose a lamb that will feed each household. Okay? So we're building the case, we're building the Passover instruction, small step by small step. Exodus 12:5:

Jonathan (00:18:06): "Your lamb shall be an unblemished male, a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats."

Rick (00:18:12): So this lamb was to be the best of your flock, without blemish, and in the early prime of its life.

Jonathan (00:18:20): And Rick, the reason the lamb was unblemished was to show that the perfect humanity of Jesus was flawless. Every detail is just so inspiring.

Rick (00:18:30): It is. And we need to pause and consider just how big these details are, and what they teach us, because the lessons are profound and they're life changing, actually. Let's continue. So we've got the day, we've got the taking of this lamb on the 10th, the conditions of this lamb. Let's go to Exodus 12:6:

Jonathan (00:18:52): "You shall keep it until the 14th day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight." Now remember, that's 3:00 PM.

Rick (00:19:04): Right. Twilight is near the end of a Jewish calendar day. Twilight, the day is ending. Six o'clock is when it ends, and the new day begins. Here's the thing; there's a solemnity here on two levels. First, they were to "keep the lamb" from the 10th to the 14th. So Jonathan, what does that word "keep" actually mean?

Jonathan (00:19:27): It means "to watch, that is the act or custody, the sentry, the post, objectively, preservation or concretely safe." In other words, guard it, protect the lamb. It's sacred. This word for "keep" is widely used to show the solemn responsibilities of guarding the sacredness of God's laws, ordinances, and Tabernacle. Numbers 3:32: "And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary."

Rick (00:20:08): And the word, the "charge" there is the same word for "keep." It really struck me, Jonathan, this time around. We have studied this so many times, and I don't know why, I've never ever been moved by this word, this little word "keep." You shall "keep it" until the 14th day. It is a sacred responsibility, that if you read through Leviticus and Numbers, you see this word "keep" showing sacred guarding. And so it was much more than remove it and keep it separate. Oh, no, no, no, no. It was remove it, keep it separate, protect it, and treat it with sacred respect. That's what they were saying. So that's the first part of "keep." Second, they were simultaneously to kill this lamb at twilight, which as you mentioned was about 3:00 PM. This full nation participation shows us a precise unity of every household. It was a national action and a personal action all at the same time. Again, there's a beautiful harmony here that God worked it out, so the nation would kill this lamb. Now you're thinking, boy, we are making a big deal out of death. Yes, we are. The nation would do it in each individual household all at the same time. That's a big, big lesson for us. Let's keep going. Exodus 12:7:

Jonathan (00:21:31): "Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it."

Rick (00:21:39): Now this blood was the unmistakable evidence of the sacrifice and compliance of complying its physical outward evidence. We have done what we were supposed to. We have put this blood on our doorposts. And remember, life is in the blood.

Jonathan (00:21:56): And there's a really amazing picture here. In your mind, picture the two side posts of the door frame and overlap them as one vertical board. Now take the top board above the doorway, the lentil, the horizontal board, and lower it a few feet. It makes a cross. Hmm. Jesus had his literal blood on his cross.

Rick (00:22:20): So when we said this is a big lesson for us, what it's showing us is that the entire nation was to have the lamb slain at the same time and be putting the blood on the doorpost at the same time. In other words, deliverance would come simultaneously to each and every household and to the nation because each small little picture accomplished what the big picture was meant to show. So there's profound truths in the original Passover. Let's continue. And we're just doing, it kills me to just do an overview here, Jonathan. It's like, you want to stop.

Jonathan (00:22:58): There's so much here.

Rick (00:22:59): Yeah. And consider, but let's continue. Exodus 12:8:

Jonathan (00:23:04): "They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs."

Rick (00:23:10): So roasting was the quickest method of preparation. It was fitting, as they were in haste for their long-awaited deliverance would come quickly.

Jonathan (00:23:21): Another reason for roasting with fire was that this picture, the intensity of Jesus's experience on earth, being roasted with fire was an appropriate description of Jesus' fiery trials.

Rick (00:23:34): So we're looking at this lamb, and each one of these lambs represents Jesus. The blood represents the blood of the Ransom. It shows us that deliverance would happen only because of the Lamb. It's a big, big, powerful, inspirational picture all those thousands of years ago. And Jesus understood this. Jesus understood that this pictured him, and this is where riding into Jerusalem is going to really come into play as we open that up, coming up in just a few minutes. Let's continue now with Exodus 12:10:

Jonathan (00:24:12): "And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire." So burn all the leftovers. This made me think of Jesus as he fully was consumed over his three-and-a-half year ministry.

Rick (00:24:30): So there's nothing left. Now, this would also become a standard for sacrifices under the law in the future, as it would prevent the misuse of things that were sacred. So in other words, the sacredness of this sacrifice was this one-time sacrifice. Then it was burned up, it was done. And then of course, when you talk about the roasting with the fire and all of that, you're showing the intensity of the experiences. You've got all of these layers of picture in that original Passover that just reflect again and again and again, the work and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. Let's continue Exodus chapter 12:11:

Jonathan (00:25:10): "Now you shall eat it in this manner; with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste--it is the Lord's Passover."

Rick (00:25:22): This shows the immediacy of their deliverance and the necessity of being obedient and prepared. It is the Lord's Passover.

Jonathan (00:25:33): This passing over would ultimately leave them unharmed, and finally, free. Exodus 12:12: "For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments--I am the Lord."

Rick (00:25:54): Now, this is a sober reminder that all ungodliness and evil idolatry will meet God's judgment. There is no hiding from God's judgment. And this picture of Israel being released from Egypt is a very significant picture of God prevailing over evil.

Jonathan (00:26:14): And it's interesting that each plague had its application to the different gods of Egypt. God was showing the Egyptians over and over again that their gods were false gods.

Rick (00:26:25): Not only that, He's showing them their gods are bringing nothing but trouble. <Laugh> Think about it. Each of these plagues was representative of one of their gods. And nothing ended well, ever, in all of these things. So you really see God's judgment as Pharaoh would continually back away from, okay, let them go. No, forget about it. So there's a lot happening here that shows us the work of Jesus. Not for the moment of sacrifice, but for the bigness of what deliverance really will mean. And again, we'll expand that as we go. Let's continue with Exodus 12:13:

Jonathan (00:27:02): "The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."

Rick (00:27:13): So their miraculous deliverance would only be possible, you know, through the blood of the lamb having been shed and having that blood applied to the doorways of their homes. That means that the entranceway into their life was protected from the curse of sin and death because of the blood on the doorposts.

Jonathan (00:27:40): It's faith-strengthening to know that these individual families were protected by God.

Rick (00:27:46): It is, it is. You see each individual family is protected and the nation is protected. So it's those little units that show you the big picture. And remember, in each household there was a firstborn that didn't die that night. And that blood on that doorpost kept that firstborn from not dying. It kept them alive. It perpetuated life. And this was the impetus that released all of Israel. So there again, layer upon layer of very profound pictures. Finally, Exodus 12:14:

Jonathan (00:28:26): "Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance." Well, what about Christianity? For more on absorbing the profound lessons Israel's Passover teaches about Jesus, go to the CQ Episode 1224: "Why Should Christians Care About Israel's Deliverance From Slavery?"

Rick (00:28:51): And that really goes into a whole lot more detail on the things that we've just been talking about here. So this was always to be remembered within Jewish tradition and Jewish history, as it was God's miraculous deliverance. And it is one of the most referenced events in all of the Old Testament, especially. God continually goes back to this. Remember, their first month of their sacred calendar was changed to be this month so they would remember the power of their deliverance, and it pictures the power of Jesus. So Jonathan, Jesus, Jerusalem, prophecy, and Passover, what do we have so far?

Jonathan (00:29:28): God's utterly miraculous deliverance of Israel from their hard slavery in Egypt was a major marker in His plan for the world's future deliverance. While His meticulous instructions to them were to seal their obedience and reverence for His will, they also served as a picture for all humanity of what the world's deliverance would look like.

Rick (00:29:50): They served as a picture for all humanity about the world's deliverance. Don't minimize what the scriptures show us. See the pictures and understand the truth. God has plans, knows His purposes, and gives prophecies. He knows how it will all work out. And He shows us previews to boost our faith.

Jonathan (00:30:18): The original Passover has foreshadowed Jesus, and he is about to fulfill Zachariah's prophecy. How do these relate to each other?

Rick (00:30:28): Understanding the interconnectedness of scripture in the Bible is a lifelong experience. Trust me, I've been at this and I'm still learning, especially when it comes to the role Jesus plays in God's plan. Countless events and people foreshadowed him. And in a myriad of prophecies was foretold parts of his life. Zachariah 9 and the Passover are no exception. And we need to look at those together to see the biggest picture. But before we go there, just Jonathan, very quickly, one scripture to give us Christian context.

Jonathan (00:31:08): "1 Corinthians 5:7: "Clean out the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed." Jesus's death on the cross saved us, the church of the firstborn. Hebrews 12:23. Jesus is our Passover Lamb.

Rick (00:31:31): So, and we're going to come back to that scripture later. But the idea of the church of the firstborn, if that doesn't give you a hint, because the firstborn were the ones that were saved and then the whole nation was saved. There's a bigger picture there. So we've got that Christian context. Now let's take this truth and use it as a basis for understanding the connections, the prophecy to the original Passover. Now we're going to focus in on that prophecy in Zechariah 9. We're going to look at verses 9-12. We're going to take it one verse at a time. So Zechariah 9:9:

Jonathan (00:32:07): "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter 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."

Rick (00:32:23): This is an unmistakably clear prophecy of the main event of the 10th of Nisan. It's showing us the preparation for the Passover.

Jonathan (00:32:36): Again, on the 10th, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the lambs were selected for the households. Verse 10: "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war will be cut off. And he will speak peace to the nations; and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."

Rick (00:32:56): So verse 10 shows us in a very small way, it's like a microcosm of the consequence of Messiah's rejection and death, which again brings us back to the Passover. And it's mixed though with the broad speculation of his all-encompassing future dominion. When you think about how it describes his dominion, it's future, he will speak peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. It's talking about a universal kingdom. And so it's saying, that's what comes from "Behold your king." It's a beautiful picture of the bigness of both the present and the future. Let's go to verse 11.

Jonathan (00:33:44): "As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit."

Rick (00:33:52): Again, more prophetic language here talks about the blood of the covenant that should jump right out at you in terms of the Passover again. And this is a continuation of that future dominion. And it's talking about the resurrection from death, freeing them from the waterless pit where there is no water, there is no life; freeing them from that waterless pit. It's showing the magnitude of the power of Jesus as King. In verse nine, showing him riding in and says, "Your king is coming to you endowed with salvation." It's showing us the result of that riding into Jerusalem. Verse 12:

Jonathan (00:34:35): "Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope; this very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you."

Rick (00:34:44): So here in verse 12, we have an admonition to come back to Christ, return to the stronghold, those who were to reject Jesus and the consequences of that rejection. It says, "I will restore double to you." So there's a big consequence to this rejection.

Jonathan (00:35:01): Also, Israel was favored for a long time and now they are disfavored for the same amount of time.

Rick (00:35:07): And again, that's a whole other subject. But what we see is in this prophecy in Zechariah 9, we see your king is coming. He's endowed with salvation. He will speak peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, there is resurrection. The rejection of him is encountered here. It all is put in order. And the bottom line is, this is the beginning of victory, even though victory doesn't look like victory at the very outset as we shall see. So now let's go to the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9-12. The fulfillment is Jesus actually riding into Jerusalem. To go through this account, we want to take it piece by piece and we're going to compile Matthew 21:1-11 with Mark 11:1-11, with Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19. We're going to read through a combination of all of these verses as we go, trying the best we can to put them exactly in the order that they need to be in without leaving out any details. Now we try hard, sometimes we don't get it exactly right, but we're trying okay? So we'll leave you with that as we get started. So Jonathan, let's get started with this event of riding into Jerusalem.

Jonathan (00:36:27): "When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, Why are you doing this? Just say this, the Lord needs it; and will send it back here immediately."

Rick (00:36:53): So Jesus knew how he needed to enter the city and arranged for it to be so. He knew that the needed to have this colt, and he arranged it. John 12:16:

Jonathan (00:37:04): "His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him, and had been done to him." Rick, I marvel at the loyalty of the disciples for doing something that didn't make a lot of sense at the time, but they did it anyway.

Rick (00:37:22): Yeah, they did. And it wouldn't have been, why does Jesus need a young donkey? I mean, come on. Really? He's never asked us for anything. Okay, we'll do it. You're right. And you wonder about, did Jesus previously talk to the family who owned this animal? This was likely in the area where Lazarus lived and perhaps he knew them, passing by many times and over the years and got to know them and saw them as faithful individuals and said, Hey, look, I'm going to need a favor. And of course their response was, anything for you. Who knows, who knows? All we know is Jesus knew what he had to do and he set it up so he could do it in God's way. Let's continue with the narratives, starting with Mark 11 and then adding the other gospels.

Jonathan (00:38:08): "They went away and found a colt tied near a door outside in the street; as they were untying it," Luke adds, "it's owner asked them, What are you doing? Untying the colt? They told them what Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it." Matthew adds, "The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them and he sat on them."

Rick (00:38:33): God always provides when his plan needs progress. It never goes undone. And you see this beautiful providence in this animal being provided here.

Jonathan (00:38:47): And Rick, you're right, the disciples must have been thinking, Hey, this was all set up. Did Jesus talk to this family and have this ready to go? We'll find out later. But the scriptures don't tell us.

Rick (00:38:59): <Laugh> No, they don't. So that's pure speculation. But you get this sense of the character of Jesus and it's certainly not beyond his capacity to be able to communicate and work such things out. Who knows? Someday we'll find out. Let's go back to the narrative with Luke 19.

Jonathan (00:39:17): "As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives," Mark adds, "many people spread their cloaks on the road and others spread leafy branches that they cut in the fields. Among them was the whole multitude of the disciples." John adds, "the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead. It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him." This event reminds me of the words of John the Baptist when he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

Rick (00:39:54): Yeah. You have that recognition at the very beginning of his ministry. And it's like, now you have that recognition at the very ending of his ministry. You've got that recognition and it's all about the lamb, isn't it? Because this is on the 10th of Nisan, okay? This is on that day where they kept the lamb. So there's a big thing that's unfolding here. So we have several kinds of crowds all gathered to see Jesus for all kinds of different reasons. So let's just dig into a few side points by looking at some commentaries, to focus in on different parts of what's happening here. First, let's go to Matthew Poole.

Jonathan (00:40:31): "Their laying the garments upon the donkey and throwing them in the way was the custom they used towards princes, as appears not only by many records out of profane authors, but from 2 Kings 9:13, where the like was done to Jehu, upon his being anointed king over Israel. For the acclamations, they were also such as were usual to princes." And Rick, McClintock and Strong Cyclopedia says, "The palm branches were regarded as an emblem of victory, and carrying and waving of its branches were emblematic of success in honor of royalty." And finally, let's go to John Trapp; "A very great multitude--The crowd was unified behind Jesus, the son of David in verse 8. Bondinius saith he was met at this time by 300,000 Jews, some whereof went before Christ, some followed after, according to the solemn rites and reverence used to be given to earthly kings in their most pompous triumphs. This was the Lord's own work."

Rick (00:41:41): So you have all of these pieces in order. You've got the laying of the garments to show the kingship. You've got McClintock and Strong expressing the bigness of the event and then John Trapp giving numbers to it. 300,000 people, some before, some after. I mean Jonathan, people as far as the eye can see, and they're crowded around. You've got the palms and the victory. Just let the picture sink in as to how big this is. Let's go back to the to the narrative in Luke 19.

Jonathan (00:42:19): "They began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!" Matthew adds, "Hosanna to the son of David; Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Mark adds, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David."

Rick (00:42:49): You got this shouting and this word that keeps coming up again. Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna, the son of David, Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna! Blessed is the coming kingdom. Hosanna. What does hosanna mean?

Jonathan (00:43:05): It means, "Oh, save! An exclamation of adoration."

Rick (00:43:09): It's a very powerful, powerful word. An example of another prophecy that shows the recognition of this is in Psalms 118:22-26:

Jonathan (00:43:23): "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Oh Lord, do save." And in the King James, it says, "Save now. We beseech you; Oh Lord, we beseech you, do send prosperity! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord."

Rick (00:43:52): This is an interesting prophecy because it talks about the stone which the builders rejected. This is Jesus. But then it's showing how marvelous that stone is. Blessed is he who comes. Oh Lord, save us now. We beseech you; do send us prosperity. Now they're looking for deliverance. Now this is the stone that the builders rejected, also picturing Jesus. It helps us understand that the crowd saw him and recognized him in the context of Messiah and King. The crowd proclaimed that Jesus was the son of David, a prophet and a healer, and that they were immediately looking for deliverance. Save us now! This meant that they believed Jesus could deliver them.

Jonathan (00:44:38): I wonder what the Roman governors were thinking with this great mob.

Rick (00:44:43): Yeah, yeah. We've got <laugh> code red. I don't know, <laugh> it would've been an amazing thing because it's a unified group. They're unified around Jesus. And that's what makes it so amazing. So wrapping this part up, Jesus, Jerusalem, prophecy, and Passover, where are we?

Jonathan (00:45:03): You can scarcely imagine a more dramatic fulfillment to this Zechariah prophecy. Proclaimed, adored, trusted, and accepted, and yet Jesus would be crucified four days later. All of this fulfilled this prophecy as it exactly coincided with the commands of the very first Passover.

Rick (00:45:25): So we have a clarity in the coinciding with the very first Passover. Jesus, the Lamb of God. Talk about a dramatic series of events. The power of the crowds, the power of Jesus' humility, and the power of timing. It really is amazing.

Jonathan (00:45:47): With all of this overwhelming positivity and momentum, wouldn't the Pharisees plainly see God's prophecy revealed?

Rick (00:45:55): You'd hope so, <laugh> but it's always easier to look into a situation from the outside and see the obvious right answers. As we all know, the Pharisees and scribes and chief priests were very set in their ways and seeing the glory of God unfold before them in the form of their Messiah was not to be. There's so much that we can learn from their mistakes and their stubbornness. The big question that we have to ask ourselves is, are we paying attention? It's really easy to point your finger, but what about me? Am I seeing things I should be seeing in my life in the unfolding of God's providence? Let's go back to the event of riding into Jerusalem. It gets even more intense on a different kind of level now. We're going to Luke 19:39-44:

Jonathan (00:46:45): "Some of the Pharisees in the crowds said to him, Teacher, order your disciples to stop. He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out. As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." Rick, it's interesting, there's a prophecy in Habakkuk 2:11 that says, the stones cry out. This is another prophecy that the Pharisees would have known.

Rick (00:47:21): And they just weren't paying attention. But the thing is, Jesus was paying attention. Think about this. Jonathan, we always think about when, you say the words "Jesus wept," what do you think about?

Jonathan (00:47:32): The shortest words in the Bible?

Rick (00:47:34): <Laugh> And that was just before he raised Lazarus from the dead. And we think of Jesus weeping at that point. But here he weeps over the city. He has got this 300,000 people around him, lauding him as king. And as he approaches the city, he slows down and he cries. He cries because he knows what's going to happen. That's the love that he had. Nothing went to his head, everything went to his heart and he saw what was happening. And he said, if you'd only recognized, but it's been hidden from your eyes. And then he tells them another prophecy of what's going to happen. Verses 43-44:

Jonathan (00:48:12): Indeed the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up ramparts around you, and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave within you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God." Rick, 37 years later was the fall of Jerusalem and Israel was scattered.

Rick (00:48:39): And Jesus plainly told them, this is a result of such rejection. Jesus' words and actions acknowledged that God's plan was inexorably moving forward and it could not be stopped. We drop in on this narrative in Matthew 21:10-11:

Jonathan (00:48:58): "When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil asking, Who is this? The crowds were saying, this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

Rick (00:49:08): So you've got this turmoil; turmoil and excitement at the prospect of Hosanna. Save us now. Save us now. Yes, that's it, <laugh> it's save us right now. Let's go further. John 12:19:

Jonathan (00:49:22): "The Pharisees then said to one another, You see, you can do nothing. Look, the whole world has gone after him." You know the Pharisees were smart enough to know the prophecies, but were not paying attention to learn from Jesus.

Rick (00:49:37): And it's like throwing up their hands. Look, the whole world has gone after him. What are we going to do about this? This was probably the truest utterance that the Pharisees could have given, when you think about it, for the time would come when Jesus would truly have all of the world follow after him. We look at John 5:28-29 and he calls everyone from their graves. That's when the world begins to follow after Jesus. They said the world has gone after him. That will happen in the future. So we've put the fulfillment of the Zechariah 9 prophecy on the table and looked at several of the details. So Jonathan, let's wrap this piece up. Jesus, Jerusalem, prophecy, and Passover.

Jonathan (00:50:18): This Zechariah prophecy was a powerful proof of who Jesus was. And yet the people, especially the leaders, could not see what was right before their eyes. While there is such a great sadness in this, it is important to remember the rest of the story. Jesus was the ultimate deliverer and the fulfilled prophecy and Nisan 10 was the beginning of the unfolding of this truth.

Rick (00:50:44): Palm Monday was the 10th of Nisan. This was the beginning of the unfolding of the actual Passover that released Israel from slavery. It is the picture of Jesus releasing the world from sin.

Jonathan (00:51:03): The first action of the Law was the keeping of the lamb on the 10th.

Rick (00:51:08): And that is why this prophecy plays such an important role. It was accentuated at the time of the very first Passover. This is the first act. You take this lamb and you keep it. You protect it with sacredness. And Zechariah 9 shows us that Jesus was recognized as their sacred Messiah. It coincides perfectly so we can see the truth. Now let's go back to a verse that you alluded to earlier, Jonathan. Let's go back to 1 Peter 1, this time read verses 18-19:

Jonathan (00:51:44): "Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."

Rick (00:52:00): <Laugh> How much more of a of a flashing signal do we need than "you were redeemed with the precious blood as of a lamb unblemished"? Incidentally, that's the blood of Christ. If you can't see that connection, you're not looking for that connection. Why is it important? Because all of these events fell into place and the plan of God hinges on this sacrifice that Jesus is about to give. So let's unfold that a little further. The only salvation available as a deliverance from slavery for Israel (we're back to the original Passover) and as deliverance from certain death for the firstborn (back to the original Passover) was the blood of the lamb. Remember, it was the lives of the firstborn that were subject to being snuffed out if that blood wasn't applied. This blood was to cover them completely as symbolizing the striking of it on the two doorposts and on the lintel. We have that clear command of God and it's a clear picture from God as well. Hebrews 10:19-22:

Jonathan (00:53:11): "Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened up for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our heart sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Rick (00:53:37): So we've got this, another scripture that talks about the blood of Jesus by a new and living way he opened up through the curtain. Think about this Jonathan. He opened up a new and living way. The lamb opened up a new and living way for the firstborn. They'd have been dead, but there was a new and living way because of that blood. The firstborn here, we have that same opportunity that's opened up. It gives us a very clear perspective. We're going to come back to that firstborn scripture again in just a minute. So let's do a quick comparison, okay, between the Passover lamb and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Okay, four very basic points. First, the unblemished lamb was kept, remember with the sacredness. It was kept on the 10th of Nisan.

Jonathan (00:54:25): Perfect Jesus received as a king on Nisan 10. Palm Monday.

Rick (00:54:31): Palm Monday, that's right. Second point - the lamb was slain on the 14th of Nisan for the original Passover.

Jonathan (00:54:38): Jesus slain on the 14th of Nisan.

Rick (00:54:41): The lamb was slain, it says "at even," which means late afternoon.

Jonathan (00:54:47): Jesus died at 3:00 PM, the ninth hour. Luke 23:44.

Rick (00:54:52): And then the fourth point, the blood delivered the firstborn and then the nation.

Jonathan (00:54:58): Jesus' blood delivered the firstborn and then the world. Rick, now that's the gospel. That's good news!

Rick (00:55:08): That is the gospel in a nutshell. But so let's go back and open up that nutshell. Okay? Because we want to see it in a bigger way. Jesus' true followers are called the firstborn for a reason. Again, we're going back to this. We've been talking about it. Hebrews 12:22-23:

Jonathan (00:55:26): "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect." If it's the church of the firstborn, that means others are born after, right?

Rick (00:55:50): It wouldn't say the church of the firstborn if it didn't mean that. What happened to the Church of the firstborn by the blood? They were saved. They were saved, they were redeemed. And you know, we look in the New Testament scriptures, we see that you're justified by the blood of Christ and so forth. You have this new lease on life as the firstborn, which indicates there must be more coming, more children coming. Interestingly in the Passover, you had the firstborn delivered and the whole nation followed. Now were there more firstborn or were there more nation?

Jonathan (00:56:28): More nation for sure.

Rick (00:56:29): Absolutely. So you have this small group that precedes the buying back, if you will, through the blood of the lamb. Everybody else, everybody else is, they're redeemed that night. Everybody else goes to freedom the following day. Let's look at this. It's the firstborn who were saved first by the blood of Jesus, just like Israel's Passover. Let's look at a scripture now that unfolds this. 1 Timothy 4:10:

Jonathan (00:56:58): "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers."

Rick (00:57:07): Savior of some men?

Jonathan (00:57:10): All men. My favorite word, all.

Rick (00:57:12): Not the savior of most.

Jonathan (00:57:15): Nope.

Rick (00:57:15): Not the Savior of a select few.

Jonathan (00:57:17): No,

Rick (00:57:18): The Savior of all, especially of believers. You see how the firstborn in the whole nation show us that in a picture form? Let's go to another verse. It's the world that's saved by Jesus' blood. Just as the entire nation of Israel was saved as a result of the firstborns' deliverance. Think of the connection. Lots and lots of Christians look at Jesus and say, yes, we can see him, the Passover lamb. Beautiful. What a beautiful picture. But they stop applying the big picture, and you see the firstborn first, the rest of the nation next. Listen to this verse. This is 1 Timothy 2:3-6:

Jonathan (00:58:00): This is from the Young's Literal Translation. "For this is right and acceptable before God, our Savior, who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth; for one is God, one also is mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all--the testimony in its own times."

Rick (00:58:25): Let's simply realize that the saving of the firstborn in the original Passover was the first step to complete deliverance. Fast forward to the age of the gospel, the giving of the gospel to the firstborn is the first step to complete deliverance. This verse says, God wills all to be saved. Folks, if God wills something to happen, it will happen. He talks about the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for the firstborn. That's not what it says.

Jonathan (00:59:08): For all Rick, everyone.

Rick (00:59:10): The nation was saved because of the firstborn. The world is saved because of the firstborn who called to serve Jesus. That's why it says in the Lord's prayer, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That's what the Passover is telling us. Are we listening? Jonathan, let's wrap this up. Jesus, Jerusalem, Prophecy and Passover.

Jonathan (00:59:36): Jesus's riding into Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan was a heavenly way of telling all of the world that the true Passover lamb, the Lamb of God, was being readied for his sacrifice. Jesus would continue in his willingness and lay down his life at the precise time, on the precise day that the original Passover lamb was slain so many centuries earlier. Let us rejoice in Jesus, as he is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

Rick (01:00:09): Not the Lamb who takes away my personal sin. Yes, he does that, but it's so much bigger. The Passover showed us that, and riding into Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan on that Monday was another piece to this amazing puzzle that helps us to put together the amazing picture and details of that original Passover with Jesus fulfilling it on the 10th of Nisan, being crucified on the 14th so that all could be released. Firstborn first; the rest of the world later. "As an Adam all die, even so in Christ all are made alive." Don't lose that core value of gospel truth. Think about it. Folks, we love hearing from our listeners. We welcome your feedback and questions on this episode and other episodes at ChristianQuestions.com. Coming up in our next episode, "When Jesus Said, 'It is Finished,' What Was it That He Began?" Talk to you next week.

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