Day 26

Hmm…tonight was a good night. Today was just one of those days when you just go from meeting to meeting to meeting to meeting and then after your mind is numb, stumble into the prayer room and just soak. It is amazing how much of the Lord’s heart he will download when you just sit still and wait in silence.
Tonight, I was studying Jesus’ last week before the cross. After Jesus has been anointed by Mary in Bethany, the next day Jesus begins the last leg of His journey into Jerusalem. He sends two of His disciples ahead of Him to find a donkey for Him to ride in to the city on. It might seem random, but this is to fulfill a prophecy that was spoken about the Messiah about 450 years before,

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

This is an amazing verse to meditate on! In the midst of her oppression and her face that is downcast, the cry goes forth, “Rejoice! Sing! Shout!” What could lift the face of Israel? It is the promised hope of the coming Messiah. It is no wonder that the people reacted the way that they did. The people were rejoicing because the time of their oppression is over. The people were seeing Zechariah 9:9 played out right before their eyes; they were living in the days of prophecy fulfilled. Now all they were waiting for was for Jesus to fulfill the next verse,

“I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow and the spear shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.’”

In their minds the Romans will be overthrown within the week. But little do the people know that between verse 9 and 10 there is a 2000 year delay. And here we stand, looking back on the day when He came lowly on a donkey and looking forward when He will return and in righteousness and justice He will make war. And yet His heart remains the same. Oh, the beauty of this man! Just and true are all your ways! I long for the day when I will look up and see my redemption drawing near! Come Lord, Jesus. We long for you.