March 28 -- John 12:12-19

“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!’” –John 12:13 (NIV)

Many people had gathered in Jerusalem for Passover, and they had heard about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. So, when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the festival, the crowd came out to meet Him, waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” (v. 13). (We remember this day as Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter and the beginning of Holy Week.) At this time, Jesus was popular with the crowds. They cried, “Hosanna,” which means, “Save now!” They expected Jesus, as Messiah, to be an earthly king and drive out the Romans. He would soon disappoint them, though, and they would turn on Him.

The next two verses tell us that Jesus was seated on a young donkey in fulfillment of prophecy (specifically Zechariah 9:9): “Do not be afraid, Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” The words the people shouted also echo Psalm 118:25-26. All of this happened to show who Jesus is. The disciples would not realize this event fulfilled prophecy until after the Resurrection.

The adulation of the crowds worried the Pharisees, who had already been looking for a reason to put Jesus to death. This reception increased their jealousy and their resolve to kill Jesus.

One more note about Jesus’ coming on a donkey: it was traditional in that time and culture for a king who was coming in peace to come on a donkey. Conversely, when a king went into battle, he rode a horse. Notice that in Revelation, Jesus comes on a white horse (Rev. 19:11). On Palm Sunday, He came in peace in order to save. Later, He will come in a final battle against evil.

Imagine the scene on the crowded streets of Jerusalem—the people shouting, the palm fronds waving, and Jesus in the middle of all the activity, riding the young donkey. In the midst of the joy, He knew He was headed to the cross. He knew the praises would soon turn to curses.

Spend some time talking to God today. Confess your need for Jesus to save you, knowing we can all be as fickle as the crowd, passionate one day and rebellious the next. Let your heart shout, “Hosanna!” Listen to praise music if you like. Most of all, thank Jesus for His love and faithfulness in the face of your sin and need. Thank Him for not giving up on you when you become disappointed that He is not doing things in your life the way you expect Him to.