Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is the triumph of fulfilled prophecy: “And they [two disciples] went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there and said unto them, ‘What do ye, loosing the colt:?’ And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and He sat upon him” (Mark 11:4-7). Riding a donkey is not the usual mode of transportation for a triumphant hero (a white horse was the Roman symbol). However, Zechariah 9:9 is a precise prediction: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” The last part of this verse does not indicate two donkeys. Rather, as the fine New American Standard Version translates, it is providing even greater detail: “Mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This humble method of conveyance, then, becomes once more powerful reason to trust Scripture and to trust the One Who fulfilled it – the Savior, Jesus Christ.