The king of Israel is different from every other king on
earth. This king is the regent of the
living God, the creator of all that is, was, or ever shall be. The king who is coming brings salvation. They are not waiting on the same kind of
leader any other nation on earth hopes for, they are waiting for the coming of
God's anointed who will bring peace and a kingdom that will not pass away. We hardly have any analogy and understanding
of the idea of a king at all, much less a king like this. The hopes of the nation are based in the
coming of this king and have been for more than twenty five hundred years. We know that this king has come with
salvation and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His
kingdom will have no end. Today, we
celebrate the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy, realized in part as Jesus
rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, acclaimed as the Son of David. We await that coming again in glory to sit on
the throne forever.
Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, for what it could be, will be
and for what will soon happen there. He cleanses
the temple with the knowledge that it is ultimately futile for the temple will
soon be destroyed and the city laid waste by the Romans. The city of God is always the city of God and
today a Muslim worship center occupies the place of God's temple. The new Jerusalem will come down from heaven
and there will be no temple in the city for God is present there. The sadness Jesus felt was based in past,
present and future. He will one day see
this new Jerusalem in great and everlasting glory but soon it will be horrible
as the Romans lay siege to it. Now,
however, the king has arrived and there is still time for revelation.
On this day of celebration we also remember and recall what
happens later in this week, the Passion.
We celebrate the triumphal entry into Jerusalem but we have in mind also
that this acclaim will soon turn to the shouts of "Crucify Him!" We are called to hold fast the confession of
Jesus, to fight the good fight until He returns in great glory. We live in the now and the not yet. We know Him to be king, we know He was
resurrected from the dead, has ascended to the throne and is waiting for the right
moment to come in judgment to establish His eternal kingdom, when every knee
shall bow. Now, however, in the
meantime, we are the ones whose knees are bowed before the King of kings and
Lord of lords. We have the privilege of
serving Him now, celebrating what will come for others but which has come in
part in us.
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