Christ's Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem

It is wise to prepare our minds and our hearts for the Memorial of Christ's Death by reading the scriptures pertaining to the last days of Jesus life on earth. This next week I will post some scriptures. My hope is that your faith and love for Jehovah and our Lord Jesus will be strengthen in the "critical times" we find ourselves living in. (Keep in mind, Jesus used the Hebrew calendar)

Events of Nisan 9

Please read in your own Bibles John 12:12-19 and Mark 11:1-11.

On Sunday morning, Nisan 9, Jesus leaves Bethany with his disciples and heads over to the Mount of Olives. Jesus then instructs two of his disciples:
"Be on your way into the village that is within sight of you, and you will at once find an ass tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. And if someone asks anything to you, you must say, 'The Lord needs them.' At that he will immediately send them forth."

Although at first the disciples fail to discern that these instructions have anything to do with the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, later they realize that they do. The prophet Zechariah foretold that God's promised King would ride into Jerusalem on a colt of an ass. (Zechariah 9:9)

With your minds eye, can you put yourself in the picture above? Hear the crowd and feel the excitement in the air! As Jesus rides toward Jerusalem, the crowd increases. Most of the people spread their outer garments on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them out. The people cry out: "Blessed is the One coming as the King in Jehovah's name! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest places!" Just a few weeks earlier, many in the crowd had seen Jesus resurrect Lazarus. Now these keep telling others about that miracle. By the time Jesus enters Jerusalem, the whole city is set in commotion. "Who is this?" people want to know. And the crowds keep telling: "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee!" As is his custom on visits to Jerusalem Jesus goes to the temple to teach.

Not everyone is happy though.

Some Pharisees in the crowd are upset by the people's joyful proclamations! Seeing how the crowds react to Jesus they lament that they are getting absolutely nowhere, for, as they say: "The world has gone after him." (Compare: John 11:47, 48, 53; 12:10,11)

Soon it is late and Jesus leaves Jerusalem with the 12, and travels back the two miles or so to Bethany. There he spends the Sunday night, probably in the home of his friend Lazarus.