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Just a ride on a donkey Throughout the Old Testament we find the donkey was one of the means of transportation in their time. Gen 22:5 Abraham brought his son to the mount of (Moriah) testing on a donkey. Donkeys were prized animals in those times and they have quite a history. Later it was Balaam who was disobeying the Lord at the time that was confronted by the Angel of the Lord on his donkey. Num. 22:27 the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam's anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff . And then the donkey talks and rebukes Balaam. He then has his eyes open sees the angel of the Lord with sword drawn and falls on his face. We also read in Exod. 13:40 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. Jesus in his illustrations used having a donkey or an ox that falls into a pit, to clarify the Sabbath day to the Pharisees (Luke 14:5). Matt. 21:1-9 now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." All four gospels have this story. 'The Lord has need of them is significant. Luke 19:30 adds you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying : Zech. 9:9 is then quoted "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt , the foal of a donkey.' "So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. (Mt.21:2) Most kings ride on horses into a city they are to conquer, here Jesus comes into the Holy city of Jerusalem before all, humbly, in fact more humble than any other man, in a humiliating way, why? Notice there were two animals, Jesus sat on the colt that was led by the donkey. A colt is a child of its father. This colt was an animal that was never used to serve man before this. Yet Christ rode into Jerusalem on it, separated it for this purpose. The illustration for all to see is that the young colt is led by its father. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David ! (pronounced hoshanna in Hebrew) 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest. (Mt.21:8) His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. (John 12:16) During this last week he tested the people after the religious leaders tested him in Jerusalem. This would be his last confrontation with them before completing his mission of being sent to earth to be the final sacrifice for our sin. Zech 9:9 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. This identified him with prophecy but they did not notice. Even the people cried out hoshanna salvation which comes from God but this was ignored as he came to them in humility, the nature of God. |
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