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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Zechariah 9:9
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
He came and He is coming.
Zechariah’s book is full of prophecy and future events. Many are yet to take place, some prophecies have already been fulfilled, and some of those will be ‘repeated’ in the future.
As you know, I haven’t got the space in this book to dwell on every chapter but let me quote: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other’” (7:9-10).
Does that sound familiar? It’s a ‘Ring of Truth’! You see God’s character and Word are consistent. Morality is much more important than materialism. We forget that to our peril, personally or politically. Personal and national prosperity are related to morality. Check up again – Where are your priorities?
Now to our verse for today. Remember Palm Sunday? It’s the one before Easter Sunday. It commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem riding on a donkey (see Matthew 21). Regrettably all too often today, we fail to ‘celebrate’ the ‘Feasts’ of the past. We rarely acknowledge Pentecost – even in the so-called ‘Pentecostal’ Churches.
We ‘miss’ Passover or ‘pass over it’. We ignore Ascension Day; rarely do we have a ‘Good Friday’ Service and even Christmas must be reduced to as few services as possible and carols can be sung just once.
Palm Sunday was and is important. Why? Because, not only was it as Matthew recognised – the fulfilment of prophecy, the prophecy of Zechariah – but it was also a Divine Sign. To me, in his quote Matthew leaves out the most significant line.
Matthew quotes,
“This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet:
Say to the Daughter of Zion,
‘See, your King comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
(Matthew 21:4-5)
What was the symbolism? Meekness and majesty. Kings ride in chariots, on camels, or splendid horses. Not so this One. He came riding on a donkey’s foal (not even a donkey). He came indeed as a King, but it was up to the people to acknowledge that. He would not force it on them. He came as King, not as a monarch but as King of hearts and lives. It was to be a time of great rejoicing – as the prophecy was fulfilled.
But the bit Matthew left out was – “righteous and having salvation.” Wasn’t that the whole point? The King came to die to bring us salvation. The ‘Righteous’ died for the ‘unrighteous’. This is what the people missed. There right in front of their very eyes was the greatest King who has ever lived and He was about to do the greatest thing anyone could ever do. “Having salvation…” – He would die for the sins of the world.
He can be our King now if we let Him.
Let’s make Him King of our hearts and lives again today and give Him the thanks and praise that is due Him. Amen.
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