JESUS
was nearing Jerusalem to attend the Passover. He was surrounded by
multitudes who were also going up to this great yearly feast.
At His command, two of the disciples
brought an ass's colt that He might ride into Jerusalem. They spread
their garments upon the beast, and placed their Master upon it.
As soon as He was seated, a loud shout of
triumph rent the air. The multitude hailed Him as Messiah, their King.
More than five hundred years before, the prophet had foretold this
scene:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; . .
. behold, thy King cometh unto thee; . . . lowly, and riding upon an
ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zechariah 9:9.
All in the rapidly increasing throng were
happy and excited. They could not offer Him costly gifts, but they
spread their outer garments, as a carpet, in His path.
They broke off the beautiful branches of
the olive and the palm, and strewed them in the way. They thought they
were escorting Christ to take possession of the throne of David in
Jerusalem.
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The Saviour had never before allowed His
followers to show Him kingly honors. But at this time He desired
especially to manifest Himself to the world as its Redeemer.
The Son of God was about to become a
sacrifice for the sins of men. His church in all succeeding ages must
make His death a subject of deep thought and study. It was necessary,
then, that the eyes of all people should now be directed to Him.
After such a scene as this, His trial and
crucifixion could never be hidden from the world. It was God's design
that each event in the closing days of the Saviour's life should be so
plainly marked that no power could cause it to be forgotten.
In the vast multitude surrounding the
Saviour were the evidences of His miracle-working power.
The blind whom He had restored to sight
were leading the way.
The dumb whose tongues He had loosed,
shouted the loudest hosannas.
The cripples whom He had healed leaped
for joy, and were most active in breaking the palm branches and waving
them before Him.
Widows and orphans were exalting the name
of Jesus for His works of mercy to them.
The loathsome lepers who had been
cleansed by a word, spread their garments in the way.
Those who had been raised from the dead
by the life-giving voice of the Saviour were there.
And Lazarus, whose body had seen
corruption in the grave, but who was now enjoying the strength of
glorious
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manhood, was with the happy throng that escorted the Saviour to
Jerusalem.
As new numbers were added to the throng,
they caught the inspiration of the hour, and joined in the shouts that
echoed and re-echoed from hill to hill and from valley to valley:
"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is
He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest." Matthew
21:9.
Many Pharisees witnessed this scene, and
were displeased. They felt that they were losing the control of the
people. With all their authority they tried to silence them; but their
threats and appeals only increased the enthusiasm.
Finding that they could not control the
people, they pressed through the crowd to where Jesus was, and said to
Him: "Master, rebuke Thy disciples."
They declared that such a tumult was
unlawful, and would not be permitted by the rulers.
Jesus said, "I tell you that, if these
should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Luke
19:39, 40.
This scene of triumph was of God's own
appointing; it had been foretold by the prophets, and no earthly power
could stop it. The work of God will ever go forward, in spite of all
that man may do to hinder it or tear it down.
As the procession came to the brow of the
hill overlooking Jerusalem, the full splendor of the city met their
view.
The vast multitude hushed their shouts,
spellbound by the sudden vision of beauty. All eyes turned upon the
Saviour, expecting to see in His countenance the admiration which they
themselves felt.
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Jesus halted, and a cloud of sorrow
gathered upon His countenance, and the multitude were astonished to see
Him burst into an agony of weeping.
Those who surrounded the Saviour could
not understand His grief; but He wept for the city that was doomed.
It had been the child of His care, and
His heart was filled with anguish as He realized that it would soon be
made desolate.
Had her people given heed to Christ's
teaching, and received Him as the Saviour, Jerusalem would have "stood
forever."
She might have become the queen of
kingdoms, free in the strength of her God-given power.
There would then have been no armed
soldiers waiting at her gates, no Roman banners waving from her walls.
From Jerusalem the dove of peace would
have gone to all nations. She would have been the crowning glory of the
world.
But the Jews had rejected their Saviour;
they were about to crucify their King. And when the sun should set that
night, the doom of Jerusalem would be forever sealed. (About forty years
afterward, Jerusalem was utterly destroyed and burned with fire by the
Roman army.)
Reports had come to the rulers that Jesus
was nearing the city with a vast company of followers. They went out to
meet Him, hoping to scatter the throng. With a show of much authority
they asked: "Who is this?" Matthew 21:10.
The disciples, filled with the Spirit of
inspiration, answered: "Adam will tell you, 'It is the Seed of the woman
that shall bruise the serpent's head.'
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"Ask Abraham. He will tell you, 'It is
Melchisedek, King of Salem, King of Peace.'
"Jacob will tell you, 'He is Shiloh of
the tribe of Judah.'
"Isaiah will tell you, 'Immanuel,
Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the
Prince of Peace.'
"Jeremiah will tell you, 'The Branch of
David, the Lord, our righteousness.'
"Daniel will tell you, 'He is the
Messiah.'
"Hosea will tell you, 'He is the Lord God
of Hosts, the Lord is His memorial.'
"John the Baptist will tell you, 'He is
the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.'
"The great Jehovah has proclaimed from
His throne, 'This is My beloved Son.'
"We, His disciples, declare, 'This is
Jesus, the Messiah, the Prince of Life, the Redeemer.'
"And even the prince of the power of
darkness acknowledges Him, saying, 'I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy
One of God!'"
