January 31
Ex 12:14-13:16 | PS 25:16-22 | Prov 6:12-15 | Matt 20:29-21:22
Jesus’ triumphant entry is one passage which is mentioned in all 4 Gospel accounts. Up until this time Jesus went about His ministry, many realizing who He was, yet it was on this occasion when He was openly declared Messiah, the long awaited Anointed One. In this one section (Matthew 21:1-11), we see the fulfillment of three prophecies concerning the Messiah. His mode of transportation was foretold in Zechariah 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”. The response of the crowd was predicted in Psalm 118:25-26, “Save now (Hosanna), I pray O Lord,…Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Finally the timing of this event was predicted from Daniel 9:25, “from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty two weeks”. These weeks were “weeks of years” or seven years. The day this prophecy began is found in Nehemiah and is March 14, 445BC. Using the Babylonian calendar (360 days)this brings us 483 years later to the date in which Jesus made His triumphant entry.
The prophetic nature in Scripture does not end there in today’s reading. The triumphant entry on Palm Sunday is also the same day that the Passover Lamb would be chosen by all the families in Judah. Jesus was called “the Lamb of God” at His baptism (John 1:29). The lamb had to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5). In the four days preceding the crucifixion, Jesus, our Lamb was inspected, as He was tested by one group after another (Pharisees, Sadducees, etc.), yet found without fault. He was called “a lamb without blemish or spot” in 1 Peter 1:19, and in Hebrews 4:15, we read of Jesus, “a High Priest..was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” It was the fourteenth day of Nisan (Hebrew calendar) in which the Passover Lamb would be sacrificed. This was the exact day that our Messiah was sacrificed. The purpose of this lamb was stated in Exodus 12:12-13, “‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” We read in Romans 6:23 that Jesus did this for us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
One last prophecy which should not be missed, we read in Exodus 12:46 concerning the Passover Lamb, “ In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.” Though the knees were broken of the two criminals crucified on either side of Jesus to hasten their death, Jesus had already given up His Spirit and died, and like the Passover lamb, none of His bones were broken. We must realize that God did not readjust based on circumstances, or ever change His plan. Our salvation, the ransom for all mankind hinged on this moment, this sacrifice as told by many authors in Scripture years before they unfolded. Yes, when Jesus died on that cross our sins were paid, past, present and future. He rose from the dead three days later defeating death. There is only question which lies with each of us. The payment was paid by Him, will each of you repent of your sins and apply that payment to your accounts. We never know when our time ends. This decision on our part must be made on this side of eternity.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: