Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
By Dennis Huebshman
Palm Sunday 3/25/2018; Easter 4/1/2018; Passover 3/30/2018 – 4/7/2018
Palm Sunday, other than being the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9), was the fulfillment of many prophecies. Luke records Jesus wept because the people, religious leaders and civilians alike, didn’t put it together that this was an Extra-Ordinary day. One they should’ve recognized immediately. (Luke 19:41)
Exactly 483 years earlier to the day, Daniel was given the prophecy that the messiah would be cut-off (killed), and if the religious leaders had been as knowledgeable of their prophecies as they led the people to believe, they would have been at the front of the crowd cheering the loudest. However, they were so wrapped up in themselves – thinking they were the most important people alive – they missed the arrival of their true Messiah.
Just a note here, even today, God’s chosen have missed this occasion. Only about 1% of Jews world-wide are messianic and believe Jesus is their messiah. We are about to celebrate Easter, and the Jews will be celebrating Passover during the same time. However, instead of realizing the perfect sacrifice was given to them with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection; they celebrate Moses leading the Children out of Egypt.
The triumphant entry is one of the few events that is mentioned in all 4 gospels. (Matthew 21: 1-11; Mark 11: 1-10; Luke 19: 28-44 and John 12: 12-15.) The crowds were shouting “Hosanna – “Save Now” – blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! (Psalm 118: 25-26). This day they were shouting for the Messiah to save them, but 5 days later they were calling for his crucifixion! He didn’t do what they had hoped for even though prophecy said this was not the final coming of the Lord. He was not there to conquer the Romans and put the religious leaders in charge of His temple, but to conquer sin and death!
This time, he came as the sacrificial lamb as was required in Egypt to show a sign of submission to the Father in order that the people could be saved. Jesus’ Sacrifice was Once for All! In Exodus, the sacrifice was for one specific occasion as was in Genesis 22 when God provided a substitute for Isaac in the form of a ram, in order to keep His covenant with Abraham. Speaking of which, Christians have not REPLACED God’s chosen. That covenant given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David still stands today. It will stand for all eternity as promised by the Father. The Christian Covenant (John 10:16) opened the door for everyone to be saved through the blood of the Lamb. Our covenant is we don’t have to go through any ritual or special sacrifice to become a Child of the King, as He did it all on the cross, and we don’t continually offer sacrifices throughout our lives. Prior to that, there had to be daily, weekly, monthly and annual sacrifices, just to show submission to God. At the Cross, all sacrifice was fulfilled, and those who thought they should keep on doing so were and are insulting the Savior. It’s as if they think they can do something for their own salvation. We can Neither Buy nor Earn one second of time in Heaven. Jesus did it all; Paid it all; and deserves ALL our praise and worship. After the Christian era ends; and the tribulation begins, the Jews that remain will be forced to see Jesus was their Messiah just before He returns at the end of the 7-year wrath. More about that later.
At the triumphant entry, Jesus “time had come” that He mentioned throughout the gospels. God’s timing is always perfect. So, just when did God know He would have to provide the sacrifice for us? You have to go all the way back to Genesis for the answer. God created everything except man in Genesis 1: 1-25. Then in Genesis 1:26, God mentions the “Trinity” for the first time. He doesn’t use that word, as you won’t find it anywhere in the Bible referring to the Godhead. However, He said “Let US make man in our own image according to our likeness.” Jesus was there and so was the Holy Spirit. God has been 3 persons forever and will be forever! We can’t explain this in human terms, but remember, God created time for us as shown in the first 25 verses. God is not bound by time as we are. Everything and everyone except God is something He created. This includes Satan and the Angels. Some people think Jesus is a “Creation” of God, but Jesus is fully God. When He came to this earth, He also was fully man. This is hard for some to accept because we don’t actually realize, in human terms, the total power of the Father. Where man is not able, He is fully able to do all things. (Matthew 19:26)
After Adam/Eve’s fall, God told about there being one to come that would destroy Satan. (Genesis 3: 14-15) Please remember, Satan is not an ugly little guy with a pitchfork and pointed tail that is shown in many different drawings. He was one of the most beautiful Angels created by the Father, but he had a real thing about pride that caused him to fall. His influence was real enough that about 1/3 of the angels followed him. Even before man, God allowed free will, but those who chose Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire at the end of the millennium, along with Satan and all who have refused to accept Jesus as their Savior. Some of those angels are bound until the actual end, but some are able to roam the earth as demons. (Satan verses Isaiah 14: 12-15 and Ezekiel 28: 12-19; they do not have the privilege of sin forgiveness as we do.)
Now, for anyone who does not realize it, the Old Testament is all about the coming of the Messiah. Every book, every chapter is about the one coming to save the world. Jews were chosen by the Father as His special people; however they went against Him time and time again. He would discipline them in many ways but did not allow them to be totally eliminated. Even in Esther where God is not mentioned, His mercy is shown through the saving of His chosen from Haman! (The festival of Purim was just celebrated in Israel and all over the world by the Jews to honor this occasion.)
The fact that many prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus allows us to believe all other prophecies will be completed before this world as we know it ends.
Jesus tells of His authority in John 5: 22-24. He says He and the Father are one, and all who believe on Him will have everlasting life, but those who don’t are condemned. There are numerous other verses, especially in the Book of John, that say the same thing. Jesus Himself told His disciples that He is….the Way, the Truth and the Life – no one comes to the Father except through Him! John 14:6.
There are those today that say Jesus never said He and God were one. This is totally false. Also, those that say there are many ways to Heaven are absolutely wrong! However, there are none that cannot be saved if they will only accept Jesus as their Lord, Savior, Redeemer and King!
Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13 and Joel 2:32 say ALL who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Doesn’t say Might be….but WILL!
Bear in mind something. Jesus is God, and He Created the Heavens and the Earth. (John 1:1-5) He came to earth from paradise to be among people who did not accept or believe in Him; to be ridiculed, despised and crucified by those who He wanted to save; to be raised from the dead as proof of what He said; yet they still did not accept Him. Further, He knew all this would happen! Would you do the same? Would you give your life in a most horrible way for people who are as undeserving of His true Love for us? He knew everything that would happen to Him while here, yet He came anyway. He doesn’t want anything from us except a true relationship, that we believe in Him, and accept His sacrifice as a true gift that it was. Remember, His life wasn’t taken from Him – He gave it willingly – John 10:17-18).
There are numerous verses such as John 3:18; 1 John 5: 10-12 that show we can be accepted by God if we accept His Son. Revelation 3:20 says He stands at the door and knocks and if we will open the door to let Him in we will dine with Him and He with us! It’s a voluntary thing, He will not force Himself on anyone. It’s not a Religion – It’s a Relationship!
There is no 3rd choice. Heaven for all eternity with the One who died for us and loves us beyond understanding. Or eternal separation in the Lake of Fire; Hell; whatever you want to call it with no light at all. Just a constant – every minute reminder of the chances you had – to accept the free gift of the Father of the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Sins that we deserve to be punished for but will be forgotten forever if we accept Jesus.
That is what’s promised by all the fulfilled prophecies – it’s an iron-clad guarantee that can be taken all the way up to the throne of the One who Created us. God does not lie (Titus 1:2) and His covenants are eternal.
Please remember, God does not send anyone to the Lake of Fire – it will have been chosen by any and all that will reside there. He would rather we all be saved (2 Peter 3:9), but will allow for anyone to not choose His Son Jesus and be separated forever. You must make up your mind before taking your last breath here. After that, your decision will have been made and it will be too late to change it.
Maranatha!