“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey… He eliminates chariots, warhorses, and battle bows, and will extend peace to the nations and rule from sea to sea… Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.” Zech. 9:9-12
Dear Jesus … step-stopping, heart-pumping, hope-igniting … that’s how Zechariah’s vision of Palm Sunday impacts us. This isn’t the first promise of your coming in the Old Testament, but it’s a unique and treasured one. For it envisions the last days of your incarnate life, and the “double-restoration” your sacrifice would secure.
As “holy week” began, shouts of “Hosanna!” filled the streets of Jerusalem. Within days, the angry cry, “Crucify him!” reverberated in the courtyard. But the final declaration, “He is risen!”, terrified terror, robbed the grave, and changed everything.
Jesus, as we set aside the next several days to “survey the cross” and savor the unparalleled hope of Easter, grant us freedom to lament and uncontainable joy to celebrate. There is no other king like you.
* No other king could vanquish warhorses, warriors, and war by mounting the foal of a donkey and choosing death on a cross.
* No other king could replace the dominion of darkness and the tyranny of evil, with an eternal reign of righteousness, peace, and joy.
* No other king would live and give his perfect life on behalf of rebels, fools, and idolaters like us.
* No other king has the power and grace to transform slaves of sin and death into prisoners of hope. None but you, King Jesus—only you. So Very Amen.