KING OF ISRAEL

By Rick Mathes

John 12:13

Took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet Him, and began to cry out, ” Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.”

This is the big one Martha! Jesus was coming to be the Son of David and run the Romans out of Israel. We are still trying to do that to this day. In fact, we have a lot in common with this event bacuse it teaches us so very much more about the Lord of lords we bend our knee to. The world about us worships itself and considers man the final arbiter of truth and science as the means of arriving at the God mankind is subject to. We as Christians know differently and more correctly the Creator that became man and dwelt among us as King of all kingdoms; they all understand that Jesus and His throng of followers were posing a threat to Rome and presenting an in-your-face insult to the Emperor. This was a serious affront to both the Church and state in Jerusalem.

Riding on a donkey was the dignified way leaders would parade having come back from battle victoriously. Napoleon is a more modern Emperor that continued this practice. In any case it was the royal manner a victorious dignitary would display that peace was upon those he ruled. It raises Jesus above the Church and state in honor much like the pope does in Roman Catholicism.

There was the no greater honor the crowds could impose but their praises and lining the road with palm branches and their own cloaks. They were clearly honoring Him as King and emancipator from the shackles of Rome. The word is coup or sedition of the authorities. He must be stopped or killed.

He was displaying His dominion or sovereignty of Israel and letting those in attend or know that the King that was promised by the seed of David has arrived to set them free. However, what  they could only see or understand is displayed in worldly terms. His resurrection changed their expectations to a kingdom in glory not on earth.

His power was soon to be unleashed when He had died, resurrected and ascended into glory. Within 150 years, the Emperor of Rome declared that Jesus was the Christ and all the Empire was now Christian. Now that’s what I call a convincing display of His Holy Ghost dynamite!