God Time April 10-14

God Time

Monday April 10

Luke 18:31

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.”

When we look at the original Palm Sunday, we realize Jesus has already indicated to his disciples how they ought to look at what is happening carefully. Like a master playwright, the whole scene is blocked out. It is about prophecies from the Bible.

The last stop for Jesus and his disciples before they get to Jerusalem is in Jericho.

Jericho is the most ancient city in the world, where people have been living in this oasis in the middles of a desert continuously since 9000 B.C.

Jericho is the last water hole for people traveling to Jerusalem. The last vegetation you see is palm trees. So many palm trees that Jericho is called the city of Palms. How appropriate considering what will happen soon.

What is your favorite part of the desert?

Tuesday April 11

Psalm 118

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Save us, we pray, O Lord!

O Lord, we pray, give us success!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Jericho is 850 feet below sea level. It is not only the oldest city in the world, it is the lowest city. To travel from Jericho to Jerusalem is 18 miles straight up hill. And Jerusalem is at 3000 ft. above sea level. So, it is almost a 4000 foot gain in altitude!

What do you do when you travel in such harsh and desolate conditions? The same as you might have done if you took any long car riding vacations when you were a kid.

You sing songs to pass the time.

Going up the mountain road, Jesus and all the other travelers who were going to Jerusalem for the Passover would be singing. Especially songs from the book of psalms. Like Psalm 118.

Save us, we pray, O Lord!

O Lord, we pray, give us success!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Sound familiar? We will be hearing these same words soon.

So, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem, his disciples are following him, and so are others who are coming for the Passover festival. His entourage gets even bigger as he leaves Jericho for the last leg of his journey. Jesus even heals two blind men on the way and they follow him, too!

When they all arrive at Jerusalem, the desolate countryside instantly turns into a bustling city. Jesus would get to the top of the mountain overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. Then he would head to the Mount of Olives.

What songs from your childhood do you remember?

Wednesday April 12

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!

Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and having salvation,

gentle and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The towns of Bethany and Bethpage are located by the Mount of Olives.

Before Jesus enters into Jerusalem, another prophecy is fulfilled. The Messiah will come riding in on a donkey.

Luke 19:30-34

“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said.

And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.”

See how that matches the words of Zechariah? What is also amazing is this donkey ride bookends the life of Jesus.

You see, the last time we hear of Jesus riding to Jerusalem on a donkey is in his mother’s womb. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus ready to enter the world came past Jerusalem on their way to Bethlehem just outside of town. So, we have a donkey ride at the beginning of his life and now there will be another at the end.

The disciples know the significance of what is taking place. They know the significance of spreading garments before royalty.

Luke 19

So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.

Here is another prophecy fulfilled.

2 Kings 9

Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ ” They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Spreading garments and red carpets…Similar?

Thursday April 13

Luke 19:37-38

When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

The disciples and other followers know the significance of who they think Jesus is. The King. The Messiah. A king is also the only prominent person the people would wave palm branches at, and a king is the only person they would put branches and their cloaks on the dusty road as a sign of respect. This is a practical matter of keeping the dust down.

Then we hear those words that are echo of the song Jesus and the others have sung on the way up the hill to Jerusalem.

Psalm 118.

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

This is a royal Psalm proclaiming the Messiah has arrived. And this is another bookend to the life of Jesus. Where have we heard similar words before?

Of course, this sounds similar to the promises of the angels at birth of Jesus!

Remember?

Luke 2

“Don’t be afraid!” the angel said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,

and peace on earth good will toward all people!”

The greatest king of Israel, David, would be exceeded by his ancestor one day. This would be the Messiah whom the Israelites are expecting to save them from the brutal Romans. They don’t realize Jesus is much more than that. For now, they are thinking of their own Jewish people and in the Hebrew language the word “Hosanna” means,

“Save us, we pray.” or “Save us, we beseech you.”

You see? Just like Psalm 118 predicted. The Messiah, Jesus, has arrived.

Where will he enter the city?

When the Messiah comes to Jerusalem, he is expected to enter by the Double Gate in the wall of Jerusalem. It is also called the Golden Gate. When the Muslim forces conquered Jerusalem, the Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent sealed off the Golden Gate in 1541. He did this so the Messiah couldn’t come through it!

Think… Bibles and Christian meetings are forbidden in Saudi Arabia.

Friday April 14

Luke 19

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

Jesus replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

But Jesus did get through the Golden Gate and he entered to the cheers of the people. Notice it is his disciples doing the cheering. And others following him, as well. But not all are happy. The religious leaders from the Pharisees are following Jesus, too, in order to trip him up.

Jesus will have none of this. Jesus is making it clear. Either accept me an reject me as the one sent by God to rule forever. He gives one more prophecy concerning the rocky path is taking into city and beyond.

Jesus replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

This fulfills still another prophecy of what Habakkuk predicted would happen to those who oppose God.

Habakkuk 2

You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,

shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.

The stones of the wall will cry out,

and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

The Messiah is vindicated. Even the stones know who he is.

Thus begins Holy Week.

The one who comes in the name of the LORD is confident.
Jesus…
He doesn’t sway from his mission.
He doesn’t try to compromise on what God calls him to do.
Accept him or reject him.
On his terms.
The Messiah is at the gate…

Who will follow?

Today is Good Friday. What does this day mean to you?