Saturday, April 8, 2006
John 12:12-13 The next day a great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!"
PALMS OF PROCLAMATION
The custom of waving palm branches in someone's presence was a middle eastern one that was reserved for kings and other very important people. The palms were a sign of victory and so great military leaders and high government officials would be welcomed with them. They would not normally have been used for a 33 year old coming into town riding a donkey, but on the Sunday before His death, Jesus was welcomed like royalty.
The palm branches were not really mistaken, were they? They proclaimed Him a king, and He was a king. He was the King of Israel. Yet He was not a King in the manner of David or Solomon. He did not have a royal palace, but rather had no earthly home to call His own. He did not win victory after victory on the battlefields of Palestine. In fact, the battles He fought were not with swords or clubs at all, but they were battles against the evils of the spiritual realms fought with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.
Jesus' focus is on making our souls healthy. He has come to destroy the works of the devil and prepare the path to heaven through the forgiveness of our sins. He is not a "bread king" and we should not look to Him merely as such, but He is a King who provides for His subjects far beyond the needs of this life -- even into all eternity!
"King of heaven, thou art welcome,
Let e'en us thy Zion be!
Come inside,
Thou hast won our hearts completely"
(Chorus from Cantata 182, J.S. Bach).
