05/07/12

Behold your Deliverer your King

Mark 11:8 - And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.


When the Israelites were in Egypt the Lord used Moses to deliver them, later as a nation the Lord used David to make the Israelites a great nation. Before it was the Prophet Moses who was the Idol of the Israelites and later it was King David who became their idol. But the works of their idols were short lived and during the times of Jesus the Israelites were under the rule of the Romans and they were looking now for another deliverer greater than Moses and king greater than David. Their hopes were on the prophecy of Zachariah which spoke of an anointed king. In all scriptures there was no scripture that was announcing of another king for the Israelites like was in Zachariah and other prophets therefore they knew that this anointed king would be far greater than David and a Prophet greater than Moses. The only sign given to them was that their King would come into Zion (city of Jerusalem was called Zion during the time of David) sitting on an ass and it's little one.

Mark in his short and sweet Gospel does not do justice to this event giving a half cooked recording of it event. Luke surprisingly also does not get into all the aspects of the event. On the other hand Matthew who was more of a first-hand witness to many events of Jesus does a good job on recording this event. But then we see Mark and Luke touch on parts which Matthew did not, like that of the colt never been ridden by anyone else (meaning it was a very small ass).

When Jesus did great miracles and made claim to great things the Jews thought Jesus was that King, that deliverer who Zachariah spoke of (Jew is a term used more for the Israelites of Judaea for 2 Kings 16:5-6 talks of a war between Israelites and the Jews, the very first time the term 'Jew' is used in the Bible). They first though John the Baptist was the one then after John denied they had their hopes on Jesus. It was only when Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Zachariah their joy knew no bonds and they exploded with ecstasy. They put their robes before His path announcing Jesus as their deliverer and others cut branches of trees laying them on the way announcing Jesus as their coming king.

In today's message the Lord is telling us if we want the Lord to be our deliverer we need to lay down our garments before Him and if we want Him to be our King then we need to lay branches before His path.

Garments symbolize the righteousness of man and lay of garments means putting our righteousness before the Lord and seeking His righteousness. Branches symbolize surrendering one's decision before the Lord and seeking His guidance (the Greek word branch comes from the word meaning step).

If we want change in our situation then let us put forth our righteousness before the Lord and surrender our desires seeking His guidance in our lives.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we call You Lord and King in our lives but these are just words. We try to do things by our efforts, trying to prove ourselves as being someone capable. Lord we call You King but do not let You rule over our lives for we put ourselves as part rulers in our lives, giving importance to our desires. Today, Lord we ask You to give us the grace to lay down our righteousness before You and the grace to not do our will but seek your will in our lives...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Mark 11:1-10
1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

Matthew 21:1-11
1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Luke 19:28-38
28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

Zechariah 9:9 - "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

2 Kings 16:5-6
5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.

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