Day 40 – Bethphage: A Donkey for Jesus

“They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them” (Matthew 21:7)

Palm Sunday is a very familiar story; however, we never tell the story of how it begins, with the disciples following the Master’s instruction to retrieve a young colt that would be tied up in town for His use. There were two donkeys, one a young colt that had never been ridden.  The other was the mother of the ass colt. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the young colt with the mother walking alongside.

The ancient prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 was being fulfilled. These words were written over 575 years ago, and they predicted that the Messiah would come to Israel, riding on a donkey.

“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.”

How strange for the King to arrive riding a donkey. Again, God chooses an unusual way to announce His son. Can you see the Romans mocking Israel as they watched these events unfold? A poor peasant riding a borrowed donkey, the saddle made from a makeshift layer of borrowed cloaks. They were attended by an unruly mob, and their weapons were only palm branches.

On Palm Sunday, we worship the One whose kingdom is not of this world, who offered Himself to His people while riding on a borrowed donkey. In the hymn “From Bethany”, The Master says it well:

The King of Love, in triumph rides through the city’s gate; rejected, scorned – yet Victor, the Conqueror of hate; o wave your green palm branches! Exalt His matched worth! This King of love shall conquer the nations of the earth.

Lord Jesus, You knew the pain of our rejection fully. You came as a King, but we would not have You. Grant that we might follow You to the cross and count it all joy for Your sake. Amen.