The NIV 365 Day Devotional
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!”Matthew 21:1-9
Jesus’ coming to Jerusalem riding on a donkey, to the accolades and praise of the gathered crowd, fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus as King. Isaiah 62:11 calls for “Daughter Zion” to watch for this King, and Zechariah 9:9 depicts the King “lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” While most royal processions feature incredible extravagance, Jesus humbly entered town on a simple donkey. While horses were ridden during times of war, rulers rode donkeys during times of peace as a sign of humility toward the people (1Ki 1:38 – 40). Here, Jesus exemplified the peaceful return of a king to Jerusalem. By riding on a donkey, he showed that he came to bring grace and not judgment. Also, it is significant that Jesus rode a colt, which is a young and untrained donkey. Normally, it would be incredibly difficult for someone to ride an unbroken animal through a crowded and chaotic scene with an unfamiliar burden on its back. But this was Jesus, Creator of the world!
This scene was nothing less than a royal procession (2Ki 9:13), yet up until this point, Jesus had consistently avoided such displays (Mt 8:4; 9:30; 12:16). However, he was now ready to present himself publicly as the Messiah and King. This was Jesus’ last trip to Jerusalem, and he chose to enter in such a way as to leave no doubt that he was the promised Messiah who had come to save the nation. No one in the city could possibly miss the procession or the prophecy-fulfilling reference Jesus’ entry conveyed.
Jesus, there is no doubt in my heart that you are the promised Messiah. Give me the wisdom to help others understand this truth about you. Amen.
Taken from The NIV Jesus Bible.