Sunday Solace: Blessed is He that Comes in The Name of the Lord!

Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. (Psalm 118:26)

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. (Zechariah 9:9)

I have always loved Easter and the Holy season preceding it, and I love the fact that it correlates with Passover which is such a special celebration for the Jews. In order to better understand Passover, I’ve participated in Seder meals over the years and loved every minute of knowing how Passover has been celebrated for centuries by the Jews in the Holy Land and beyond.

Speaking of the Holy Land, the palms in Florida not only remind me of things I’ve read and pictures I’ve seen of that wondrous place, but they stand as an ever-present reminder to me of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem for Passover, an entry which His believers celebrate on Palm Sunday.

Just before Jesus was to enter Jerusalem for Passover, He raised Lazarus from the dead, and this fact had been spread far and wide throughout the land. Many people heard and believed that Jesus was indeed who He claimed to be: The Messiah. Hence throngs of people came out to greet Him as He entered Jerusalem. And the people rejoiced, both waving and lining the way with palm branches, a symbol of triumph. Jesus, the Prince of Peace and King of the Jews, rode in as a victorious king would on a donkey as opposed to a horse which is the symbol of a king waging war, thus fulfilling the scripture in Zechariah. And the people cried out the scripture from the Psalms, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:26)

Years ago, I remember watching newsreels in history class of the liberation of Paris during WWII. People threw flowers in the path of the Allied soldiers as a sign of their joy over the victory. It was a scene of great rejoicing, just as I imagine the scene looked on Palm Sunday when Jesus came riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. The people were ecstatic in believing their Messiah had come as they had long been under the heel of the Romans and other conquerors. Every time I read the scripture, taken from the Gospels, I feel their joy and want to leap and dance as King David did before the Ark of the Covenant as it was brought to rest in the Temple in Jerusalem:

The Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-9)

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“ Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘ Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“ Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”


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Warmly,

Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)... who with great joy is waving the fronds of that magnificent palm before the Lord! :-)