Countdown to the Resurrection

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord . . .

The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few events in the life of Jesus recorded by all four Gospel writers. Its message is both hopeful and tragic. As Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, he is met with both songs and scorn, celebration and derision.

Matthew tells us: “They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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 in the highest heaven!’” (Matt. 21:7-10).

Luke adds: “As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out’” (Luke 19:37-40).

And John mentions: “So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him’” (John 12:19).

In these sacred moments, Jesus is fulfilling prophecy, demonstrating Himself to be the promised Messiah. Zechariah declared, “Behold, your king comes to you, triumphant and victorious. He is humble and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass” (Zech. 9:9). Riding on a donkey also echoed the angelic announcement of peace heralded on the night of his birth. You see, when kings went to war, they rode on horses, but when they came in peace, they did so on the backs of donkeys (see 1 Kings 1:33, Judges 5:10). That message of peace is made abundantly clear in Zechariah 9:10: “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

The King riding into Jerusalem bearing the Gospel of peace was met by the crowd filled with adoration and acclamation. But not by all.

The “leaders of Israel” viewed Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as a threat to their own power. They demanded Jesus rebuke His disciples and held those following Jesus in complete contempt. Within a week, they were able to convince the “crowd” to turn on Jesus and demand His crucifixion.

The result? “Behold, your house is left to you desolate” (Matt. 23:38).

When spiritual leaders are more concerned about their stature in the community and the preservation of power than obedience to the Word of God, tragic consequences will always follow.

At Faith & Liberty, we’ve been privileged to work with courageous pastors and leaders across America who, in the face of unconstitutional executive orders, have refused to bow to the will of dictator-wannabe governors and mayors. Instead, they have remained faithful to their heavenly calling in spite of threats of fines and even imprisonment.

We pray that in 2022, God will bless their faithfulness and pour His Spirit out upon their congregations!

Our efforts, however, are only possible because of the prayers and support of our many friends across the nation. Thank you for standing with us—and may all of God’s very best be yours this Easter season.

Faith & Liberty is an evangelistic ministry, taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nation's top elected and appointed officials. Our mission is simple: To bring the Word of God to bear on the hearts and minds of those that make public policy in America. We rely on your support to accomplish this important ministry. Thank you for your generosity.