Scripture: Zechariah 9: 9-12
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 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. 11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
Today's Meditation:
Zechariah’s prophetic ministry was during the time of the Persian Empire. In an earlier time, Babylon had defeated and subjugated Israel and deported them. But in the continuing rise and fall of empires, there was a power shift and Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon and decreed that the people of Israel could return to their country.
Those who did return to their homeland found a devasted, war-torn country and their holy city of Jerusalem in ruin and disarray. Their situation looked dismal and bleak. It was in this context that Zechariah preached a messianic vision of a future with a king proclaiming peace and restoration.
On this Palm Sunday, we remember how this prophetic vision came true with Jesus riding a donkey towards Jerusalem and greeted with palms and hosannas. Jesus was indeed the promised king, but a different king of kings. This Jesus, this king would die on the cross for our sins and bring to fruition our restoration and peace before God.
Prayer:
Loving and gracious God, your Son Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem and was greeted with palms and hosannas. But Jesus came to Jerusalem to die on the cross so that all the barriers that prevented us from approaching you were all taken away. For this unselfish act by Jesus, we are eternally grateful. Amen.
Jesse G. Mabanglo