Hosanna
“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 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.’”
The King of Kings is entering Jerusalem for the last time, as told in Matthew 21:1-3.
The Easter week timeline is one of many ups and downs, beginning with Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem atop a donkey, and ending with his death, burial, and resurrection a few short days later.
The darkest week in history, yet celebrated so dearly because it is one of the most joyous and triumphant promises to be fulfilled.
The prophet Zechariah predicts Jesus’ triumphant arrival in Jerusalem, writing,
“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.”
— Zechariah 9:9
And the reception Jesus is met with is that of homecoming and reverence.
Matthew tells us that a large crowd gathered to welcome Jesus into the kingdom, cutting palm branches from nearby trees and waving them in exaltation, laying their cloaks and garments down for the King of Kings to tread over, the word “Hosanna” parting their lips.
Hosanna, translated from both Greek and Hebrew, means, “Save us” or “Deliver us.”
A cry for help, shouted in joy and exaltation, rings throughout the crowd.
The Savior is here.
But the crowd will turn against him. Leading him to his death. And He knows this, has known from the beginning, but He will go willingly, for the story to be played out to its glorious finish. Answering their cries for help in a way that no other can.
In one short week, Jesus will enter as King and depart this earthly realm as a “criminal.” He will hear their cries for deliverance and rise to meet the call, laying down his life for something far more precious than rubies: our souls.
But on Palm Sunday, He is King. Come to greet the citizens at the gate.
He is the answer to their cries of “Hosanna.”
And the culmination of Jesus’ life is coming to a finish. Every moment leading to this.
He is entering as King, will die as the sacrificial lamb, and will return as the Everlasting-King.
The Easter week is just beginning, and though it was once riddled with mountains and valleys, we can now look to this week as a sign of deliverance, of salvation, of renewal.
Because by the end of the week, He is going to conquer the grave. Love will win. Deliverance will be served.
The King is coming, the King is here, the King is coming again.
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
— Matthew 21:9
