#708 The Reality of the Joy Set Before Him
The air was full of excitement and claims that Messiah had come. Lazarus had been raised from the dead, blind men healed, and many other wonderful, unbelievable signs and wonders. The large crown that had come for the Feast heard that this man Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem (John 12:12), and they could not contain their excitement. Jesus road toward Jerusalem on a colt that had never been ridden. In fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 the crowds honored him. They brought palm branches with them and went out to meet him, shouting words of praise. (Jesus presenting himself to his nation in fulfillment of Exodus 12:3)
“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” John 12:12
When they came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, and the Holy City could again be seen, radiant in the morning sun, the whole multitude of the disciples burst into praise to God for all the miracles they had seen. Luke 19:37-38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.
“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. Luke 19:39-44 (similar to the prophecy Jesus spoke of in Matthew 23:39 “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate. For I say to you, from now on you shall not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”)
Jesus knew that the powers of darkness were to temporarily triumph, and that he would be rejected by his own people as a whole. But I wonder if this experience of multitudes praising him as Messiah was a very meaningful reminder and encouragement to Jesus of the joy set before him, making real the point he knew would come to pass in time, when every knee would bow and every tongue confess that he, the anointed one who delivers people from sin is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:11
He may have rejoiced in the Kingdom prophecy of Psalm 118:22-29
“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.
This is the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it…
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD;
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and He has given us light….
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness (Chesed Love) is everlasting.”
A suggestion: I think he meditated on and cherished the joy set before him that he would associate with every privilege of healing and every occasion of repentance and heart-felt holy praise spoken aloud, knowing the time would come when Kingdom blessing would bring permanent healing and multitudes sincerely repenting and in deep gratitude in response to Truth and healing of heart. Jeremiah 31:33-34 May we also read the signs and opportunities that make the joy set before us real, knowing also that these joys can foreshadow the greater joys of Kingdom blessing: when we witness the joy of another as Truth is revealed to them, when we witness true nobility and courage, true delight in good things, when we see people in awe of nature, when we see the joy of a child, etc. (Hebrews 12:2-3)
The air was full of excitement and claims that Messiah had come. Lazarus had been raised from the dead, blind men healed, and many other wonderful, unbelievable signs and wonders. The large crown that had come for the Feast heard that this man Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem (John 12:12), and they could not contain their excitement. Jesus road toward Jerusalem on a colt that had never been ridden. In fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 the crowds honored him. They brought palm branches with them and went out to meet him, shouting words of praise. (Jesus presenting himself to his nation in fulfillment of Exodus 12:3)
“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” John 12:12
When they came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, and the Holy City could again be seen, radiant in the morning sun, the whole multitude of the disciples burst into praise to God for all the miracles they had seen. Luke 19:37-38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.
“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. Luke 19:39-44 (similar to the prophecy Jesus spoke of in Matthew 23:39 “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate. For I say to you, from now on you shall not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”)
Jesus knew that the powers of darkness were to temporarily triumph, and that he would be rejected by his own people as a whole. But I wonder if this experience of multitudes praising him as Messiah was a very meaningful reminder and encouragement to Jesus of the joy set before him, making real the point he knew would come to pass in time, when every knee would bow and every tongue confess that he, the anointed one who delivers people from sin is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:11
He may have rejoiced in the Kingdom prophecy of Psalm 118:22-29
“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.
This is the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it…
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD;
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and He has given us light….
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness (Chesed Love) is everlasting.”
A suggestion: I think he meditated on and cherished the joy set before him that he would associate with every privilege of healing and every occasion of repentance and heart-felt holy praise spoken aloud, knowing the time would come when Kingdom blessing would bring permanent healing and multitudes sincerely repenting and in deep gratitude in response to Truth and healing of heart. Jeremiah 31:33-34 May we also read the signs and opportunities that make the joy set before us real, knowing also that these joys can foreshadow the greater joys of Kingdom blessing: when we witness the joy of another as Truth is revealed to them, when we witness true nobility and courage, true delight in good things, when we see people in awe of nature, when we see the joy of a child, etc. (Hebrews 12:2-3)
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