As we celebrate the final week of Jesus’ ministry on earth, we are reminded of the words in Isaiah:
Isaiah 25:6-9
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
The prophet foretold the coming Messiah- the Christ of David’s kingdom and the incarnated Lord Jesus. God’s people had experience freedom in the Exodus, but then several years of oppression and exile from the various kingdoms of Persia, Babylon, and Romans. The people awaited a Messiah of God to once again bring freedom. The Christ was different than expected.
John 12:12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
During the last week, we see Jesus make three distinct declarations:
1. Declaration of judgment on the empire of this world (Rome)
2. Declaration of judgment on skewed religious systems (the Temple)
3. Declaration of freedom for people (Passover)
Jesus is the king who ushers in a new kingdom. Jesus is the prince who ushers in true peace- a right relationship with God. Jesus declares true freedom from Satan, sin, and death. Jesus’ kingdom has not yet fully arrived- it is in-breaking. In His time, His kingdom will be fully realized and established on the earth. John later writes:
Revelation 19:6-9
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said [1] to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
For selections from the final week of Jesus, see:
Palm Sunday: Mark 11 (Matthew 21, Luke 19, John 12)
Monday: Mark 12 (Matthew 21-25, Luke 20-21)
Tuesday: Matthew 26
Wednesday: Mark 14
Maundy Thursday: Luke 22
Good Friday: Luke 23
Saturday: Matthew 27
Easter Sunday: Matthew 28
