The Triumphal (Weeping) Entry

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Matthew 23:37

Jesus knew by the end of the week He'd be put to death. He also knew that many of God's children would not only reject Him, but arrange for His execution. Yet His response was pity--sorrowful compassion. Jesus, speaking as God, lamented their rejection not of Him as a man, but their rejection of Him as their Savior.

Jesus spent three years in public ministry preparing the hearts of those who would choose to accept Him as the Son of God. You see, His entire ministry was the revelation of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Jesus spent His days living out the life of the prophesied Messiah. Now, as time was running out, this Messiah was weeping not for Himself, but for those who had not seen; those who had not heard (Oh, they had seen and heard, but chose to close their eyes and ears, while running their mouths). Jesus' blatant effort to make it obvious by procuring the colt of a donkey as He entered the city should have driven the point home for all the Jewish leaders. This exact day was prophesied hundreds of years ago!

The remnant scent of costly spikenard still on His feet (wonderful Mary); He receives the crowd's praise, but He is a Man of sorrows. He emptied Himself when He left His heavenly throne room to become the vessel for the sins of all mankind. Seated on the donkey as He descended upon Jerusalem, with the multitude chanting "Hosanna!," He realized most of this crowd will have their minds changed by men much "wiser" than they. He is a Man of sorrows, knowing most will choose eternal darkness. The chanting will soon become, "Crucify Him!" With all the prophecy; with all the signs; with the Old Testament books, how could they miss it? They ignored it all and rejected Him.

Today, we have the Old Testament, the New Testament, prophecies regarding the nation Israel falling into place . . . but wait. This nation--this world--has rejected the Old and New Testaments, prophecies, signs of the times. Most of this world will not know a prophecy if fireballs dropped out of the sky (and they will), because this world has rejected not only God, but the word of God.

The Old Testament was given to point Israel to the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And Israel missed it. The New Testament was given to point the way to salvation for all through the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Today, we have both Old and New Testaments, and the Holy Spirit, to boot! Most will still miss it. They will deny, reject or explain away the return of Jesus Christ.

But He will descend again; this time not on the backside of a donkey, but on the clouds. And He will take with Him the remnant scent of faithful believers. If we know anything about the heart of Christ, He will be weeping still for those who have heard but will not understand; those who have seen but will not perceive. The opportunities to accept Him as Messiah were given then, as they continue to be given today. We cannot know those opportunities without knowing Him. We cannot please Him without coming to Him and believe that He is. (Hebrews 11:6)

I am not God, nor His Son, yet my heart weeps, too. In spite of the anger and hatred directed toward followers of Christ today, I cannot comprehend (and I thank God for that) an eternity separated from God. Even today, many still wave their palm branches in fickle worship of Him, but how many come to Him and believe that He is . . . Savior, Messiah, God.

Mary got it. And in getting it, she sat at His feet and poured out all she had to anoint Her Savior. How did she understand before so many other disciples? Look it up; this Mary was always depicted at the feet of Jesus. Are you not getting it? I know I cannot say this without sounding trite, but position yourself at the feet of the Savior; know Him; diligently seek Him. Waving a palm frond with thousands of others takes no effort but to just show up. But to know Jesus with the intimacy Mary experienced requires complete surrender to the belief that He IS.

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