A horse or a donkey?

Palm Sunday is a Holy day commemorating the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as He entered riding a donkey. Interestingly a King riding a horse symbolized a King intent on war while the donkey symbolized peace.

This amazing event was prophesied nearly 500 years before Christ in Zachariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

Jesus made His intentions clear, He was to rule His Kingdom as a King of peace. This infuriated His followers who were of the opinion that the Messiah was to be a strong political figure who would bring them deliverance from the Romans.

This is beautifully depicted in the Amy Grant song, El Shaddai:

Though the people couldn't see
What Messiah ought to be
Though Your Word contained the plan
They just would not understand
Your most awesome work was done
Through the frailty of Your Son

Let us not make the same mistake of putting false expectations on the visitation of Christ in our lives as Messiah, but let God reign in all our lives supremely and in power as we grieve during this Holy week.