Behold, your King is Coming!

The arrival of any King or political leader is often met with fanfare and accolades from crowds of onlookers. For many people, meeting such a powerful person is an “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity and few, even when they dislike the leader, pass an opportunity to meet him or her. This was even more valid in the time of Jesus Christ. Meeting the King or Emperor was just one step below meeting God Himself.

So when Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem on a donkey, the people recognized Him as their King as they called out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” (John 12.13) The people had been waiting their entire lifetime for a military king who would defeat the Romans and restore the Kingdom of Israel. For these pious Jews, the time had come to finally bring freedom. And Jesus accomplished this but many didn’t fully understand His mission as King.

In ancient times a King entered the city riding high on a white horse as a symbol of his victory and strength over the enemies. When Christ entered on a donkey, a humble seemingly weak animal, He was teaching that His Kingdom was not one of political, war-like strength, but peace and humility. Christ DID come to defeat the enemy, but the enemy was a spiritual one rather than political. And many just didn’t understand His mission as King.

Today is our chance to finally understand His mission as King. Today is our chance to declare Him as OUR King. His mission for us is to live in communion with God for all eternity in Heaven. If we declare Him as our King, He will claim us as His servants and protect us and care for us as a Good and Faithful King.

Come! And follow the King of Kings and enter Heaven! Join your voices with the voices of the crowd from so long ago…. “Save, now! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. The King of Israel!” and then let’s follow our King.