Message summary: The Messiah King who would pay the price for our salvation did not come into Jerusalem on a powerful horse, in glory and honor; He came in gentleness and humility, riding on a lowly donkey. He came to bring peace.

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Every Tuesday morning we drive by the Deep Run Meadows Donkey Farm in Lebanon County. There's a lot of livestock in our rural part of the world but rarely do we see more than one or two donkeys at a time. But this farm raises donkeys and we see large groups of them in the field much like we see a herd of cows or horses. Sometimes, if they are near the road we open our window and holler "hee haw" at them till we get their attention. But truth be told they never pay much attention!

Horses are often described as a majestic animal but donkeys could never be described in this way. They're smaller than most horses and not typically used for riding or work, at least not nearly to the extent a horse or its cousin, the mule, (which is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse) does.

Donkeys are referenced throughout the Bible. The first reference is a curious exchange between Abram and Pharaoh in Genesis 12.  Certainly the most famous reference in the Old Testament was Balaam’s talking donkey!

However the donkey in our daily text had an important role during the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, being a part of the fulfillment of a Messianic prophecy. Matthew and John's gospel accounts specifically mention this donkey. Mark and Luke use the more generic word "colt".

The various gospel accounts provided varying detail but in John’s record we merely read, “Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it". This was a fulfillment of prophecy spoken of in Zechariah 9:9, "See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses if they rode to war, but donkeys if they came in peace. 1 Kings 1:33 mentions Solomon riding a donkey on the day he was recognized as the new king of Israel. Other instances of leaders riding donkeys are Judges 5:10; 10:4; 12:14; and 2 Samuel 16:2.

Note the characteristics about Christ: “Your king coming to you, righteous, having salvation, gentle.” The righteous One who would pay the price for our salvation did not come into Jerusalem on a powerful horse, in glory and honor; He came in gentleness and humility, on a lowly donkey. He ultimately came to bring peace between God and man. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand" (Romans 5:1,2).

Jesus fulfills this prophecy of Zechariah. The eventual worldwide peace proclaimed by this humble king will be a fulfillment of the angels’ song in Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” (NKJV). Today let us all worship and serve Him.

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber