Resurrection Life of Jesus Church

JESUS RIDING INTO JERUSALEM
The Word of God is powerful and it will accomplish everything it says. Isaiah 55:10-11

The prophet Zechariah prophesied the Messiah would enter the city of Jerusalem some 500 years earlier. Zechariah 9:9

Jesus intended to fulfil the prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a colt from a donkey.  Matthew 21:1-6; Mark 11:1-7; Luke 19:29-35

This was like a coronation of the Messiah and there was a lot of excitement as tens of thousands paid homage to Jesus. Matthew 21:7-9

It must have been quite a sight seeing Jesus ride into the esteemed city of Jerusalem on a donkey in comparison to the earthly kings that triumphantly rode tall, majestic looking horses. The size of the crowd and their noise got all of Jerusalem wondering who was arriving. verses 10-11

CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
The temple in Jerusalem had a guard consisting of Jewish soldiers to maintain order and quell any disturbances. Jesus walked onto the temple ground and immediately started casting out the merchants selling sacrificial animals for temple currency. The people were being fleeced by the merchants who refused to accept regular shekels. It was a scheme that saw the temple priests receive a profit not only from the shekels exchanged for temple currency, but also from the cooperative vendors. It was a huge money-making scheme. As Jesus furiously overthrew the vendor tables, goods and coins must have spilled to the floor. verses 12-13

One could argue that the God-man’s actions were shocking and this is why no one intervened, but it is more logical that He had supernatural protection because there was no intervention by the temple guard. When the commotion was finally over and the merchants had fled the temple ground, the people started to send in their blind and lame people for Jesus to heal. verse 14

The chief priest and scribes were resentful when they saw the blind and the lame healed. Instead of repenting, their lack of spiritual power made them angry and they doubled down on pride and stupidity. verse 15

Jesus rebuked them by quoting from Psalms. verse 16; Psalm 8:2

It is important to understand that when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey and letting the people worship him, holy angels subdued all resistance from the chief priest and scribes.

This display of power was a declaration to the people, religious rulers, political rulers, and the Devil that the God-man was in control. Two days later when He returned to partake in the final Passover meal, Jesus dropped the supernatural power to allow the arrest by the high priest.

These events took place on a Sunday, the first workday of the week. That night Jesus left Jerusalem with the disciples and they spent the night in the village of Bethany, some two miles outside the city of Jerusalem. Matthew 21:17

It is likely the God-man spent the night as guests of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, who resided in Bethany. John 11:1

SUMMARY
Up to this point, Jesus had never openly confronted the Jewish religious leadership. Sure, He had rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees, but there had never been a physical confrontation. It is important to note that neither the Jewish leadership nor the Roman ruler, Pontious Pilate, interfered with the God-man riding into Jerusalem like a king, or stopping Him when He cleansed the temple ground of vendors and money lenders.

Jesus had a personal bodyguard of holy angels – 12 legions – to protect Him while on earth. There is no doubt in my mind that any effort by Satan and his forces were simply suppressed by holy angels. Matthew 26:53

We should take comfort in the fact that Jesus is returning someday to the earth, and when He arrives, it won’t be as a meek Savior 2,000 years ago. He will come as the King of kings to overthrow the rule of Satan; the Antichrist and False Prophet will be seized and immediately cast into the Lake of Fire and the wicked people who took the Mark of the Beast will be killed and cast into hell. Revelation 19:11-21