What kind of a King would
ride on a donkey into the capital city?
Perhaps
you would have expected some kind of chariots (in the olden times) or may be
limousine (in today's time). Nothing of that flashy and mighty creature but a
humble and silent donkey was chosen as the vehicle for this grand entrance.
There were instances where leaders or kings rode on donkeys in the Old
Testament like Judges 5:10; 10:4; 12:14. Solomon, considered the wisest king,
rode on a donkey on the day he was anointed as the new king (1 Kings 1:33,45).
Significantly, it is to be noted that in the ancient middle Eastern world,
kings rode majestic horses if they rode to war, but donkeys when they come in
peace.
It was a calculated move by Jesus when he chose to ride
into Jerusalem during the Passover time. He fulfilled the 500 years old
prophecy of Zechariah (Zech 9:9) when he did that. He was not riding into
Jerusalem as the conquering king, but as an envoy of peace. After all he was to
be Prince of peace as prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6-7). He was immediately recognised
as the 'Son of David.' People cried out to him to save them perhaps from the
hands of the mighty Romans.
Jesus
indeed was a King, of Davidic descendant, who chose to ride a donkey to send
across a message that he was coming in peace and to bring peace and not to
fight their war for deliverance. He himself has said 'Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.' He knew very well what it
cost to be a peacemaker, a messenger of peace and a Prince of Peace.
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