March 16

“Triumphal Entry II”

Revelation 7:9-15

Palm Sunday begins the Passion or Holy Week in Christianity.  In 24 years as a senior pastor I have attempted to look at the Passion from every angle I could possibly conceive and contrive.  I have considered the people making up the crowd that day (the skeptics, the searching, the faithful, and the antagonists).  I have examined the expectations of the people who cheered Him and cried out, “Hosanna in the highest” or blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  I have pondered the tears of a broken hearted Jesus weeping over lost Jerusalem. I’ve researched the irony and tragedy of the fact in less than one week’s time, the crowd that cheered Jesus would be yelling, ‘crucify Him, crucify Him!’   I’ve considered the colt of a donkey which Jesus rode on into Jerusalem that day – an animal of peace, a burden bearing animal, and a humble animal.  Not an animal of war or of royalty or dignity.  I have studied the significance of the Palm branches in relation to the Feast of Tabernacles.  I  have examined the Last Supper/ the Passover Meal in regards and reflection to Jesus being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  I have contemplated Peter’s denial and Judas betrayal of Jesus Christ.  I have studied the Jewish tradition of ceremonial cleansing and the consequential washing of the hands by Pontius Pilate.  I have considered the agony in the garden as Jesus sweats drops of blood.  However God just recently brought to my attention the triumphal entry has a double reference and is both historic and prophetic at the same time.

During the Triumphal Entry II we will understand God’s greatness and His grace!  Heaven and the Throne of Almighty God is going to be an eye opening experience and a major reality check!  (Isa. 6:5)  When we stand before God all will be exposed and explained and there will be no excuses, no blame, no justification via rationalization. We will absolutely know we are guilty and we deserve God’s wrath and judgment.

During the Triumphal Entry II we will also see God’s grace in light of our sin!  We we truly appreciate His mercy, love, kindness, goodness, grace, and forgiveness in such a way and to such a degree that we have never yet considered.  Revelation 7 text the people around the throne of God are wearing white robes – they are undefiled, unstained, unblemished, pure – why?  V14 “They have washed their robes and made them white by the blood of the lamb.”  (I JN 1:7 – 9; Isa. 1:18)

During the Revelation 7 scene people from every tribe, nation, and tongue along with the angels and the elders are bowing before God and worshipping Him.  It is a scene of spontaneous singing and shouts, exclamations of exaltation, accolades of adoration, proclamations of praise, words of worship and witness, and declarations of delight. 

                                      The Bible says Jesus is My king!    

                                      He is the King of the Jews

                                      He is the King of Israel

                                      He is the King of righteousness

                                      He is the King of the ages

                                      He is the King of glory

                                       He is the King of heaven

                                       He is the King of all kings

                                       He is the Lord of all lords

             He is not Burger King & no you cannot have it your way!    My King is a sovereign King: no measure of means, no counting of calculation, no volume of vocabulary, no diction of definition can describe His eternal limitless love!

                                         He is enduringly strong

                                         He is entirely sincere

                                         He is eternally steadfast

                                         He is indisputably sinless

                                         He is imperially powerful

                                         He is immortally graceful

                                         He is impartially merciful

      Do you know Him today?  How can you not adore and exalt and bless Him?

                                         He is God’s Son

                                         He is the sinner’s savior

                                         He is the diseased great physician

                                         He is the centerpiece of all civilization

                                         He is the dividing line in time

                                         He is unparalleled

                                         He is unprecedented

         He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world!

                                         He’s the pathway to peace

                                         He’s the doorway to deliverance

                                         He’s the highway to holiness

                                         He’s the roadway to righteousness

                                         He’s the gateway to glory

                                         He’s the expressway to everlasting life

                                         He’s the freeway to faith and forgiveness

                                         He’s the turnpike to truth

                                         He’s the interstate of inspiration

                                         He’s the street to salvation

                                         He’s the avenue to atonement

                                         He’s the onramp to redemption

                                         He’s the loftiest idea in literature

                                         He’s the highest personality in philosophy

                                         He’s the fundamental doctrine in true theology

              He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient savior!  Do you know Him?

                                         He’s available for the temped and the tried

                                         He sympathizes and He saves

                                         He strengthens and He sustains

                                          He guards and He guides

                                          He protects and He provides

                                          He heals the sick

                                          He cleansed the lepers

                                          He forgives the sinner

                                          He rebukes the religious

                                          He discharges the debtors

                                          He delivers the captive

                                          He defends the feeble

                                          He serves the misfortunate

                                          He mends the brokenhearted

                                          He blesses the young

                                          He preserves the old

                                          He rewards the diligent

                                          He beautifies the meager

                                          He exalts the humble

                                          He strengthens the weak

                                          He uplifts the downtrodden

                                          He comforts the sorrowful

He’s the key to knowledge, the wellspring of wisdom, the center of creativity, the initiative for inspiration.  I wander – do you know Him today.  Will you praise and adore Him?  

                                           He’s indescribable

                                           He’s incomprehensible

                                           He’s irresistible

                                           His life is matchless

                                           His love is everlasting

                                           His goodness is overwhelming

                                           His grace is all sufficient

                                           His peace is prevailing

                                           His mercy is marvelous

                                           His sacrifice was supreme and saving

                                           His reign is righteousness

                                           His hope is enduring

                                           His yoke is easy

                                           His burden is light

   The Pharisee’s could not stand Him and soon would find out they could not stop Him!

                                            Pilate found not fault in Him

                                            Herod could not kill Him

                                            Death could not handle Him

                                            The grave could not hold Him

During Triumphal Entry II we will be on the other side of our struggles and sorrows!  In the Rev 7 scene the people around the throne of God had palms in their hands a reference to the Feast of Tabernacles – one of 3 Jewish Pilgrimage feasts.  The Feast of Tabernacles held in the 7^th month and was 8 days long and is also known as “sukkot” or “The season of our Joy” or “The Feast of Harvest.”  It celebrated the cessation of the wilderness wonderings and the settling into the promise land.  The people in Revelation 7 have palms in their hands – they have ceased their wilderness wonderings and have entered into their promise land – heaven – they are now home!  V14b “these are they who have come out of the great tribulation.”

The word overcome is a major theme in the life of a Christian and the Book of Revelation and it is used 17 times regarding the church in the first 3 chapters! (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17 ,26; 3:5,12, 21 & 21:7) (Rom. 8:18 & II Tim. 4:7 & 8)

During Triumphal Entry II we will experience a life never quite imagined! (Rev. 21:3 & 4)

“He who sits on the throne will spread His tent over them: never again will they hunger, never again will they thirst; the sun will not beat down upon them nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”