Why Did Jesus Ride Into Jerusalem?

Christian Questions Bible Podcast

The last week of Jesus’ earthly life was both eventful and tumultuous. His riding triumphantly into Jerusalem four days before his crucifixion was a dramatic and unmistakable display of hope and respect by the hundreds of thousands who honored him as he rode. The events that would take place after his kingly entrance into the city would also be dramatic, as the wheels of betrayal and murder would furiously spin towards their grisly end. Through all of this, Jesus never faltered in his character or objectives. Today we will focus on the powerful messages and prophetic fulfillments that came from his inspiring ride into Jerusalem, as its meaning is far deeper than many realize. The Old Testament is full of prophecies, stories and individuals that point to Jesus. When considered, they give us a panoramic picture of what many of the details of his life would look like. Not the least of these revealed details is the prophecy in Zechariah chapter 9. This prophecy plainly revealed that the Messiah would come to Jerusalem and the people of Israel riding on a donkey and being proclaimed as their king. The prophecy shows the expansiveness of Messiah’s future kingdom, and sadly also alludes to the people rejecting their Savior. Jesus literally fulfilled this prophecy. He literally borrowed a donkey and rode into the city. Now, one could argue he staged the event. After all, he did have to borrow the donkey! While that detail is true, we need to remember that it was impossible for him to stage the hundreds of thousands who welcomed him, lauded him as king and sought for deliverance through him as their Messiah. He could not have staged such love and adoration. Why was this particular event so public and so important? Why did Jesus know it had to happen? It turns out that this prophecy is unquestionably linked to some other Old Testament events that also foreshadowed Jesus and his earthly mission to save the world. It also turns out that this prophecy had to be fulfilled at a precise time because of its connection to these other Old Testament events. One of the amazing parts to this whole puzzle of God’s foresight and providence is the fact that Jesus knew so many of the details and fulfillments ahead of time. Check out our recent podcast, “Why Did Jesus Ride Into Jerusalem?” for the details. We go over the details of this event commonly known as “Palm Sunday” and their larger meaning. What we find are amazing connections to many other scriptures that profoundly deepen the meaning of God’s plan behind Jesus’ sacrifice. There is one other thing we discuss that we will simply state as a question here. What if the traditional view and appreciation of Palm Sunday was flawed? What if the Bible plainly stated that some important details of this event were absolutely different than the tradition we so easily accept? Join us for this fascinating and inspiring journey into Bible prophecy and its fulfillment!