1600 The Chosen Donkey

This is the week leading up to Easter. The final week of Jesus’ life … and he knew it.

What would you do if you knew it were your last week? What would you do on Monday? On Tuesday? On Wednesday? Who would you spend your time with? Where would you go? What would you intentionally do and say, knowing this was your last chance?

To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have done the same things Jesus did. Actually, I know I wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t have spent time with those I knew would betray me. I wouldn’t have willingly been in the wrong place at the wrong time to make everything right for people who would deny me. But, that’s what our Jesus did. He knew. And he did it all willingly.

To better know our Jesus, I’m spending this week digging deeper into his words and actions in his final week of life here on Earth. I believe you can really learn a lot about a person by seeing what they do when they know this is really the end. Think about what you would do if you knew it was the end … wouldn’t it reveal what was truly most important to you?

In that final week, every detail was intentional for Jesus. Just as your final week would be filled with very intentional acts if you knew. Not a single detail of that week is without significance, so, let’s study the details.

It all begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the place designed for his death. He knew every step toward Jerusalem brought him closer to the end. And how he entered would have significant meaning.

Mark 11: 1-7, “As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.”

Here we find intentional details. Details we are to study so we understand what was truly important to Jesus.

Jesus specifically asked for a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. The donkey was waiting, destined for it’s divine purpose of carrying Jesus for his entry. But why?

First, it was to fulfill the prophesy written 500 years earlier in Zechariah 9:9, “Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey’s colt.” Just as it was written, Jesus arrived riding on a young donkey. John 12: 16 says, “His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him.”

As it was happening, it made no sense to the disciples that Jesus would specifically request a donkey to ride. But, looking back, they saw the fulfillment of the prophesy concerning the Messiah down to every detail. There would be no doubt, Jesus was truly the Son of God and the savior of the world.

This is how we see the fulfillment of God’s promises in our lives. We look back and we see everything he said has happened for us. Not as we thought it would, and not when we expected it would, but without fail, it happens and every detail is as God has promised. We can count on that.