When God mentions something once in Scripture it is certainly noteworthy and to be understood and obeyed. When He says something twice, it has even a greater impact and significance to our lives. When He repeats a truth three times, He is really wanting us to remember it. But when He records an event four times, it’s like He is saying to us, “I really want you to get this. I want you to understand what is taking place.” Palm Sunday is one of those events. It’s recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38; John 12:12-15). Let’s find out what God wants us to know about this important day in the life of Christ—and ultimately in ours.
Why is Palm Sunday so special that God would repeat it four different times through each Gospel writer? Why did Jesus enter into Jerusalem in such a visible but humble display? Was this the manner of a true King? Could this be the Messiah coming on a donkey and not a white horse?
Palm Sunday is a very special event in the life of Christ because on that day we see four Messianic prophecies converge all at once announcing their fulfillment. Each one was written at a different time in Jewish history but all pointed to the exact day when Jesus would make his triumphant entry into Jerusalem as their prophet, priest and king—and their Messiah.
The first prophecy is from Zechariah who speaks of the coming of Jesus as a king but “Lowly and sitting on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Now why did Jesus come on a donkey? Biblical history speaks of times when kings would come like common people on a donkey when they were seeking and bringing terms of peace (2 Samuel 18:9; 1 Kings 1:33). Remember that Isaiah described him as “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Spreading garments and palm branches on the ground along his way was also a practice when a king was being announced in the Old Testament (2 Kings 9:13).
The second prophecy is from one of the Hallel Psalms 118 which is a Messianic psalm. We don’t know the author but the words are familiar:
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now (Hosanna), I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. We have blessed you from the house of the LORD (Psalm 118:22-27).
“The stone which the builders rejected” was spoken of by Jesus as applying to himself (Matthew 21:42; Mark 4:10; Luke 20:17) and confirmed by Peter (Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 1:6-7). And “the day the Lord has made” was this very day as the crowds shouted “Hosanna” (save now). “Hosanna” (save now) in the highest!”
The Hallel Psalms (113-118) were sung at the feasts and other festive events in Israel. Hallel means “praise.” From it we get the well-known word, “Hallelujah” which literally means, “Praise Yahweh” or “Praise the Lord.” In fact, Rabbinic literature tells us that Psalm 118, would be sung at the end of every Passover. It’s interesting to note here that at the close of the Lord’s Supper on Passover (Matthew 26:26-29); we are told that they all sang a hymn before they went out to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30). That hymn was most likely Psalm 118 and Jesus sang it with his followers, knowing that in just a few hours he would be crucified (Matthew 20:18-19).
The third prophecy is from Deuteronomy 18:15-18, when Moses promised the nation of Israel that the Lord God would in the future raise up another prophet like him from among their people whom the Lord would speak through as he had with Moses. The nation was looking for this prophet to come as the long awaited Messiah, which prompted the Jewish leaders to inquire of John the Baptist when he arrived on the scene, “Are you the Prophet?” (John 1:21). When the crowd that day saw Jesus, they too inquired, “Who is this?” The crowd replied in unison, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee” (Matthew 21:11).
The fourth prophecy is a little more complex but the most dynamic. It predicts the exact day that Jesus, the Messiah would enter into Jerusalem. We find it in Daniel 9:24-27. As the prophet read the indictment against Israel from book of Jeremiah, he realized that the 70 years of captivity were coming to an end. He began to pray a beautiful prayer of repentance for Israel. As he was praying, the angel Gabriel appeared and said to him, “that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there would be a period of 69 weeks (69 sevens or weeks of years), a total of 483 years. Scripture tells us that decree was issued by the Persian king Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. allowing Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls of the city. 483 years later works out to be on the 10th of Nissan or April 6, 32 AD, the very day of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It was Palm Sunday.
So there you have it my friends. This is why this day of Jesus entering into Jerusalem to the cries of the people, “Hosanna, Hosanna,” is so important. It signaled the very day Messiah would come to his people. God’s word is exact and so are his promises.
They would also later cry, “Crucify him. Crucify Him.” But with his death came life—life everlasting for all who believe. Do you believe?
— Pastor Don Kimbro