…Out of Exile towards Jerusalem…

Tuesday December 20 – Jerusalem

I was leading a preparation meeting for a large youth ministry mission trip to Peru. As we walked through the plans for the trip, we laid out how each leg of the transportation there would work. We started with meeting at the church parking lot and loading the buses. Then we talked about the trip and then through the airport. We dealt specifically with the passports, especially those students whose parents were not going with us. We assigned them to an adult and walked everyone through how we would process in and out of immigration processing in both Lima and in Atlanta.

We prepared them for the paperwork that had to be filled out on the plan as we landed in both Peru on the way there and America on the way back. We also laid out how the stay in Lima would look as we prepared to board our next flight to the northern mountain town of Cajamarca. It was a detailed plan but by the time we finished going over each aspect of how we would leg around on the trip, parents were appreciative, and students were excitedly awaiting the trip.

Israel must have felt similarly concerning the coming arrival of a Messiah that was also reason to celebrate.

Preparing in Jerusalem: The Messiah would come riding on a colt.

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah is preaching to the exiles who have returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. God uses Zechariah to share this powerful prophecy and promise of the coming King that will deliver Zion and Jerusalem from their enemies. God pronounced judgment on Israel’s enemies earlier in chapter nine and now he gives Israel hope to celebrate and praise the triumph that is coming.

While we are familiar with this prophecy, its fulfillment is not associated with this holiday. While Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem, this was not the donkey ride that Zechariah spoke about. The fulfillment of this prophecy is connected with the triumphant entry Jesus made into Jerusalem for the Passover, the day we remember and celebrate as Palm Sunday. This prophecy is connected to Easter and to the cross.

However, we cannot forget that cradle in Bethlehem rests in the shadow of the cross of Calvary. Jesus was born to be our sacrificial atonement, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. When we consider the Christmas season, it is good to remember what the baby in the manger would grow up to be.

The great news is that this prophecy was fulfilled, and Jesus was obedient to fulfill God’s plan for redemption. He was crucified, dead, and buried. That is why both the cross and cradle in our sanctuary remain empty throughout the season. It reminds us that Jesus is not still in the manger. Jesus is not still on the cross. He sits in glory at the right hand of God the Father, awaiting his second advent.

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her foal. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and He will send them at once.” This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Tell Daughter Zion, ‘See your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and its foal; then they laid their clothes on them and he sat on them.

Father, thank you for the empty cradle, the empty cross and the empty tomb. Jesus is our victorious and triumphant Savior and Lord and all glory and honor and power are due Him. Amen