Day 17: Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah was instrumental in completing the rebuilding of the temple after the return from exile to Babylon. His message: “Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts” (1:3). A day of rejoicing would come to the people of God, as the king would humbly enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Anticipated but unexpected, this is not the grandiose arrival of a king. This king would be righteous and have salvation. Some could easily hear the prophet’s words and presume a good king would come and save them from their current situation and enemies, hoping that the kingdom would rejoice and a ruler would again be in Jerusalem. How often do we make presumptions when we hear the word of God?
All four gospels record the triumphant entry of Jesus on a donkey into Jerusalem. Zechariah 9:9 points to Jesus and a true salvation secured by the righteous Son of God. Would you expect the Lord to come humbly? Riding a donkey? Laid in a manger? Jesus took on human flesh for us. Rejoice greatly!