Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
As thousands of believers around the world will celebrate Palm Sunday, I thought I’d offer some additional historical insight into the day Yeshua (Jesus) entered Jerusalem. Most people associate Palm Sunday with the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass”. But there is another significant detail associated with this beautiful fulfillment…
…it is that Yeshua entered Jerusalem on precisely the same day that the Jews would have been choosing their Passover lambs in preparation for the Pesach (Passover) Seder a few days later. Unbeknownst to them, the Lord had chosen their “Passover Lamb” who would deliver them, and the entire world from their sins [John 1:29].
As Yeshua entered into Jerusalem, the people cried “Hosanna, Son of David– which means, “Save Now, Son of David!”- quoting the cry of the psalmist for the salvation of YHVH to come to Israel; [Psalm 118:25-26]. This psalm was associated with the coming of Messiah, and the title, “Son of David” was a common reference to Him, the one who would bring YHVH’s salvation. It also contains the words, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!” So many of the people knew who He was, yet…
…this same Psalm also contains an amazing prediction: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!” [Psalm 118:22]. Right there, in the same scripture, only a few verses apart, the astounding irony of Yeshua’s first advent is perfectly expressed. Received and hailed as Israel’s Messiah, He was shortly to be scorned, rejected and crucified.
This is a week to remember the humility of Yeshua, the most humble King who ever lived or died. Our love for Him grows deeper as we reflect on this gentle Shepherd’s submission, even though He was and is a King. His rejection was our acceptance. His death was our life. May we receive the grace to follow His example and so reveal His glory.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The second great awakening took place around 1790 until the 1840s. This movement saw ‘circuit riders’, traveling preachers who spread the Gospel to the edges of the frontier, affecting the growing American populace. Camp meetings in rural areas outside the traditional church with the primary focus of soul winning, were like “brushfires” of the Holy Spirit, attracting people for miles.
Tonight begins the Biblical feast of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) throughout the world! Roughly 2500 years ago, there was a special Sukkot celebration in Jerusalem. The people of Israel were exiled and dispersed all across the Babylonian empire. Later, they were given the right to return and start construction on the 2nd temple of Israel. Nehemiah 8 speaks of the special celebration that happened at that time. We read how Ezra taught the people out of the book of the law and how they responded in weeping and repentance before the God of Israel.
As I’ve been writing about the "great awakenings" that took place over the past few days. I believe we could be witnessing such a move of God.
In laymen’s terms, the difference between a ‘revival’ and an ‘awakening’ is simply that moves of God transcend denominations and sects. While various ‘denominations’ have revivals at times, an ‘awakening’ shakes the body of Christ across denominational boundaries in spite of their differences.
In the early 1700s, the western world including the United States, was being swept under the influence of a philosophical and cultural movement known as the Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason. At this critical time in history, the First Great Awakening was birthed by the Lord in the American colonies of the “New World”. Led by preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield, a spiritual renewal took place which became a unifiying cultural foundation for the American Revolutionary War, which began in the late 1770s.
For those who have been following us, we have been ‘re-deployed’ to the United States at this pivotal moment in history. For those who know me personally, my heart is for revival and for preparing the Bride of Messiah to meet her Creator.
The high priest of Ancient Israel wore a crown of pure gold on his head called a Nezer, which comes from the word “nazar”. This word "nazar" means to dedicate, consecrate and sacredly separate. The word “nazarite” comes from this root, and describes someone who has taken a vow to be separated from the world.
One of the more beautiful ceremonies of the Jewish faith is called “Tashlich”. Tashlich means to cast away. Every year between Rosh haShana and Yom Kippur, Jewish people around the world journey to a nearby river or stream and cast in bread crumbs as they confess their sins. As the bread crumbs are swept downstream soon to be out of sight, so they believe God will sweep away their sins.