In light of Holy Week and with the passing of Palm Sunday, my attention was turned from the traditional view of the “Triumphant Entry” to view it from the standpoint of the donkey. Let me start by saying that the entry in Luke 19 is not triumphant by any stretch…for it should be titled the “Meek and Humble Entry”. For Jesus didn’t come on regal horse back but on a lowly donkey. If you want to see the Triumphant Entry that is still yet to come you need to look at Revelation 19:11-16. Where Jesus comes in glory riding on a white horse followed by the armies in heaven on white horses…now that is triumphant!
However, you can not have the latter entry without the former. It would be unjust to have judgement without first having a way of redemption. The sole purpose for Jesus’ coming the first time was to redeem and to set the captives free…unfortunately only two fully understood this that day. For the crowds wanted to set Jesus up as king, to overthrow the Romans and restore peace and order…but you can’t have the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that Revelation 19 describes until there has been a chance to be redeemed by the suffering servant. For “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.
As I mentioned before, only two got it: Jesus and the Donkey, and for that we need to look at this story in light of Exodus 13.
“But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb;
and if you will not redeem it;
then you shall break its neck.” --Exodus 13:13a
The donkey understood, unlike the other animals, that it needed to be redeemed. The anthem of the donkey was redemption or death, and it knew better than all the others its need for a redeemer! The very reason, I believe, Jesus chose the colt was because it parallels with our need for a redeemer…you and I can chant the same anthem: Redemption or Death!
“Go into the village opposite you,
where as you enter you will find a colt tied,
on which no one has ever sat.
Loose it and bring it here.
And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing?’
thus you shall say to him,
‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ” --Luke 19:30-31
The four parallels in these two verses can resinate with everyone of us (the first two show our state before Jesus and the later two show what Jesus does with ones life). The first thing we notice is that the colt was tied. Just like the cold was in bondage so too we are born into bondage as a slave to sin. The second is no one ever sat on it, indicating a lack of brokenness in their life. Jesus has no need for a prideful “self made man” but is always interested in a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. Thirdly, we see what happens after redemption…there is freedom as He looses it setting the captives free. This is when we find ourselves at the opening of His empty tomb…freed from our guilt and shame and sin that so easily ensnares us! Lastly, Because the Lord has need of it…we are saved to serve. It is only after we freed from bondage of sin, broken of ourselves, living our newfound freedom in Christ, that we can truly serve as have been created and called to do.
There is one thing that I didn’t mention, and that is…Jesus didn’t go after the donkey himself, but chose to use his disciples and to give them a part in the redemption of this donkey. He is still using those who are the redeemed to go out into the world and seek out those who are needing a redeemer…Jesus…the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World!
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