Jesus is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.

John 12:13
13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”

Jesus left Mount Olives to go to Jerusalem. Why? To die.

What does it mean that they used palm branches? Palm trees are very strong. If the winds knock them over, they straighten back up. Even if a palm tree is burned, it survives and revives.

Palm trees are like our lives. We’ve been blown and burned, but we always rise again. It doesn’t matter how many things come against us, we will always rise again.

Palm trees can survive a drought or famine. When you see a palm tree in the desert, it means there is an oasis. Palm trees are symbolic of life. Palm trees stand up very straight. They are straight and they look up to heaven. There is no compromise in them. We need to be like the palm trees, walking straight and looking up to God.

Exodus 15:22-27
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, 26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

God may have brought you to a place of victory and rest in your life, but don’t think that you your journey is over. You are in the land of Elim; you still need to journey to the Promised Land.

Palm trees are also symbolic of victory and hope. (Psalm 92:12-13)

Jesus traveled into Jerusalem before the Passover. This was the day when Jesus rode a colt into Jerusalem and the people came out with palm branches, crying out “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” This was a glorious moment that was prophesied by Zechariah 500 years earlier.

The leaders and rulers of Israel had been waiting for the fulfillment of this prophecy, but they didn’t recognize it in Jesus. They were waiting for a king with a physical crown, for someone to come in by power and might. But Jesus came with a spiritual crown, with humility.

There are a lot of people in heaven without a place to stay. John 14 tells us that Jesus is preparing a mansion for us, but these people don’t have a mansion because they didn’t work for Jesus while they were on the earth.

Our life on this earth is short. While we are here, we must serve God and others. We must preach the gospel and save the souls. We must work spiritually and physically. We must mourn and pray for people’s salvation. When you serve God like that, you will have a big mansion in heaven.

Use everything you have to serve God.

The scribes, priests, Pharisees, and High Priest were all waiting for the Messiah to come with a physical crown, but Jesus didn’t have that. They didn’t think He was powerful so they persecuted Him. They were waiting for Jesus, but they didn’t recognize Him.

Jesus came in humility. He was born in a humble place, raised in a humble home, and lived in a humble town. He was humble all His life.

This was Jesus’ last Passover on earth.

Matthew 21:1-9
1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”

Jesus sent two disciples to get the donkey and the colt. He was about ready to proclaim Himself as the Messiah, the Son of David. This was a fulfillment of prophecy. This was the first day of strong persecution for Jesus.

Hosanna means “save us.”

The Mount of Olives was located to the east of Jerusalem. It is a special location in scripture. Before Jesus started His ministry, He fasted and prayed at Mount Olives. When He taught the beatitudes, He was on the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 5:1) Jesus was also taken to heaven from Mount Olives, too.

Jesus gave up everything in heaven and came to earth, a very humble place compared to heaven. Sin is ugly so that makes earth ugly. Jesus came to this ugly place to live and to die for our sins.

The disciples, too, left everything to follow Jesus. They left their jobs and their homes and their families. They gave everything to God.

Luke 14:26
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:33
33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

When you come to Jesus, you have to give up all your rights and your portion.

Luke 22:8
8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

When Jesus had important business to take care of, He brought Peter, James, and John. This was important business, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah.

Zechariah 9:9
9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.

The donkey is symbolic of Jews. The colt is symbolic of Gentiles. Donkey also means peace, but horses mean war. Jesus did not come to have war, but to bring peace.

Jesus is God of creation and Lord of everything. (John 10:30, John 14:9)

Matthew 21:3
3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

“Lord” has three meanings:
#1 Husband

Your earthly husband will never be like Jesus in everything they do. He will always disappoint you in some way. He will get angry or jealous or prideful. Even so, we must submit to one another, in the Lord.

Rely on Jesus as your husband. He is the perfect husband, someone you can put all your trust and hope into.

#2 King

Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Revelation 19:16
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

#3 Owner

Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that we are bought by Jesus.

1 Corinthians 6:20
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

When the Lord has need of something you have, you must give it to Him immediately. He is your husband, your king, and your owner. Examine your heart: is that the attitude that you’ve had?

When Jesus asks you to give to Him, do you give or do you challenge or analyze? When God tells you to give, give quickly.

The disciples of Jesus obeyed the voice of Jesus and went to get the donkey and colt. We need to be like them and immediately obey Jesus, even if we don’t understand. We need to be like the owner’s of the donkey and immediately give whatever is asked of us.

God bless you,
Pastor Sun East

More in this series:
Part 2: Lay your garments before Him
Part 3: The day the rocks cried out