The King is Coming – The Presidential Prayer Team

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. – Zechariah 9:9

Who doesn’t love a parade? At Thanksgiving, Americans across the nation watch as massive, inflated characters take to the streets in the Macy’s parade in downtown New York City. Later comes New Year’s Day, and flowers and other vegetation adorn floats and marchers in the Rose Bowl Parade from Pasadena. Often the winning team from the World Series or other sporting events receive parades. Years ago, members of America’s military marched in a Memorial Day parade. Many small towns across the nation have parades on the Fourth of July. Parades are times of celebration.

Christmas is irrevocably tied to Palm Sunday, a day when the people of Jerusalem and surrounding areas joined in to celebrate a “parade” of Jesus coming into the city. They waved branches and fronds of palms, and laid garments on His path. The babe that had been born in Bethlehem whom the Magi had referred to as the King of the Jews was now a grown man, entering the capital city in what the people saw as the triumphal coming of the king who would rescue them from Rome and usher in peace. But He wasn’t on a majestic white horse; he was riding on the most lowly of animals, just as Zechariah had prophesied.

Half a millennia after Zechariah, the Apostle John would be given a vision where he saw Jesus returning to Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14, 19:16). He will ride a white horse and, on His head will be many crowns, and he will be called The Word of God (Revelation 19:11-16, compare with John 1:1). That day has yet to dawn. Every believer should be waiting expectantly. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).

Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote the song appropriate for today, which includes these words, “O, the King is coming, the King is coming. I just heard the trumpets sounding and now His face I see. O, the King is coming, the King is coming. Praise God! He’s coming for me.” As you seek Him, let this be the song of your heart today as you anticipate the greatest of all “parades.”

Today’s Verse: 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.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Matthew 21:1-11

21 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” ⁴This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

⁵“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. ⁸Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” ¹⁰And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”