Riding a Donkey

 

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. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. (Zechariah 9:9-13 ESV).

 

In this Lenten season as we reflect on the sacrifice of Christ, we see him riding a donkey as he comes to Jerusalem as the final and ultimate King. This animal was symbolic of humility, peace, and King David’s royalty (cf. 1 Kings 1:33). Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to show publicly that he was the chosen Son of David, which was another name for the promised Messiah. Our reading today is from the Old Testament prophet Zechariah as he foretells this event.

 

It is a bit surprising as we might have expected a stallion. But this surprising King rides a donkey. Jesus identifies with the lowly. The kingdom of God is totally different from the “here-today, gone-tomorrow” kingdoms of the world. Don’t mistake this King on a donkey for the kind of ruler we usually see in this world.

 

From Jesus we learn that being a king in God’s kingdom is about service and humility. A king serves. So, as we fulfill our calling, we serve the Lord, and we serve one another. As we live by the guidance of the Spirit, visit people who are sick, care for those who are poor, and love our neighbors, we are kings and queens of the kingdom of heaven. That is when we are most like Jesus, who calls us to reign with him today and for eternity.

 

Jesus once came riding on a donkey. Next, he will come riding on the clouds of heaven (cf. Mark 14:61-62) to live with us in the new heaven and earth forever (cf. Revelation 21- 22). Come, Lord Jesus!