Thought for July 20th. “BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU”

The Bible Channel - Discover the Bible. (By Christadelphianvideo.org)

Matthew in his Gospel is more prolific than the other Gospel writers in quoting the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. Today we have in his 21st chapter the account of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (v.4-11). Matthew writes, “this took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet, saying ‘Behold your king is coming to you, mounted on a donkey … and the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! … Hosanna in the highest!’ And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up …”

The prophet whom God caused to predict this was Zechariah (9 v.9) and we are prompted to think of his and those of other prophets who were caused to write of the incredible dramas at the time of his second coming. We also see the remarkable prophecies the disciples were later to make as recorded in the book of Acts (e,g, 3 v.20,21) and in their letters about his second coming; the scene will be truly awesome when true believers will be saying something like “Behold our king is coming in great glory.”

But, just as awesome, overwhelmingly so, will be his great power to bring vengeance on those who deny him, being totally blind to there being a Creator with a plan and purpose for his creation.

When we come to Matthew 24 we will see how Jesus himself predicted his return, a time when conditions on earth will be “as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until … so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” [v.37-39]

There is nothing wrong with “eating and drinking” – it is essential – but Jesus is summing up human pleasures in life at that time, their main aim in living, with no thought of God, being the same as in the days of Noah. Let us make sure we are not “unaware” but are ready to respond when we hear the words, “Behold your king is coming to you …”