Tag: palm branches

45.r. “Wilderness” – 9.x. “every man able to go to war in Israel— all those listed were 603,550”

 

Num 1:45  So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel— all those listed were 603,550.

 Genesis 12:2    And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

 Deuteronomy 10:22   Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

 Hebrews 11:11-12     By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.  Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

 Revelation 7:9    After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Including women, children, and old men, together with the Levites, the whole population of Israel, on the ordinary principles of computation, amounted to about 2,400,000. (Brown)

We have here the sum total. How much was required to maintain all these in the wilderness! They were all provided for by God every day. When we observe the faithfulness of God, however unlikely the performance of his promise may appear, we may take courage as to those which yet remain to be fulfilled to the church of God. (Henry)

It is hard to imagine how a small group of ~70 that came into Egypt became greater than 2,000,000 in 200+ years not to mention how these were fed and cared for in the wilderness for 40 years. If you try to math this out it is something only God’s plans, purpose, and will could accomplish. We read in Ephesians that God can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. This is true here. Our God has more power, might, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and whatever other words of greatness the dictionary has. He is limitless in what He can do and what He does is according to His perfect plans, purposes, and will. The more we read His Word the more we see of His awesomeness. This is the God we serve and for sure we ought to serve Him worthy of who He is. Our thoughts each day should be in line with faithfulness, trust, reliance, obedience, and how we might honor and glorify Jesus Christ more today than yesterday.

17.q. “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

John 12:12   The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!”, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”, “Blessed is the king of Israel!”  Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:  “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Luke 19:35   When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

“The donkey was not normally used by a warlike person. It was the animal of a man of peace, a priest, a merchant, or the like. It might also be used by a person of importance but in connection with peaceable purposes.  The donkey speaks of peace.” (Morris) “They greeted Jesus as a king, though ignorant of the nature of His kingship. It would seem that they looked upon Him as a potential nationalist leader, with whose help they might be able to become wholly independent of foreign powers who ruled over them.” 

What were the people really praising Jesus for?  Was it for raising Lazarus from the dead? Was it because they anticipated Him to become their mighty King? Was it because, on the coming Passover, they thought He was their deliverer from their Roman oppressors?  When we praise and worship Jesus it is because He is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Son of God, and Savior.  It should never be about what we can get from Him, but because of who He is.  Granted, we are blessed beyond all measure, we are forgiven of sin, we are redeemed, we are redeemed, forgiven, and born again, we are given and filled with the Holy Spirit, we are given His written Word, we are given joy, peace, love, hope, power, refuge, and the promises of eternal life and His coming again.  These blessings we can truly be thankful for, but our praise and worship should be for who He is. I guess this is a very fine line.  Thankfulness can be an expression of praise and worship.  However, the line can grow strangely wide when our heart speaks thankfulness for what we can get rather than for who the Giver is.

13.p. “Surely his salvation is near to those who fear Him”

Zachariah 9:9  Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Matthew 21:4-5   This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,  “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.’”

John 12:13-15  So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”  And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,  “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

Psalms 85:9-12    Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.

Sometimes the darkness of this world makes it appear that evil is winning over good — but be encouraged: There is no alternate ending to the Bible! There is no scenario … not in politics, not in this pandemic, not in your personal battles … where the devil wins.  Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was sent to redeem those, who by faith, rely on, cling to, and trust in Him alone for forgiveness, redemption, and salvation.  There is no other way by which man can be saved.  There is no other way to heave but through Jesus Christ.  It is through is sacrifice on the cross for our sin that we have hope, faith, and reliance on eternity in heaven.

We are witnesses

“ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,”

John 12:12  The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.  So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”  And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,  “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”  His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written  about him and had been done to him.  The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.  The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.  So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

Psalms 145:6     They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.  They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

Acts 5:32    And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 1:8    But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

John 7:39     Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Proverbs 1:23     If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

Isaiah 12:3     With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 44:3    For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

Joel 2:28     “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;

When Jesus came riding into Jerusalem and people were lining the road and waving palm branches saying Hosanna King of Israel the disciples were with Him.  It says they did not understand until after He was glorified (raised from the dead), then they remembered that these things were written of Him.  It is like this in our lives when the Holy Spirit calls to mind scripture and reveals something new to us.  We do well to keep habit of reading scripture and studying it to continue to grow and understand.  We hear these whispers of God when our eyes, ears, heart and mind are open with desire to hear and know.  The Holy Spirit is a promise to all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ.  Yet complacency and neglect are always standing at our door.  To busy, to tire, to much other stuff to do clouds our purpose this side of eternity.  Keep focus on humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him.  Be a witness to His saving grace, mercy, and power.