PALMS of VICTORY ! ~ Palm Sunday 2024 ~ The Day Before HIS+ WEEK of AGONY

  

Matthew 21:6-9 

And the disciples went,

and did as JESUS commanded them, 

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set HIM+ thereon. 

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,

HOSANNA to the SON+ of David:

Blessed is HE+ that cometh

in the name of THE LORD;

HOSANNA in the highest ! 

+  +  +

The tumultuous multitude roared with great excitement: The SON+ of David was come to SAVE and to DELIVER the people of Israel !

Only ONE+ was not greatly excited like the crowds were . . . for HE+ knew what was in man.

The LORD JESUS knew the real  Palms of Victory would be waved in TRUE JOYOUS praise and adoration in HEAVEN, where HE+ was going.

Yes, HE+ was heading toward Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem, that strong-hold of Religiosity, a place where HE+ disdained to spend the night when HE+ set His+ Face to go to The Cross.  Jerusalem was unclean in His+ sight.

HE+ knew the deliverance the Palm-waving multitude had in mind was earth-centered. They wanted a relief from the iron fist of Roman rule over their conquered land. And they placed their hopes in HIM+ to deliver them from the oppressor.

After all, THAT MAN+ had just raised Lazarus from the dead ! HE+ could do ANYTHING . . . for HE+ had conquered death, right ?

The MORE IMPORTANT deliverance --- from bondage to sin --- was not in the mind of many in that tumultuous crowd, most likely.

Hosanna to the SON+ of David !

Blessed is HE+ Who+ cometh

in the Name of The LORD !

Hosanna in the Highest !

BUT . . . WHAT HAPPENED NEXT ?

Matthew 21:12-17

And JESUS went into the Temple of GOD, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 

And said unto them, It is written, MY HOUSE shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 

And the blind and the lame came to HIM+ in the temple; and HE+ healed them. 

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that HE+ did, and the children crying in the Temple, and saying, Hosanna to the SON+ of David; they were sore displeased, 

And said unto HIM+, Hearest Thou+ what these say? And JESUS saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings THOU hast perfected praise? 

And HE+ left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and  HE+ lodged there. 

+  +  +

The battle lines were drawn. The LORD JESUS vs Religiosity, Deliverance from SIN vs Deliverance from earthly bondage, be it the iron fist of Rome or the iron hearts of religious leaders in the Temple.

On His+ Face was written A STRONG DETERMINATION TO DELIVER His+ people from the grip of the satan . . . no matter the cost.

The LORD JESUS  determinedly faced a horrible , agonizing death to deliver Jerusalem and all of the world from sin and death,

for whosoever will yield his life over to HIM+.

THEIR   Palms  will wave in HEAVEN !

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Revelation 7:9-12 

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,

stood before The Throne,

and before The LAMB+ ,

clothed with white robes,

and palms in their hands; 

And cried with a loud voice, saying,

Salvation to our GOD

Which sitteth upon The Throne,

and unto The LAMB+.

And all the angels stood round about The Throne, and about the elders and the four Living Creatures, and fell before The Throne on their faces, and worshipped GOD,  Saying,

Amen:

Blessing, and glory, and wisdom,

and thanksgiving, and honour,

and power, and might,

be unto our GOD for ever and ever.

Amen.

LORD JESUS, Victor+ in Life, Victor+ in Death,

I lay my Palms of Victory at Your+ Feet.

I thank YOU+ for paying the tremendous Cost to set me free from Sin, Death, and the Grave.

I yield every part of my life over to you --- family, children, friends, and the lesser earthly things --- to control, to heal, and to bless.

It is not crucial that they love “me”, but that they love YOU+. 

I yield, even more, the control of my life over to YOU+.

Do with me as YOU+ see fit, O Holy KING+ of Israel, Holy SAVIOR+ of the World.  Amen.