Hosanna. Crucify.

"Hosanna. Crucify."

GOD WAS GOING TO SPEAK to the people from the mountain. They would hear His voice and see His presence and so cleansing was required of their bodies and clothing, and abstinence of husbands from wives. For three days they prepared, then strictly forbidden to come near the mountain, lest they touch it and die, the people stood afar off, and God showed up.

“And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled … And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.” (Exodus 19:16, 18-19)

Needless to say, the people were terrified and begged Moses to be their go-between. In the future, he would speak to God and relay God’s message to them. They didn’t want to see or hear that again.

God had appeared to Moses in a burning bush, years before, which was not consumed by the flames, and had performed great miracles to deliver them from Egypt. The Nile had turned to blood, pestilence had consumed the crops and livestock of the Egyptians, and the sky had turned black so that no man could see. Except not where the Israelites lived in Goshen. They’d had light. The angel of death killed the firstborn of Egypt. Not of Israel. They’d been protected by the blood on the doorpost.

But no more of God speaking to them like this. They couldn’t risk it.

Hosanna. Hosanna. A large crowd thronged the Jerusalem streets. Waving palm branches, they worshipped the man on the donkey, children calling out His praises. “Who is this?” some asked. “Why, it’s Jesus of Nazareth!” came the excited response.

“Jesus rode in the center of the procession—crowds going before him and crowds coming behind him, and they all shouted, “Bring the victory, Lord, Son of David! He comes with the blessings of being sent from the Lord Yahweh! We celebrate with praises to God in the highest!” As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people went wild with excitement—the entire city was thrown into an uproar!” (Matthew 21:9-10 TPT)

On a donkey. The God who’d frightened the people with smoke and lightning and the voice of a trumpet on Sinai now rode meek and lowly on a donkey down dusty streets through a crowd, half of which either didn’t know Him or couldn’t stand Him. The God whose presence had filled the temple, so that the priests couldn’t even stand upright, prepared to die, an innocent man for sins He did not commit.

Hosanna! Hosanna!

Crucify! Crucify!

A man who’d ministered in His name, who’d seen Him walk on water, heal the blind, the lame, and the leper, Judas, who’d taken Passover with Him, sold Him out for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus had looked Him in the eye, knowing from the minute He’d accepted Him who he was and what he would do. He knew what the people who praised Him today would do tomorrow.

Hosanna, bring the victory, would become crucify just like that, and a donkey, an animal of burden, be forgotten in a walk toward Golgotha, the weight of a cross bearing down on the wounds on His back. The Pharisees God had placed in His temple to minister its sacrifices, men ordained to go into the Holy of Holies in the presence of the Most High, refused to enter Pilate’s judgment hall so they could stay clean to eat Passover. While killing the Lamb of God, they desired the Passover Lamb.

Hosanna. Crucify.

The words which had condemned Jesus when arrested and placed before the council had been a prophecy He spoke of Himself. Not that they weren’t looking for a way to kill Him, because they were. But when asked about His remark about rebuilding the temple in three days’ time (Crazy, who does this Guy think He is?) Jesus replied, “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:64).” The priest tore his clothing and shouted blasphemy.

Blasphemy. Hosanna. Crucify.

Not blasphemy. Truth. This is the Lord Yahweh, you’d praised, just days before. This is the presence in the temple where you performed your worship. The fire that’d fallen from heaven to consume Elijah’s sacrifice. The Lord of hosts, Adonai, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Not on a white horse, or at least, not yet. Not in a blaze of power in the heavens, though He’d just told you about that. Not as King of kings over all nations and governments. Not until He rises from the dead to rebuild that temple He’d mentioned as resurrected in three days.

I remember when terrorists bombed the World Trade Center. One day, things were as normal. The next day, you couldn’t pry the American flag from anyone’s hands. Fast forward, and we have voices in government who would sell us out to the East for a quick buck. Maybe 30 pieces of silver will work. Except Judas regretted his choice and took his life as a result.

Crucify Him had to happen, so that Hosanna could reign. Hosanna was prophetic of the man on the lowly donkey being the King on the white charger one day. And today, as hatred swirls as always around the Jewish people, that the King of the Jews is God the Almighty cannot be said enough. For He was crucified by those who’d praised Him days before, so that those who abandoned Him in His hour of peril could become those who’d stand down those priests, just a short time later.

David, the King, had had a palace and a guard. Solomon, his son, wealth beyond anyone else. Jesus, their descendant, their God they’d worshiped, hadn’t had anywhere to lay His head, and yet had gone ahead to prepare a place for them. His body buried, He’d shown up in Paradise (Abraham’s bosom) with a thief in tow. And life abundant. And the keys to death and hell. And the door to heaven.

Crucify. Hosanna.

“I tell you the truth: Your hearts will be broken, and you will cry and grieve while the selfish world rejoices. You will grieve for a short time, but then your grief will be turned to overwhelming joy.” (John 16:20, Remedy)

Palm Branch Image by surut wattanamaetee from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com