They turned out in large numbers and celebrated His arrival with enthusiasm: shouting, singing, and dancing. Most spread their garments on the road ahead of Him and others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road (Matthew 21:8-10). The Jewish nation’s long-awaited moment had finally arrived… deliverance from foreign dominance was now at hand!
 
However, when Jesus entered Jerusalem (The City of God) and turned towards the Temple, away from the Roman garrison, and drove-out people buying and selling animals for sacrifice (v 12) the crowd’s joyous fervour quickly turned to disappointment and doubt. “Surely he can’t be the Messiah”, some muttered to themselves… “The Roman occupiers are that way!”
 
Jesus’ first coming into our world was not for the purpose of confronting the physical might of Rome. Nor did He come to put Satan in his place, once and for all time (This He will do at a later time… Revelation 20:10). Jesus’ first coming was to offer peace to mankind… simple, affordable, pure and perfect, lasting peace!
 
Friends, whether a person is aware of this or not, our sin-nature had positioned us on a collision course with God (Romans 8:7) and made us His enemies… God was at war with us! The Bible teaches that if someone is not a part of God’s family then that person is a part of this world, and is an enemy of God, conscious or otherwise (James 4:4). The Bible says “God is angry with the wicked every day. If a person does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He will bend and string His bow (Psalm 7:11, 12).

                          This is the picture we need to see clearly in our conscious thinking: ‘God is at war with unrepentant sinners!’

 
That’s why Jesus came into our world two thousand years ago. His coming was for the express purpose of brokering peace between us and God. How was this accomplished? The Apostle Paul said, “… since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” “Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins” (Romans 5:1,16))
 
Friends, Jesus came into Jerusalem (The City of Peace) riding on a donkey, symbolic of a peacemaker coming to broker peace between unrepentant sinners and God. Note: When Jesus comes again, He will at that time enter Jerusalem riding on a white horse, symbolic of a Conqueror who comes to judge and exercise justice over mankind and the world! (Revelation 19:11.)
 
How blessed are we that “we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:10). Jesus came to offer peace to you and me!
 
 
Best wishes
Bill Joukhadar