A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

JESUS WAS MOUNTED ON A DONKEY       

Zechariah 9:9 (Read Matthew 21:1-5) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 

Today’s words from Holy Scripture were first recorded by the Prophet Zechariah and then again in the New Testament by Matthew. They were words of prophecy for God’s people in the Old Testament, for the people at the time Jesus entered into Jerusalem actually riding on the donkey, and for you. 

Yes, these words are also for you because they are words of fulfillment. They fulfilled God’s promise to send the Messiah, His Son Jesus, as Savior of the world. Riding on a donkey, rather than on a large, strong, white horse like an emperor would ride, points to the words of Philippians 2:6-7, “ . . . Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing . . .”  Mary rode on a lowly donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem where she gave birth to Jesus. Jesus rode on a lowly donkey into Jerusalem. That donkey carried Him to where within a few days He would be rejected by those who hailed Him as King with shouts of crucify Him! Crucify Him!  Not with silver or gold, but with His holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death Jesus earned and won for you your heavenly Father’s acceptance into His kingdom. Not on a large, white, warriors horse, but on a donkey Jesus rode to His destiny, His great sacrifice of Himself in payment for the sins of the entire human race.    Prayer: Cause me, O Lord, to look at Jesus, not the trappings that surrounded Him, as my personal Savior from sin and the only way to heaven. In His holy name. Amen. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty!
Hark! All the tribes hosanna cry.  
O Savior meek, pursue Thy road,   
With psalms and scattered garments strowed. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty!   
In lowly pomp ride on to die.  
O Christ, Thy triumphs now begin  
O’er captive death and conquered sin. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty!   
The angel armies of the sky  
Look down with sad and wond’ring eyes  
To see the approaching sacrifice. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty!  
Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh.  
The Father on His sapphire throne  
Awaits His own anointed Son. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty!  
In lowly pomp ride on to die.  
Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain,  
Then take, O God, Thy pow’r and reign.  

Ride On, Ride On in Majesty // LSB 441