Title: Palm Branches and Jesus’ Entry
The beginning of Jesus’ final week on earth is called Palm Sunday. The reason why it is called Palm Sunday is because the people in Jesus’ time waved Palm branches on their hand and laid down on the street when He entered Jerusalem.
Jesus entered Jerusalem 7 times in His life
- After 40 days from His birth, in order to perform the purification rite (Lk 2:22)
- When 12 years old, in order to observe Passover (Lk 2:42)
- When 30 years old, in the first Passover during His public ministry, He cleansed the temple (Jn 2:13-22)
- In the second Passover during public ministry, He healed a cripple who was sick for 38 years (Jn 5:1-5)
- In the Feast of Booths, He went up to Jerusalem (Jn 7:8-10)
- In the Feast of Dedication, Jesus went up to Jerusalem (Jn 10:22)
- Palm Sunday (Mt 21:7-11; Mk 11:1-10;Lk 19:29-38)
Jesus visited and entered Jerusalem 7 times. However, Jerusalem didn’t become a true temple for Jesus, a dwelling place for Jesus (Mt 23:37). Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Jesus is there with you in your houses, the Lord is there wherever you are, the Father is there in your home. The thing is we got to accept it and believe it, so that our houses may truly become a dwelling place for God, a meeting place with God.
Let’s think about the relationship between Palm branches and Jesus’ Entry.
- Palm branches signify a victory
- Jesus entered as a victorious king
One of Apocrypha, 2 Maccabees 10:7 and Rev 7:9 records that the people waved palm branches and celebrated the victory. Therefore, when they welcome Jesus entering Jerusalem, they welcome Jesus as a victorious King. What it means to us is that the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb are the victorious king. No matter what happens, God’s plan is that Jesus will overcome and sit on the throne as a victorious king.
- A great multitude clothed in white robes are victorious people (Rev 7:13-14)
In order to enter the kingdom of God, you and I have to overcome many tribulations. We are surrounded by all kinds of tribulations at the moment, the recent spread of corona virus didn’t just cause a health issue, but an economy issue, an education issue, and depression, fear, insecurity and unsafety overwhelm the whole world. Col 2:5 says that we can triumph through the cross. ‘Him’ here refers to Jesus who crucified on the cross. Therefore, when we encounter any tribulation, we should remember Jesus on the cross, who dies for us, and who cleansed our sins.
2. Palm branches signify the entry to the kingdom of God
There are seven feasts in Israel. One of them is the Feast of Booths and the Israelites were ordered to go out to wilderness and stay in a tent for 7 days. And they were told to build their tents with palm branches (Lev 23;34, 40; Neh 8:15).
This is when the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity. They were told to use palm branches to make booths to stay. The Feast of Booths was to remind the people of Israel how God led their ancestors from Egypt to the land of Canaan. Spiritually speaking, it is the feast reminding the people of God how certainly God will leave His people to the kingdom of God (Rev 7:15; Rev 21:3-4).
Greek word for ‘tabernacle’ is ‘SkeNo-o’ and it means ‘to pitch a tent.’ The kingdom of God that we will enter is described as a tent and booth. Please believe that when He comes again, we will enter His eternal tent, the kingdom of God.
3. Palm branches signify the judgment of God (Jdg 4:5)
Deborah sits under the palm tree and judges the cases people brought to her. In Hebrew grammar, a participant is used. Therefore, it means under the palm tree is the
office for Deborah and is the place where judgement made.
Judgment is to separate good from evil, and righteousness from the righteousness. So, for believers, palm branches are the sure sign of God’s kingdom but for the unbelievers, they are the sure signs of God’s judgment and punishment. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, He separated good from evil. He separated sheeps and goats, and place sheeps on His right and goats on His left (Mt 25:34; Mt 25:37). But for the people on His left, He said this (Mt 25:41; Mt 25:46).
How does God separate the righteous and the unrighteous?
- According to our deeds
Look at Rev 20:13. It says the sea will give up the dead and even the death and Hades will give up the dead and all the souls of people who have come to live on earth will have no choice but appear to the final judgment and be judged by their deeds on earth.
- According to how it is written in the book
Look at Rev 20:12. It says that every deed is recorded in the books that we cannot deny we didn’t do it.
The entry of Jesus to Jerusalem was the last warning to the people of Israel to repent and return to Jesus. On this precious Palm Sunday, let’s find Jesus who visited us 7 times and still not given a full recognition, still not given a full praise of victory, still not given a full support from our faith.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 