“Lord save me”, is a cry of mankind at all times. It should be an answer to this that God Almighty sent his only begotten son into this world and loved the world. If anyone calls to God to save them He is a God who answers them. When Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people kept crying out ‘Lord save us now’. The meaning of the word Hosanna is ‘save now’. They spread their garments and leaves on the road. It is the Messiah who saves them. If said in another way they were declaring Jesus to be the Messiah and King. Hosanna in Hebrew is hosia-na. The meaning of this is ‘save, I pray’. When in 2 Samuel 14: 4 and 2 Kings 6:26, certain helpless women approached the Kings of Israel- David and Joram, the word that they used is also this. Hosanna is not a cry of praise to Jesus, rather a plea of a people crying out to God, for the Messiah that they awaited has come. Psalm 118: 25, 26 exemplifies this. This is a psalm that the Jews chant during the feast of the tabernacle. The trumpet is sounded during the seven days of the feast, the people gather at the portals of the temple of God and extend the palm leaves in their hands to the alter and cry out hosanna. We understand a few things from the crowd gathering around Jesus and calling out hosanna (Matthew 21: 9, 15; Mark 11: 9; John 12: 13)
- This was the manner in which pilgrims who came during special days and feasts were greeted- “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.” (Psalm 118: 26).
- “He who comes in the name of the Lord” is a phrase that denotes the Messiah. That is, it is clear that they are declaring Jesus as the messiah. The Jews then didn’t want a king of love rather they expected a king who is a warrior who will rescue them from their enemies.
- In Eastern countries the donkey was considered as a royal animal. Israel’s judge, Jair, a man from Gilead, who led Israel for 22 years had thirty sons who rode on donkeys. Mephibosheth’s steward, Ziba rode on a donkey (2 Samuel 16: 1). It is recorded in 2 Samuel 17: 23 that Ahithophel, a minister, who advised both David and Absalom (2 Samuel 15: 12; 16: 23) journeyed on a donkey. Saul’s son Mephibosheth comes to David riding on a donkey (2 Samuel 19: 26). A king coming on a horse was for war and a king coming on a donkey was for peace. Jesus here entered Jerusalem as the Lord of peace.
1. Hope for those Crying for a Savior (Zechariah 9: 1- 12)
We see in Zechariah 9: 1 – 12 the Messianic hope for the plea of mankind “Lord, save us”: See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. This is an important event in the history of Jesus (Matthew 21: 1- 17; Mark 11 : 1 – 10; Luke 19: 29 – 46; John 12: 12 – 19).
2. Cleansing of the Temple to Save (Luke 19: 29- 40)
It is God who saves (Isaiah 59: 1). When Jesus entered the temple at Jerusalem the crowd cried out ‘Save us now’. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple that day was a partial act for this salvation. The heads of the ancient doors should be raised for the God of glory to pass. Jehovah is that God of glory. This glorious entry here depicts that Jesus is the Messiah. The man who was away from God was made one with Him through Jesus’ cross. That is how Jesus became our peace (Ephesians 2:13, 14). The central wall of separation was shattered by Him. Through Christ now man is given the freedom to enter God. Thus we have peace with God through Christ (Romans 5: 1). As mentioned earlier the cry hosanna or save us now is still emanating from mankind. This is a prayer to the God who saves us from sin, powers of evil, sickness- curses and even eternal death. The people who recognized the way for the salvation that God prepared should be signs of walking in the truth. Today as we hold these leaves let us praise the God who hears the cry to be saved and gives us salvation (Acts 4: 12). We should experience daily the power of salvation that we receive by believing in God (Acts 16: 31; Romans 10: 9; Ephesians 2: 8, 9), For this is our prayer everyday, ‘hosanna’- Lord, save us. God of peace come.
3. Body, the Temple (1 Timothy 4: 6- 16)
Purification should first take place in us- in our body which is the temple. In the New Testament both man and the church is pictured as the temple of God. Therefore Jesus, the King of Peace (Isaiah 9: 6; Hebrews 7: 2) should enter our lives. Like how the temple was cleansed, our body which is his temple (1 Corinthians 3: 16, Romans 12: 1,2), that is our lives should also be purified. Today should be a day that we pray and cry – hosanna, Lord save us from all the bondages and powers of evil and selfishness. Let Him enter our families to be the King of our families too. Let the King of glory enter in. For this let us open the ancient doors (Psalm 24: 7- 10).