The King comes into Jerusalem. Luke 19:28-40 When the Lord Jesus Christ chose to enter the city riding on a donkey that had never been ridden, after walking over a hundred miles to reach there, He was deliberately fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah (9:9). The donkey's owners had no hesitation in giving it up when they heard “the Lord” needed it. In Mark’s account of the same event, the disciples assured the owners that the animal would be returned to them.
The significance of this event was a clear declaration that the Promised Messiah had arrived. He had traveled from Galilee through Samaria and Perea on His way to Jerusalem, and we never see Him riding an animal until this final one-mile downhill journey. He was on the back of a gentle, unbroken animal that calmly carried the Messiah through a shouting crowd, waving palm branches, which could startle almost any animal. The branches and clothing strewn along the road did not trouble the animal because the Creator was riding it in a humble yet authoritative manner. The King of kings, the Almighty Creator, came “riding upon a colt, the foal of a donkey,” as the prophet Zechariah wrote.
“Blessed is the King that comes in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven and glory in the highest” were words of praise from those who followed Jesus, but not from the people of Jerusalem. The last mention of Jesus being opposed by the Pharisees as He entered the city almost sounds like a quotation from Habakkuk 2:11, when the children of Israel cry out for justice and vindication for the wrongs done to them. The greatest injustice the world will ever know was happening right there in Jerusalem, carried out by people like the Pharisees and the religious leaders of the Jews.
Just as the donkey that lifted the Lord Jesus Christ so that everyone could see Him, we have the privilege of lifting up Christ and showing others what the Lord Jesus is like and who He is. We can demonstrate God's love and let those who don’t read the Bible know that God has a real and caring interest in them and their eternal well-being. Also, some may complain about what’s happening around them and live fearful, miserable lives. When God’s people praise Him and give Him glory, it might not seem like much to most at the time, but some may pause and wonder where true joy comes from during tough times. When the final account is made and the last chapter of our story is written, what will stand out and be remembered are those things that brought praise and thanks to our Lord.