April 8, 2017 - A. V. Rauf
Palm Sunday: A Prophetic Look (Re-Post)
Have you ever wondered about Palm Sunday? I want to give you some insight about it and its prophetic implications…….
Leviticus 23:1-4—And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. 4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Perhaps in another post I will explain how Jesus fulfilled the Spring feasts in His First Coming and how He will fulfill the Fall feasts during His Second Coming. Nonetheless, of the Seven Feasts, the final feast is the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles…
Leviticus 23:41-44—And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. 44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord
We see the Jews disciples observing this in John chapter 7:
John 7:1-6— After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jew’s feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
During this festival, the Jews would recall their sojourn in the wilderness as they journeyed to the Promised Land by living in booths. Spiritually speaking, we as Christians are sojourning in this world looking forward to our ultimate promised land which is in the kingdom of Heaven.
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (ESV)
The longer we walk this earth as believers, the more we recognize that we’re just strangers passing through, or sojourners, as Peter put it. Yet, we have a faithful Guide, the Holy Spirit to lead us through our pilgrimage.
Interesting to note that upon the return of jesus Christ, the Feast of Tabernacles will be established again when He sets up His Millennial kingdom.
Zechariah 14:16-17— And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
When studying the Jewish feasts, Passover was one of the three pilgrim feasts where the Jews would sing what is referred to “Hallel Rabah” (Psalms 113 to 118). This was actually to be sung twice in the Jewish annual liturgy. The first time would be at the Passover, with their hands waving. But in the fall, it was to be at the Feast of Tabernacles, while waving palm branches in their hands.
The highlight of the Hallel Rabah is: Hosanna, hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His loving kindness endures forever. Hosanna, hosanna.
The Jews were supposed to sing that on two occasions: Passover, with their hands waving. And also at the Feast of Tabernacles, while waving palm branches, also known as “lulavim,” in their hands.
On Palm Sunday, the Jews began to celebrate Passover (which teaches about the Messiah who was the Lamb that would be slain), as if it were the Feast of Tabernacles, which corresponds, in the typology of the Jewish calendar, to the Millennium. Let me explain:
This is why, when Jesus was transfigured with Moses and Elijah, Peter wanted to build three booths, or three tabernacles.
Matthew 17:1-9—And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Peter was saying, “Here is the Messiah. Now let’s set up the Kingdom!”
When Jesus came on Palm Sunday, they wanted somebody who was going to overthrow the Roman government and set up the Messianic Kingdom. So they began to celebrate Passover, as if it were the feast of Tabernacles.They began to wave palm branches as if it were the feast of tabernacles. What they did not understand was that at His first coming, He was to die for their sins and ours, let alone the sins of the world. It is at His Second Coming where he will establish His Millennial Kingdom and reign for 1,000 years.
Revelation 20:1-7—And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years are expired……
In His first coming, Jesus fulfilled the first three (Spring) holidays in the Jewish calendar: Passover, First Fruits (which was the Resurrection), and the Feast of Weeks (which was Pentecost).
In His Second Coming, Jesus will fulfill the last three (Autumn) holidays: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and finally and ultimately, the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Jews of His day did not want to know about a Suffering Servant Messiah, who was going to come as the Passover Lamb to be slain. They wanted a conquering King, who was going to set up the Millennial Kingdom.
The suffering servant Messiah is called “the Son of Joseph,” HaMashiach Ben Yosef. The conquering king Messiah is called “the Son of David,” HaMashiach Ben David.
For Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, He has to fulfill ALL the prophecies.
In other words, it is one Messiah, two comings. In His first coming Jesus came as the Son of Joseph, the suffering servant. In His Second Coming He will return as the Son of David, the conquering King.
Much of what is unfolding in the Middle East right now is a fulfillment of Bible Prophecy as the Messiah is preparing to return as the conquering King!!!