All four Gospel writers include what we call the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem the week before His death. But none of the accounts portray any triumphalism on Jesus’ part. He is hailed as a king that day – the long-awaited Messiah for which Israel had hoped for centuries. Expectations, hope and excitement, noise and jubilation were at fever pitch that day - it sure did look like a triumphant occasion. Matthew’s Gospel speaks of a large crowd of people spreading their cloaks on the road, and of the cutting of branches from trees to wave, and the crowd shouting “Hosanna” – an ancient Hebrew word which basically means “save us, rescue us, or saviour come help us”. “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” It is used in the same way in Christian praise and worship today. Mark’s Gospel is almost identical to Matthew (cloaks on the road, leafy branches cut from the fields, Hosanna being shouted to welcome Jesus). In Luke it’s the disciples of Jesus who start it all, praising Jesus for His mighty works, with the Pharisees muttering and rebuking Jesus on the sidelines for allowing such a blasphemous fuss, and Jesus replying, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out”. It is John’s Gospel that mentions the branches of palm trees. He, too, recalls the shouts of “Hosanna” and that a large crowd had been attracted but adds, because of Lazarus’s resurrection just days before. Word about Jesus’ amazing feat had travelled fast. It was the most astonishing miracle yet. A dead man, in the grave three days, raised to life in front of many witnesses? Unprecedented! It really looked like the long-awaited Messiah of Israel had finally arrived. Well, He had, but …
Palm Sunday carries its own great significance. It was no accident. It wasn’t some spur of the moment thing that just unexpectedly erupted. So, what was it? What we remember as Palm Sunday today is incredibly important in the great purposes of God – and it is more important today than it has ever been. Matthew 21 recounts Palm Sunday, but back in chapter 16 Jesus had already been telling His disciples to expect this day.
Matthew 16:21 (NIV)
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
As His earthly ministry was coming to a close Jesus knew He had a prophetic appointment to keep. That prophetic appointment had been written on Israel’s calendar by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before; and was revealed in greater detail to the prophet, Daniel, who saw it in a vision 100 years after that. What Daniel saw as he peered down history’s timeline, was the Messiah [Anointed One] and what He did. In Daniel 9 the angel, Gabriel, comes swiftly to Daniel immediately after he has been interceding for Israel, at that time exiled and captive in Babylon. Daniel had seen visions as he was praying, and now Gabriel gives Daniel understanding. Part of what Gabriel explains to Daniel includes the Anointed One’s timeline …
26 After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who is to come will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.”
There is huge significance in the timing given to Daniel. The “70 weeks” prophecy is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. In fact, it is the only place where the One to come is referred to as the “Messiah”. In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Jewish scholars all agree that the seventy “sevens” must be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses describe a prophetic “time clock” that gives us an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany his appearance. The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one of 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years: 49 years + 434 years = 483 years. (I hope you’re still with me!) Gabriel’s revelation to Daniel contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is (1) “to finish transgression,” (2) “to put an end to sin,” (3) “to atone for wickedness,” (4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” (5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and (6) “to anoint the most holy.”
Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of an everlasting righteousness. But here’s the thing: the prophecy of the 70 weeks summarises what happens before Jesus sets up his millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus has already accomplished atonement for sin by his death on the cross once and for all (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17).
Look at this carefully … Gabriel said the prophetic clock would only start ticking at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the decree to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 445 B.C.E. (Neh. 2:1-8). The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the specific time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah – and it occurred during a very difficult, dangerous time for Israel, they had enemies everywhere. But there’s more …
Using the Jewish 360-day year, 483 years after 445 B.C.E. places us at C.E. 30, which coincides with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that after the completion of the 483 years, “the Messiah will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified. Remember, the mention of Messiah (Anointed One), appears nowhere else in the Old Testament. And that is what the people hailed Jesus as the week before His crucifixion – the long-awaited Messiah. And that’s why we have Palm Sunday. But, today, most don’t know why we celebrate it. But as Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day, everybody was remembering Daniel’s 70 weeks – but they didn’t fully understand, of course. Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who is yet to come, will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in C.E. 70 by the Romans. The “ruler who will come” or “is yet to come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.
The 7 sevens and 62 sevens were being completed that first Palm Sunday - 69 sevens had now elapsed. Jesus had emerged in the exact month and year as the Messiah that Daniel had foretold, and He was cut off at the end of the 69th seven – having established an everlasting righteousness because wickedness had been atoned for. Then God’s prophetic time clock for Israel was paused (in Daniel’s 70 weeks) and it signalled the end of the Jewish system (Read John 12). And so now, we’re awaiting the final “week” – the 70th seven. And my deep conviction is that it is just about upon us.
Isaiah 53:8 (NIV)
“By oppression and judgment He was taken away. Yet who of His generation protested? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was punished. …”
Just think on the enormity of these things that God has carefully planned and prepared over many, many centuries, and how in our day events foreshadowing the 70th week are quickly converging – and not by accident.
Revelation 7:9
"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands."
That is what we will be doing in heaven. We will be wearing white robes and waving palm branches before the Lamb. Just as God has planned it. Consecrate yourself and prepare for the fast approaching 70th week as we prepare for Easter differently this year.
Ps Milton