The Triumphal Entry
Open Your Bible
Luke 19:1-48, 2 Chronicles 16:9, James 4:13-17
BY Guest Writer
One of the great riddles of being human is what to do with all the waiting.
We wait for the seasons to change.
We wait for our hurts to heal.
We wait for our children to grow up… then wait for them to return home.
We’re all waiting for something, and as my favorite rocker, the late Tom Petty, liked to remind us, “The waiting is the hardest part.”
Pay close attention to what’s happening in Luke 19, and you’ll see that while Christ’s followers were celebrating His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, they were waiting too. Verse 11 reveals, “As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away” (emphasis mine).
The crowds were following Jesus, expecting Him to bring an end to their waiting. They thought He would enter Jerusalem, exile the government that had been oppressing them, and establish the glorious kingdom He’d been telling them about. This is the moment, they must have thought, when all the waiting—for freedom, for peace, for victory—will surely pay off.
But Jesus wasn’t about to stage a coup. He was marching toward the cross. The crowd’s hopes and dreams for the establishment of Christ’s kingdom on earth would have to wait. (At least for the kingdom the way they had expected it).
Fast-forward to today. You’re still waiting too. So am I. We want to see God move in our lives. We want to watch Him come in power and abolish everything that causes us pain. Instead of wringing our hands and pacing the floor, what can we do while we wait?
“The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen” (v.37). Though at this point the crowds still assumed Jesus was going to lead a military victory, they were right to rejoice over what they had already seen in anticipation of what was still to come.
The greatest indicator of what Christ will do is what He has already done. In every season of waiting we can join with the “multitude” of saints in declaring the victories He’s already given. The disciples had no way of knowing they were watching a preview of a future celebration of Christ’s triumph, when He will one day return in glory:
“Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war with justice… The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen… And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:11,14,16).
Celebrate every promise you’ve seen Him fulfill, every victory He’s ever secured, every blessing He’s every poured out. They are the down payment for the moment when all of our longings will be fulfilled. May we worship while we wait.
Erin Davis is an author, blogger, and speaker who loves to see women of all ages run to the deep well of God’s Word. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin chasing chickens and children on her small farm in the Midwest.
31 thoughts on "The Triumphal Entry"
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Waiting is very hard.
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What a great parallel between Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and his 2nd coming. Those scriptures breed hope. Thank you.
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this was a great reminder for me today. i feel like the vast majority of my prayers are asking, and not really thanking god for all the wonderful things he has done for me.
today i’m thankful that all my loved ones made it to work safely with the weather, i’m grateful that my dad’s car issues have (we think!) been resolved, that i have exciting weekend plans ahead, that i have such lovely and supportive friends and family, that i am blessed with such sweet pets, that god brought my S/O into my life, and that i got a restful sleep last night for the first time in a while!
i need to make a note to do this more often, in addition to all my requests in my prayers. god provides for me in ways big and small and i’m so grateful! <3
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I saw a different perspective this morning on the verse about not keeping silent— in light of the terrible decision in New York to “celebrate” killing a child up to day of birth—- we MUST NOT BE SILENT!!! Please speak out— God wants our voices to be heard!! Yes, we can pray— but we must also quit being silent!!
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The waiting reminds me of the priests in Leviticus. They had been set apart but were not yet allowed to go into the temple where God was. Yet, they were set apart so they weren’t allowed to just return home. They had to dwell in the doorway between their home and the temple of God. I often find myself feeling like these priests- living in the doorway between two worlds.
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I enjoyed your insight today Tina. I especially love it when you said “I am not where I need to be, but thank God, i am not where i used to be..Thank you Jesus.. Thank you.. Jesus, for everything..”
So many times I ugly cry out to the Lord “don’t give up on me” despite knowing He never will. Yes, sometimes waiting for the changes that I desire to take shape in my life leads down and bumpy and treacherous path that only Jesus can guide me. And I fall so often. This leads to the crying out. It’s when I pause to glimpse back that I see how far I’ve come,looking ahead shows how far I have to go, but looking beside me at Jesus keeps me focused on the day at hand. Amen to His steadfast, audacious love and faithfulness!
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How we expect God to move is often guided by our own motivations and desires. Relevant to the reading, they were expecting Jesus to do one thing but he actually had something so much greater planned. I found this to be relatable to my own life in that I often expect God to move a certain way and do a certain thing in my life, but these are all things based on my will and not His. His plans for my life are so much bigger than my own, and I pray that we all remain close to that amazing truth today sisters!
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Our waiting time can be our intimate time with our Heavenly Father. Using the time to pray, focus and love Him. Thank you God for your love
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❤️
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