Palm Sunday

 

                                                 God's plan of the ages
                                                                                                                                                                 
                           2000 yrs        
        2000yrs                                                                  2000yrs                                   (  up )
Adam----------------Noah-------------------Jesus crucified-----(church age 2000 yrs approx.)----(then-saints taken to heaven in the rapture)-----(7yrs trib-- begins-----at the end of 7 yrs trib)------(saints return to earth with Jesus. Rev 20 chp and then -Jesus ---sets up his millennial kingdom-1000 yrs-)-----  great white throne judgment and the new heaven and earth through out eternity. see Rev 21 & 22

          

 A text and audio study

The Sunday before Jesus was crucified he and his disciples traveled towards Jerusalem. When they came to the Mt. of Olives he looked down at the city.

Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

In another place Jesus said you can read the weather signs in the sky. How is it that you can't understand the signs of the times?

 Although Israel had many prophecies in the old testament telling of his coming, the Jews didn't recognize that he was their foretold Messiah and King. They had the prophecy that his birth place would be Bethlehem. He would be born of a virgin and many other signs they were given.

Because they didn't recognize the signs of the times or accept him. Jesus could look down into their future and tell them of the coming judgment and the Diaspora that lasted almost  2000 yrs. 

Do you recognize the signs of the times in our generation.  It was foretold that in end times just before Jesus comes back again for the church, that Israel would be regathered to their land. It was also foretold that all the nations would come against Israel when God gave them their land back..

It is prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that Russia and other nations would come against Israel at time of the end. You can read much about it on this web site in the news and on other Christian web sites.

Do you recognize these signs and have you accepted him as your savior so you would be saved and miss the terrible judgments coming upon the unbelievers of this present generation. 

Lets let the coming holy week between this Palm Sunday and Easter next Sunday be celebrated in our hearts. It is all about Jesus the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the Gentiles. It is not about bunnies and eggs. If you have access to the movie Jesus of Nazareth directed by  Oscar nominee Franco Zerrirelli or can rent it from your local video store, it would be good to watch it this coming week. It sticks very close to the scriptures.   God bless you   It is no accident that you came to this web site. Jesus loves you and died for your salvation and eternal life.

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John


 

1 Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

 

Note!! The verses in purple describe the triumphal entry of the Messiah which foretold in Ezek.

12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

 
That same Golden Gate in Jerusalem, where Jesus made his triumphal entry can still be seen by anyone visiting that city. It is in the walls of Jerusalem. On that Palm Sunday in 33AD he fulfilled the prophecy below which God gave to the prophet Ezekiel in chps. 43  44.   Ezekiel received this vision 573 BC. approx, 540 yrs. before Jesus fulfilled it on Palm Sunday. Please read below for more insight to these amazing events.

The picture above is how the gate appears at the present time.  This same Golden Gate and the walls were rebuilt by Nehemiah and the children of Israel in 443 BC.

This was after the Babylonian captivity and  the Jews had returned home. They were still standing at the time of Christ and are still standing today. The temple inside city was destroyed by the Romans under general Titus in 70 AD. 

Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple to his disciples when he said in Mathew 24 verse 2 that not one stone would be left on another.  That was in 33 AD and just before his crucifixion that he prophesied this. 

Thirty seven years later in in 70 AD the Romans fulfilled that prophecy when they sacked the temple and burned it.  It melted the gold of the temple and the Roman soldiers tore down the stones to get the gold that ran between them.

The temple was destroyed at that time, and to this date it has never been rebuilt. 

During the 7 year tribulation on earth after the Christians have been taken to heaven, Israel will rebuild the tribulation temple. More on that temple later because

there are plans in Israel by the newly formed Sanhedrin to rebuild it. 
 
Back to the subject of The Golden Gate.  It and the walls around Jerusalem are still standing.  When Jesus entered the city on the Palm Sunday a week before his crucifixion in 33ad he rode through Golden, or eastern Gate on a little donkey . (Please read
Mathew 21) re. the triumphal entry of Jesus. He rode on a little donkey fulfilling the prophecy that said "behold Jerusalem your king comes to you meek and sitting upon the colt of an ass".  The crowds went before him with palm branches.  Jesus the Messiah entered through the Eastern Gate called the Golden Gate. It is still on the east side of the city facing the Mt. of Olives. However it has been sealed up for hundreds of years.
 
No one passes through it and hasn't in centuries. The other gates around the city walls are open to traffic and have been for centuries.
 
(What is the significance of this?)   For the meaning of the fact that the Golden Gate has been the only one sealed up all these years, we go to  Ezekiel 43: verse's 1&2.  The angel brought Ezekiel to the gate that looketh toward the east and said behold the glory
of the God of Israel came form the way of the east and his voice was like the noise of many waters: and the earth shinned with his glory    (Get This) the very next chp.44:2-3
This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it! because the Lord, the God of Israel has entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
Verse 3 it is for the Prince. Today this gate is the only one sealed up.
 
When Jesus comes back will that gate be opened by the earth quake that occurs when he appears? 
 
Zechariah 14 This tells of the day of the Lord, when all nations shall be gathered up
around Jerusalem and fighting.  Then the Lord returns. He sets his feet upon the Mt. of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.  This occurs when Jesus returns to rule for a 1000 yrs.

There will be a great earthquake and the Mt. of Olives will split at that time. Please read the rest of this 14 chp of Zechariah.

 
In the 1st. chp of the book of Acts in the new testament after Jesus arose from the dead and after he had been seen on several occasions by many of his disciples he ascended back to heaven.

 

He did so while his disciples watched (no doubt amazed.) He ascended from top of the Mt. of Olives and while they watched. Two  angels appeared to the disciples there and told them "this- SAME JESUS !!!  would return in a like manner".
 
He ascended from the top of the Mt. of Olives and he will return there according to what we just studied in the old testament in the 14th chp of Zechariah. This is an example
how the old and new testaments agree even though they were written hundreds of years apart and by different authors who never saw or talked to each other.
 
The Bible is the accurate word of God it is infallible and every word comes to pass.
 
Pray and ask Jesus into your heart and ask for the Holy spirit to help you to understand the Bible. He will help you. I have studied the Bible for over 35 years and love it .
It is fascinating.              
 
Jesus  loves YOU!!!  He really does.           Please visit our web site and tell others about it. 
 
Bill Hicks