THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HATH MADES - Scripture: Matthew 21:1-46
The scene today opens at the house of the "unripe figs" בית פג (Bēthphagē). Our King is about to ride in to Jerusalem on a donkey's colt.
John 12:15 says this about the scene "Don't be afraid, daughter of Tziyon. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt."
This was in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, daughter of Yerushalayim! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
"And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed [them] in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna ישע נא (yasha na = save now please) to the Son of David: Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Baruch haba b'shem Adonai); Hosanna in the highest." v.8-9 (From Psalm 118 see prayer below, part of the Hallel (Praise) Psalms said on Passover, Psalms 113-118.)
What follows is Jesus, Yeshua, goes into the temple and clears out the moneychangers, heals the blind and the lame, and heads to Bethany. The next morning he was hungry and came to a fig tree which bore no fruit and he cursed the tree and it withered. Then the Pharisees challenged him on His authority to which he spoke two parables finally ending by reminding us, in speaking to the Pharisees, that we must bear fruit or we shall not see the Kingdom of God.
O - Observations:
Perhaps the people thought "This is the day which the LORD hath made. A new era has commenced. The day of David's enthronement was the beginning of better times for Israel."
They were looking for a King to save them, what perhaps was not understood at this time is that the King they were looking for would have to give His life to save them.
We have much to be glad about starting with our Saviour and our salvation. Why not rejoice in this on this Sabbath Day ...
A - Application for me today:
Whenever the soft light of Sabbath breaks upon the earth, let us sing, "This is the day the Lord hath made. Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad, and praise surround the throne."
We will rejoice and be glad in it. What else can we do? Having obtained so great a deliverance through our illustrious leader, and having seen the eternal mercy of God so brilliantly displayed, it would ill become us to mourn and murmur. Rather will we exhibit a double joy, rejoice in heart and be glad in face, rejoice in secret and be glad in public, for we have more than a double reason for being glad in the Lord. We ought to be especially joyous on the Sabbath: it is the queen of days, and its hours should be clad in royal apparel of delight.
Entering into the midst of the congregation of God, and beholding the LORD as all in all in the assemblies of His people, we are bound to overflow with joy. Is it not written, "then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord"? When the King makes the house of prayer to be a banqueting house, and we have grace to enjoy fellowship with him, both in his sufferings and in his triumphs, we feel an intense delight, and we are glad to express it with the rest of his people.
"It is the day which the Lord hath made," has made remarkable, made holy, has distinguished it from other days; he has made it for man: it is therefore called the Lord's day, for it bears his image and superscription.
The duty of the Sabbath, "... we will rejoice and be glad in it"; not only in the institution of the day, that there is such a day appointed, but in the occasion of it, Christ's becoming "the head of the corner." (v.42)
Sabbath days must be rejoicing days, and then they are to us as the days of Heaven. See what a good Master we serve, who having instituted a day for his service, appoints it to be spent in holy joy.
Believers have ever cause for comfort, therefore they are commanded always to rejoice, (Philippians 3:1, 4:4). Whether their sins or sufferings come into their hearts, they must not sorrow as they that have no hope. In their saddest conditions, they have the Spirit of consolation. They have some red letters, some holy days in the calendar of their lives, wherein this joy, as wine at a wedding, is most seasonable; but among all those days it never relishes so well, it never tasteth so pleasantly, as on a Lord's day.
Joy in God on other days is like the birds chirping in winter, which is pleasing; but joy on the Lord's day is like their warbling times and pretty notes in the spring, when all other things look with a suitable delightful aspect. This is the day which the LORD hath made, (he that made all days, so especially this day, but what follows?) we will rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord's day is the highest thanksgiving day, to be a day of feasting and gladness, and a good day. Feasting both spiritually more so than physically and enjoying all of the good gifts of God, starting with our Saviour! Baruch haba b'shem Adonai!
(Some of the above is given credit to the commentary of Charles Spurgeon)
P - Prayer in response:
This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
זֶה־הַיֹּום עָשָׂה יְהוָה נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בֹֽו׃
אָנָּא יְהוָה הֹושִׁיעָה נָּא אָֽנָּא יְהוָה הַצְלִיחָה נָּֽא׃
בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה בֵּרַֽכְנוּכֶם מִבֵּית יְהוָֽה׃
Shabbat Shalom! Happy Sabbath!
BARUCH HABA B'SHEM ADONAI
RONI RONI (REJOICE, REJOICE)
No comments:
Post a Comment