Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
I didn't want to write about Palm Sunday.
I'll admit it. I even entertained sticking in a "zombie Jesus" metaphor so I would offend enough people so as to never again be asked to take Sundays or Fridays for E-devotions during Lent.
Then I realized that some people would not only get it--they'd think it was hilarious.
As I read through Zechariah this morning though, I realized that the war metaphors, the talk of prisoner's and commanding peace is appropriate for what happens next. He rides in a donkey colt like a conquering hero--and then commands peace. He says "no" to every invitation to violence at the cost of his own life. It's really rather humiliating for his accusers as well if you think about it. He doesn't yell, or lose control. He doesn't even fight back. He makes them look like insecure bullies carrying on with their violence out of fear.
10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
He isn't taking up the battle bow--he isn't riding that war horse--he's cutting them off. He's saying no. No to violence. No to playing their game.
There are some historians who actually cite the rise of Christianity as a cause of the fall of Rome. (I disagree, actually, but I won't get into that.) If you think about it though, there isn't a place on Earth that hasn't been changed by what happened there in Jerusalem all those years ago. It certainly changed the way the world works.
But we're still waiting. We are still prisoners of hope. Waiting for something to happen. Until he makes us strong enough to follow his example and command peace.
I'll admit it. I even entertained sticking in a "zombie Jesus" metaphor so I would offend enough people so as to never again be asked to take Sundays or Fridays for E-devotions during Lent.
Then I realized that some people would not only get it--they'd think it was hilarious.
As I read through Zechariah this morning though, I realized that the war metaphors, the talk of prisoner's and commanding peace is appropriate for what happens next. He rides in a donkey colt like a conquering hero--and then commands peace. He says "no" to every invitation to violence at the cost of his own life. It's really rather humiliating for his accusers as well if you think about it. He doesn't yell, or lose control. He doesn't even fight back. He makes them look like insecure bullies carrying on with their violence out of fear.
10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
He isn't taking up the battle bow--he isn't riding that war horse--he's cutting them off. He's saying no. No to violence. No to playing their game.
There are some historians who actually cite the rise of Christianity as a cause of the fall of Rome. (I disagree, actually, but I won't get into that.) If you think about it though, there isn't a place on Earth that hasn't been changed by what happened there in Jerusalem all those years ago. It certainly changed the way the world works.
But we're still waiting. We are still prisoners of hope. Waiting for something to happen. Until he makes us strong enough to follow his example and command peace.
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