John 12:13 says: So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. They began to shout, “Hosanna!Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Revelation 7:9 says: After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.
In ancient times, palm branches symbolized goodness and victory(Revelation 7:9). So, the fact that the people laid them out in front of Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem shows us that his journey to the cross and the resurrection was a journey of victory.
The act of throwing one’s cloak down on the ground was a sign of homage and submission…of laying one’s self down, in hopes that the coming King would be able to bring deliverance.
We celebrate Palm Sunday as the beginning of the Passion Week, the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Wow! What a change that happened in just one week! But on the third day… wait, that’s next week.
As we ponder this act of laying down palm branches and spreading cloaks along the path, we see a couple of things: The path of following Jesus did not require riches or royalty. Even the common man could lay down his cloak. Not only did this action denote royalty was coming, but it was also an act of surrender and submission. Finally, this action was an acknowledgment of a King — in fact, The King of Israel! The people were acknowledging the entrance of the Messiah, one who was expected for thousands of years!
We have this treasure now, today, in our hearts. So, let’s lay it all down and follow Him.What are you being called to lay down in surrender and submission to Jesus?
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