As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:1-11 [NIV])
Sixty-six Books in a year is a devotional series reading through the Bible every year. It’s not a commentary of sorts or a deep theological treatise. So although the above passage we are reading today is a pivotal one in pointing to the veracity of biblical inerrancy and what goes to the very heart of the reality of God’s message to us, let’s keep general in tone and focus.
In Daniel chapter 9 he prophecies about Nehemiah re-building the walls of Jerusalem. Now he doesn’t mention Nehemiah by name, but he does prophesy about the historical fact that took place. Furthermore when the wall is finished (and it took only 52 days for that to be accomplished) another clock started ticking. That clock (prophesy) was of the Messiah riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. And to the day — the very day — of that clock’s alarm ringing Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.
Nobody can make this stuff up! It’s way too complicated for anyone to figure out. And yet here are the Holy Scriptures foretelling the arrival of the Messiah in Jerusalem hundreds of years before it happens.
Have you found this year’s journey to be boring? Has it gotten tedious? Please realize that these pages we read everyday are trustworthy and the very source of our faith and practice and they can be trusted. And along the way we find nuggets of cosmic truth that make the gospel more of a reality in our lives. Keep reading my friends! Keep reading.
Sixty-six books in a year 