Reading your Bible for Today April 4

April 4: Zechariah 9:9

KJV Key Verse: Zechariah 9:9
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Devotion:
Hundreds of years before Christ came to be born of a virgin, the prophet Zechariah told of the triumphant return of Christ into Jerusalem riding as a King. How many people must have been looking forward to that day when they would see their King return to Jerusalem. But, as the prophet faithfully told, this King would not ride on a horse or chariot, but upon a donkey, even a colt the foal of a donkey. How great the excitement must have been to see that event faithfully carried out. Yet how many people refused to believe Jesus and is the Son of God. How many people still refuse to believe He is the Son of God and that He has paid for our sin debt.

In Matthew 21:1-8 we see exactly how everything which had been foretold by Zechariah came to pass. Jesus did indeed ride into Jerusalem on that donkey. Many people did line the streets which He rode in on a laid down their garments and palm leaves. Most of those people would not be thinking about what Christ was about to do was also foretold in scriptures as well; that He was about to lay down His life so we may live.

We always like to see the good things in life and try to ignore the things we don't like the sound of. But what so many were not thinking of was the glory which was about to follow when everything which had been foretold was complete. So many people look at Easter as being a time to morn, a time to be sad because of the death of Jesus. But what we should be looking forward to is remembering why He did what He did. He did it because of His love for us, because of His promises and because He wants us to be happy in Him. How can we be sad when we now look back and see that He accomplished everything which needed to be done! Rejoice, for He has come. Rejoice, for He died for our sins. Rejoice, for He rose again!

Points to Ponder:
If you were told you had to pay someone else's debt, would you?

Do you realise just how much Christ paid for us?