Zechariah 9:9

THE KING IS COMING

Intro:  Today is Palm Sunday.  This is the day when Christian people around the world commemorate the triumphal entry of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.  It was on that remarkable day that Jesus was both praised by His disciples and rejected by the very people He had come to save.  For it was on that day that Jesus presented Himself to Israel as their promised Messiah and King, and it was on that day that they refused to believe on Him.  In less than a week the very people who should have welcomed this King saw to it that He was crucified.

      This morning I want to preach about this King.  I want to point out three aspects of this King’s coming.  Let’s take the time this morning to look at three special passages of Scripture that talk about the coming of the King.  I want to preach for a while on this thought: The King Is Coming!

 

  I.  Zech. 9:9      THE PROPHECY OF THE COMING KING

(Ill. When Zechariah penned these words, Jerusalem was still in ruins.  It had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC.  It is now about 520 BC and a few Jews have returned to the devastated city and have begun the process of rebuilding the city and the Temple of God.  But, Zechariah does not focus on the tragedy of a broken city.  He looks down the telescope of time and sees a day when Jerusalem will be visited by The King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  The prophet sees the day when Messiah will come and Jerusalem will be filled with His glory.  Notice three elements of Zechariah’s prophecy regarding this coming King.)

A.  This Is A Powerful Prophecy – “He is just, and having salvation” - Zechariah writes to tell the people that the most anticipated event in human history is going to come to pass in Jerusalem.  Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in Eden, Gen. 3, hopeful men had been looking by faith to a day when a Redeemer would come and pay man’s sin debt, Gen. 3:15.  For thousands of years men had been approaching altars, bringing with them the blood of animals to cover their sins, looking ahead to a day when a Redeemer would come to take away sin forever.  Zechariah tells them that there One Who is coming Who will do more than cover sin, He will save people from their sins!

            That was the promise of the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to Joseph, Matt. 1:21.  That was the pronouncement made by John the Baptist, John 1:29.  And, that was just what Jesus did when He came to this world.  He went to the cross and did what millions of gallons of animal blood had not been able to do.  He paid the entire debt of sin owed by mankind, Heb. 10:11-14; 9:11-14.

B.  This Is A Precise Prophecy – Zechariah told his readers exactly how they would be able to recognize this King when He came to them.  He would come to them riding “upon a colt of an ass.”  Daniel, in his book, adds to this prophecy, Dan. 9:24-27. In these verses, God's plan for the nation of Israel is on display. God will finish His work with Israel during a 70 week period.

      1. These are weeks of years and not days - Dan 9:27; Dan. 12:11

      2. This is a 490 year period.

      3. A general chronology is:

      a. They will begin with the order to rebuild Jerusalem - v.25a (Fulfilled in Neh. 2:1-6, by Artaxerxes, on March 14, 445 B.C.)

      b. The next phase covers 69 weeks of years broken down into two portions, v.25b

      1. It took 7 weeks of years, or 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem. All of this during times of great trouble. (Ill. Nehemiah)

      2. From that time, there were 62 weeks of years, or 434 years until Messiah was to come. If taken literally, these 483 years leading up to the coming of Messiah would equal 173,880 days. Ending on Sunday, April 6, 32 AD, or the exact day Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey!

c. After Messiah comes, there are several prophetic events that will take place:

      1. Messiah will be cut off - The crucifixion! (Ill. This is why the Jews refused Him, and still do - 1 Cor. 1:23; (Ill. Hidden from the Jew - Matt. 16:21) (Notice: Not for Himself - 1 Cor. 5:21!)

      2. Jerusalem will again be destroyed - Matt. 24:1-2. Fulfilled in 70 A.D. by Titus the Roman general.

      3. There will be a great war that will engulf Israel - Eze. 38-39. Russia and her allies will invade Israel.

      4. 69 weeks, or 483 years of the prophecy have been literally fulfilled, there is one week, or 7 seven years remaining.

      What does all this mean?  Jesus, the King came exactly as the Old Testament had said He would.  He also came at the exact moment that Old Testament had said He would.  He fulfilled this prophecy to the letter!

 

(Ill. What are the odds that one man could fulfill the prophecies fulfilled during the earthly life of Jesus?  "The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963) to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner says that by using the modern science of probability in reference to just eight prophecies, (Note: Over 300 prophecies were fulfilled to the letter, just during His first advent!) ‘we find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 10¹⁷."

      That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that "we take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man."

      Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, we find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10 to the 157the power, or 1 followed by 157 zeros!)

What does this mean?  Jesus is Who He claims to be!

 

C.  This Is A Personal Prophecy – “thy King cometh unto thee” – Zechariah tells his readers that this coming King was coming for individuals.  As we have noted over the last several Sunday morning services, Jesus ministered to people.  The individual was on His heart and at the very heart of His ministry.  Note such verses as Luke 19:10; John 3:16, “whosoever”.  In the great parables of Luke 15, Jesus is seen looking for the sheep, the silver and the son, one on one!  He came for you! Ill. Acts 16:31!

 

 II.  Luke 19:28-40 THE PRESENTATION OF THE COMING KING

(Ill. When the King that Zechariah and Daniel saw did finally come, He came with all the proofs necessary to declare that He was the One the world had been looking for.  As Luke describes the events of the day when the King presented Himself to His people, we can see the He had all the credentials He needed to prove He was Who He claimed to be!)

A.  v. 37  He Came With The Right Authentication – “Mighty works” – These two words describe the ministry of Jesus to the letter.  From His miraculous conception through all the great things He did, the life of Jesus was a life of miracles.  Of course, this was to be the calling car of the coming King. Isa. 61:1-2.  In the early part of His ministry, Jesus claimed to be the fulfillment of those verses, Luke 4:16-32.  Not only did He claim to be the Messiah, He proved it by healing the sick, casting out devils, raising the dead, and displaying His authority over nature.  Jesus authenticated His claim to be the Messiah by the miracles He performed.

B.  v. 37-38  He Came With The Right Announcements – “began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice…” – Not only was the life of Jesus authenticated by the right works, it was also proven by the right words.  His disciples praised Him just as Zechariah had said they would. The angels that announced His birth proclaimed Him to be the One, Luke 2:9-11.  Even the devils and demonic spirits knew Who Jesus was while He walked here, Mark 5:6-8.  Besides that, Isaiah had said that the Messiah’s coming would be preceded by the ministry of a “forerunner,” Isa. 40:3-5.  John the Baptist was the fulfillment of this prophecy, John 1:19-31.  All the evidence says that He is Who He claimed to be!

C.  v. 39-40  He Came With The Right Adversaries – As Jesus is entering the city as the King, His enemies know exactly what is happening!  They knew about the words of Daniel and Zechariah.  They knew that Jesus was presenting Himself that day, in their presence as the King of Israel!  However, they had no intention of believing this Man, and in less than a week, they join with their enemies, the Romans, and demand His death on a cross!  Of course, the Old Testament prophets said it would be this way, Isa. 53:3; Zech. 13:6.  And, it was!  When the King came to His Own people, they refused to receive Him as their King, John 1:11. (Ill. Luke 22:2; John 5:18; John 7:1; John 19:15.)

D.  He Came With The Right Accomplishment – Isaiah had said that when Messiah came, He would give His life for His people. Isa. 53:1-12.  And, that is exactly what Jesus did.  His Own people rejected Him and demanded His death in the cross.  So, He was condemned to die and He went to Calvary and died on the cross.  He died a horrible, excruciating death to make a way for you to be saved.  When Jesus died on that cross, He made a way for “whosoever will” to be saved, Rev. 22:17.  When He cried “It is finished,” John 19:30, it really was!  The debt of sin had been paid forever and a new and living way had been opened to God.  Hew died for you so that you might live in Him, 2 Cor. 5:21.

 

(Note: Friends, you can either receive Jesus, or you can reject Him, but you need to know that He is Who the Bible says He is!  It has been proven in more ways than you and I can imagine.  Jesus is the King of Kings!  He is the Savior of men.  He is the ONLY way to God, John 14:6!)

 

III.  Rev. 19:11-16  THE PROMISE OF THE COMING KING

(Ill. This great King came and died just like the prophets said that He would.  However, that was not the end of His story!  Three days after He died on that cross, He arose from the dead, Matt. 28:1-6.  Of course, this is just what the Old Testament said would happen, Psa. 16:10.  (Ill. You can’t keep a God-Man down!)  After He arose, He went back to Heaven, Acts 1:9-11, with the promise that He would come again some day!  Let me tell you now, when He comes then, He is not going to come like He did the first time!  Nothing will be like it was then!)

A.  v. 11a  The Promise Of His Appearing – Even before the King went away, there was the promise of His return.  He said so Himself, John 14:1-3.  Paul talked about His coming again, 1 Thes. 4:16-17. His coming should not catch men off guard since it has been so well announced, but it will, Rev. 1:7.  (Ill. Are you ready for His coming?  Ill. His coming will be in two distinct stages: Rapture and glory! You need to be ready for the first part, because He will not send an announcement of warning, He will just come, Matt. 24:44.)

B.  v. 11-16  The Promise Of His Authority – The first time He came, He was indistinguishable from the other men of His time, Isa. 53:1-2.  When He came the first time, He did not have a home or a place to lay His head, Matt. 8:20.  When He came the first time, men mocked Him, rejected Him and put Him to death.  But, when He comes the next time, things are going to be different!  You see, He isn’t coming as “the lowly Nazarene”; He is coming as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  This time He isn’t coming to redeem man, He is coming to rule over men, Rev. 2:27.  He will not be mocked this time, but He will put all of His enemies under His feet.  Men will not put Him to death this time, but with the word of His mouth, He will subdue and destroy the enemies of God!

C.  v. 16  The Promise Of His Adjudication – Verse 16 tells that this coming King is the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”.  He is the ruler of rulers.  As a ruler, He will occupy a throne and He will govern.  He will reign in righteousness, perfection and glory on this earth for 1,000 years, Rev. 20:1-10.  At the end of that period, Satan and all of his followers will be cast into Hell forever!  Then, Rev. 20:11-15 tells us that this King will sit upon a great white throne and that He will judge the lost and will condemn each one to the lake of fire forever.  Notice Rev. 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

            I point that out to say this: This King Who came in peace, love and grace to give His life on a cross to save lost souls will one day return as a ruling Monarch.  In that day, all those who have refused His gift of salvation, will be cast into the lake of fire.  In other words, the very One Who could be your Savior today will be your judge on that day!  No amount of pleading or praying will change His mind.  The day of grace will have passed forever and you will be eternally lost.  You will be forever separated from God, from saved loved ones, from everything of beauty and pleasure.  You will be cast into a place of eternal punishment, eternal death and eternal horror.

            Friend, the best thing you can do today is to come to Jesus Christ and be saved.  If you have never been saved, today it the day when you need to do just that!  Today, He will receive you and He will be your Savior, John 6:37.  If you wait and die lost, then the One Who could have saved you will be the One Who will condemn you!

 

Conc:  I have tried to show you today that Jesus is Who the Bible says that He is!  He is the Son of God.  He is the Lamb of God.  He is the only Way to God.  Do you know Him as your personal Savior?  Has there ever been a moment in your life when you called on Him by faith and were saved from your sins?

      Here’s the bottom line.  It all comes down to this: If you died today and stood before God up in Heaven and He looked down and you and you looked up at Him and He said, “Why should I let you in to My heaven?” What would you say?  Are you saved?  Are you sure?  Are you serving? Are you thankful? If you need Him, He is here for you!  You come if He is calling!