Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-30

Next Sunday will be generally observed as
Palm Sunday, but the real anniversary date.
according to the Hebrew calendar. would be
next Thursday. and the Sunday night follow
ing will be the anniversary Of our Lords me-
mortal supper. Four days before His crucifix-
ion our Lord rode TO Jerusalem on the ass as
the king of Israel.
Fer th-ee nd a half years from the time
of His baptism at thirty years OF age our
Lord had been preaching the kingdom OF
heaven at hand. Additionally He hao sent
forth His disciples two and two; first the
twelve. and later seventy others, TO preach
the same thing. namely, Repent TOT the
hearts into condition OF readiness that You
may be received into that kingdom. to be
associated with Messiah in the blessing OF all
the families Of the earth, in harmony with
the promise made to Father Abraham. Our
Lord had become quite noted. The common
people heard Him gladly" Some OF them
said. Never map spake like this man. Ano
they all bare witness to the gracious words
that proceeded out Of His mouth for He
spoke as ono having authority Cknowledgs)
and not as a scribe" On more than one
occasion it appeared as though the people
would take Him by force to make Him q
king: but our Lord avoided the matter and
withdrew Himself and discouraged the efforts
The scribes and Pharisees. jealous Of his pop
ularity, ashamed Of His following ana AFRAID
that He would yet become the center OF tu-
tile movement antagonistic to the Roman
I Cvernnent and their prestige, had al
ready threatened His life. AS ii Is written
Jesus could no longer walk in Jewry, because
onism to Him was all the greater after the
awakening Of Lazarus.
BEHOLD THY KING CONFETTI.
Suddenly a change was manifest in Jesus
ing the protest of His disciples, who valiantiy
said, Let us go that we may die with Him.
Discarding caution He went directly to the
home of Lazarus and his sisters. There he
was the guest OF honor with His disciples at
a special feast. There Mary poured upon him
the precious spikenard perfume, which Jesus
n H1aa
that expression we have the key TO His out
wall course. He knew that His hour was
come; that the end OF HIS ministry va, vas "'
1t was under these circumstances that the
next morning He not only did not hinoer lhe
people from prOclaiming Him king but ne
seat His disciples to bring the ass upon wnien
He was to ride in triumph as a king, 1or II
was the custom Of Israel's kings 10 De thus
presented to the people. The account tells
us that the people hailed Jesus as the Son
OF David, the king Of Israel the MESSIAH aEo
that in the concourSe were Pharisees VINO
had come from Jerusalem to Bethany 20 zee
Jesus and Lazarus. whom he had awakened
from death; these beheld the proceeding ana
expostulated with Jesus disciples tennis 1n
them that he should call the attention OF thS
people to what they were saying ana that
Jesus should reprove them. Our Lords answer
shows how important was the event he salos
IF these should hold their peace aRa tne
very stones would cry out" ISuke 1s;4o.l
The Evangelist calls attention to the tact
that the entire procedure was IN fulfillmehl
of the prophecy OF zechariah. as through nun
the Lord had declared centuries oe1orehaho
10 events which must transpire at the appointed
hour namely, ::Shout,s G daughter OF Jeru-
salem; behold. thy king cometh unto thee;
he is Just and having salvation; loWly' anu
riding upon an ass and upon a colt the 1oal
of an ass" Czech. $50
Here we see the reason why our LORD salo
that II the people would hold their peace anu
not shout the stones would cry out; because
the Lord through prophecy had foretold snout
and the Scriptures must be fuliiiieo. noM
STRENGTHENING it is to faitn 20 reaZe me ali he
fulfilled! Thus realizing the Divine super
vision Of the affairs Of our LORD ana OF EIs
followers may indeed have a etrons CON- con,
ISOLATION and good hope, realizing that all
things written in the law and by the prophets
shall have their fulfillment in due course
Little did the Jews on that Palm SUNDAY
realize what was taking place! And indeed
very few Christians to this day realize the pur-
port OF that occasion. Let US see what ~ was was
God had promised Messiah and thar ne
should be Of the Seed Of Abraham and OF the
family OF David Zachariahs prophecy quoteo
had foretold his formal entry. All those things
must be fulfilled; God must keep HIS part OF
the contract. II failure occurred u must De
IsraePs failure. And so It was. Israel as rep
resented by her rulers who sat IN Nose
seat" was not ready for the Messiah II they
had belfevd the preaching Of John the Baptist
a genuine reformation would have mace then
ready to receive the Messiah. But not peins
in heart condition led them to expect Worldly
conoueror rather than Lamb OF GOD TO take
ayay the sin Of the world. We read tnat All
men were in expectation OF MIN. ana yet;
when he offered himself, they were ashamed
Of him and Of his peculiar following OF fisher
men publcans. etc. The rulers OF the people
received Him otbut plotted His destruction'
and the common people furnished not only
r,yititrdes to CIV ''Hosanna" on thih occa-
sion but also later multitudes to cry,i 'CruelIy
him cruelty him. under the influence OF their
AS for our Lord. He knew that His hour was
come He had foretold that He would De re-
jected and crucified, but II was HIS ou ~ 70
-
The very prophecy He was fulnlling declared
not only that He would come as King out
toretold that the people would snouI ana q
also that Israel would be cast off and have a
''double'' part Of disfavor-the length OF the
favor they had enjoyed as Gods peculiar peo-
pie. The prophet specified; saying Even 20
thee" Zech. s:12). Thus He Indicated that
particular Palm Sunday as the turning point
OF Israels career Our boro aiso cSatt
In IsraeI's history; for when he had ridden 10
the brow Of Mt. Olivet overlooking Jerusalem
the procession stopped, Jesus saying 20; Je-
and stonest them that are sent unto thee; now
often would I have gathered thy children to-
gether, even as hen doth gamer her PROOF
under her wings. and We would not! Behold,
your house is left unto you desolate. Verify
saw unto YOU We shall me no more
until the time come when ye shall say, blessed
is he that cometh in the name OF the Lord. =
In other words, that first Palm Sunday was
the turning point marking the reJection OF
natural Israel as a nation and the Inaugural
ton of spiritual Israel as the holy nation.
tho royal priesthood" the peculiar people
for a purpose. Other Scriptures show US that
natural Israel is to return to Divine favor
as soon as the election" Of spiritual Israel
shall be accomplished. But at His second ad-
vent Messiah will longer present Himself
as man riding upon an ass, but as the
Scriptures declare, He shall come spirit
being invisible to men, but nevertheless with
great glory and power which shall be reveal
ed in flaming fire. symbolical Of judgments.
We are assured that then the blinded eyes OF
IsraePs understanding will be open and they
shall look upon Him whom they pierced and
shall mourn for Him, and the Lord declares
that then He will pour upon them the spirit
Of prayer and duplication and the blessing
Of the new covenant shall be theirs. AS II
Is written. Behold the days come, saith the
Lord, that 1 shall make new covenant with
the house of Israel, and with the house OF
Judah After those days, saith the Lord,
will put my law in their inward parts, and
write in their hearts. 1 will forgive their
indiCnity, and 1 will remember their sin no
more" der. 31:31-34) And I will take the
stony heart out Of their flesh, and will give
them an heart Of flesh" (Ezek. u:19.)
REJECTING THE LAMB.
Eut tFot Palm Sunday was a notable and
important day to Israel from another stand
point. At the beginning of their national cx-
istence when they were delivered from he
bondage Of Egypt. God specially arranged for
their passover This will be our topic for next
Sunday: but today notice that their pass
over lamb was to be taken up and brought
into the house on the ninth day of the month
Nisan while ii was to be killed the four
teenth day. As john the Baptist has de
! aaW.