Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-16

Although Jesus had pointed out. as
we saw In last weeks lesson, that q
long period Of time would intervene
before He assumed the Kfngship. yet
In this weeks study we see how He
makes deliberate preparation to pro-
claim His right to rule as King. He
must have arranged to have a friend
place an unridden colt and its mother
in the village of Bethpage so that He
with the prophecies Of Isaiah and
Zechariah. He could have arranged
with His unnamed friend to see that
the colt was tied in the neighboring
community while He was visiting in
Bethany for few days preceding the
Passover, that He knew would be
marked by His death upon the cross.
It was the Masters last effort to
persuade the nation to accept Him as
their Messianic King. He would vel
come the opportunity to rule them in
and exploitation. He came to redeem,
bless and serve them. BY selecting
the unridden colt and riding upon its
back into the city that He loved, Jesus
sought to make clear that His mission
was one Of peace. Looking back over
the ANIMALS of history 1t would be diff
f1cult to find q less pretentious en-
trance Of monarch than that Of
Jesus riding upon the colt, wherein
no man ever yet sat" Some Of His
disciples realized the meaning Of that
ride. for they placed their clothing
upon the colts back and led the multi
tude singing Blessed Is the King
that cometh in the name Of the LORD"
His enemies sought to stop the move
ment that had started with the song
of Blind Bartimaeus in Jericho. Beth
any citizens added to the story Of His
miracles By telling how he had raised
Lazarus from the dead. In their
despair the Pharisees appealed to Christ
Jesus to rebuke His disciples for pro-
claiming and acknowledging Him as
King by their use Of the MeSsianic
psalm. In reply TO their request the
Master publicly proclaimed His King
ship when He told His enemies that If
the disciples did not proclaim His
Kingship the inanimste nature. repre-
sentsd by the stones, would do it
A Patriotic Love.
One Of the most beautiful sights TO
be seen in Palestine breaks upon the
view Of the traveller on the road from
Bethany to Jerusalem. just as he turns
around the bend of the southern shoul-
der of Olivet and he sees the city Of
God in the mountain of His holiness
the Joy Of the whole earth" Our Lord
showed His patriotism and love of
Jerusalem by breaking out IN tears at
the sight Of His nations capital The
Man Of Sorrows wept at Lazarus tomb,
but He knew that He would turn the
sorrow Of His friends into Joy. Now, as
he looked upon Jerusalem, Christ real
lied that within few days the songs
OF rejoicing and welcome would be
changed into cries of antagonisTn that
would sound the tocsin Of doom for the
nations capital, because II knew not
the time of its visitation" He shed
tears at Lazarus tomb, but now the
Lord wept aloud. sobblng out in His
grief over what might have been the
city's history. His heart was breaking
and the tears ran down HiS cheeks as
He realized what Jerusalen's attitude
TO Him really was and what 1t would
face as result Of Its approaching de-
struction.
Christ's prophecy was literally fulfilled
by the Romans when they destroyed
the city and desolated the temple, with
such horrors Of cruel detail that the
accounts Of the slaughter, carnage and
woe have led many TO confound that
event with the prophecies Of the woes Of
the great tribulation" The nations
destiny depended upon the loyal &C
ceptance Of Jesus as the promised Mes
sianic King. If the people had accepted
Him as a spiritual ruler, how different
would have been the history Of the
world. In this hour Of depression, dis
couragenrent and dif11culty We face a
similar opportunity. Our President
sounded that note before the Interna-
tional Chamber of Commerce last week.
II we could conquer the fears Of men
by establishing in their hearts faith
in the Lord Jesus that would stand the
test of use In solving the problems
pressing for solution, a new age OF peace,
prosperity and power would be born IN
! the history Of the world. Do We know
today the time of Christ's visitation and
His longing to help all men and ma
tons? We are paying today for our
lack Of vision.
Cleansing the Temple.
Jesus entered the temple that had
been built as q house Of prayer for all
nations. He had cleanSed the courts