“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zech. 9:9
Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the King on a lowly donkey when He entered Jerusalem a week before His crucifixion. The people were rejoicing, shouting Hosanna, or Save Now! They seemed to be recognizing Him as Messiah and King of the Jews. This happened in Jerusalem, just as Scripture foretold. It talks of His character; He is just, or righteous. It speaks to His purpose; having salvation, or bringing salvation. This salvation was salvation from sin, not the salvation from Roman oppression, as they were expecting.
Unlike Alexander the Great, who arrived on a war horse, in pageantry and pride, our King arrived on a lowly donkey, which further showed his humble character. This is not a characteristic usually expected in kings.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
This was fulfilled to the letter by Jesus.
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” Matt. 21:1-11
On His first advent, Jesus rode a lowly donkey. At His second coming, He will be on a war horse, followed by His saints.
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.” Rev. 19:11
“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” Rev. 19:14
Zechariah mentions this as well,
“Thus the LORD my God will come, and all the saints with You.” Zech. 14:5c
Verse 10 tells us this results in peace. We have peace with God because of the work of Jesus on the cross. But one day there will also be world peace.
“He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’” Zech. 9:10b
Because we don’t see world peace yet, Boice says the entire church age may rightly intervene between verse 9 and 10.
The Scarlet Thread 