~
Significance of Palm Branches ~
Past
~ During the Biblical period palm
branches were symbolic of goodness, well-being, and victory. Therefore, they were depicted on coins and important
structures and buildings. King Solomon’s
temple included carvings of palm branches on the doors and walls. “He carved all the walls of the temple all
around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm
trees, and open flowers. And the
floor of the temple he overlaid with gold, both the inner and outer sanctuaries”
(1 Kings 6:29-30).
Zechariah
prophesied that the Messiah would come riding on a donkey: “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. I will cut off the
chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut
off. 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’” (Zechariah 9:9-10).
Present
~ Most Christian churches celebrate
Palm Sunday when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem. “The next day a great multitude that had come
to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took
branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna! “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the
Lord!” The King of Israel!’ Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey,
sat on it; as it is written: ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King
is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.’ His disciples did not understand these things
at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things
were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him” (John
12:12-16).
Future
~ At the close of our Bible we
find that people of all ethnic and geographic areas of earth will raise palm
branches to honor our King Jesus Christ.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one
could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the
throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in
their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs
to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ All the angels stood around the throne and
the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the
throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving
and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.
Amen’” (Revelation
7:9-12).
~
Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW
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