Jesus is coming back; prepare ye the way

The Passover festival starts today in Israel. It is a week-long festival as Moses commanded in Exodus 12 to remember their Exodus from Egypt. This year the observance is from 27th March to 4th April. Curiously this is also the Christian Holy Week culminating in Good Friday. We all know that Jesus died on the Cross on the day (or on the eve) of Passover. Our Lord was sacrificed as the Paschal lamb (1 Cor 5:7). For, that is the meaning of the communion ritual. May you have a blessed time meditating on the Cross all through the week.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the day when Lord Jesus entered Jerusalem as the King and Messiah. The disciples, the crowds who experienced his miracles and mercy, and the believers in Jerusalem shouted praises and with one voice welcomed him as their King and Messiah. Hosanna (Hosheana) means "Save us Now" (Ps 118:25). The Bible tells us that He entered in from the Bethany side riding a donkey and so through the Golden Gate/Eastern Gate. In the Middle-eastern tradition, Kings ride a donkey when coming in peace. If the King comes riding a horse, it is for war. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords even to the altar (v 27); on Palm Sunday the sacrifice walked into Jerusalem, was later tied to the Cross (altar) and died for our sins.

This is how the Golden Gate stands today. It is the Eastern Gate of the Temple. The unbelieving Muslims believed so much in the return of the Messiah, that the Ottoman Turks repeatedly walled it in and closed the gates in 821 AD, 1187 AD, 1541 AD and so it remains to this day fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy. The Bible tells us in Ezekiel 44:1-3, that “This Eastern gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. So, when Jesus returns to Jerusalem after the 7 year tribulation, He will come visibly on the clouds, His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4), and walk triumphantly through the Eastern Gate into the Temple and into the planet. What a Glorious day we await.

The Moslems built a graveyard in front of the gate intentionally because walking through a gentile cemetery desecrates a Jew and hence to somehow prevent the Return of the Messiah. How foolish they were! As if the God of Heaven and earth can be stopped by a graveyard! You can see the graves in the photo, many white tombs.

When Jesus came the first time, a small group of people yielded themselves to serve Him, their lives had just one purpose - to serve Jesus and do His bidding. Hence He could fulfill His purpose. History shows us time and again that whenever the people of God prepared themselves, and yielded their lives fully, God came down with revival.

God’s power has not diminished nor His Spirit has become powerless. The Church has become too focused on healing, miracles and prophetic words/blessings, that we have lost 90% of our heritage in the Word of God. It is time we realized our folly and got back to studying the Word. Work at it like an office project, anything less won’t do. Our forefathers did, and they didn’t have computers or apps or internet. But they saw the riches of glory in Jesus. A Royal wedding banquet awaits us from our Bridegroom King.

Some of the grandest hymns in Christian religion are sung on Palm Sunday. All Glory laud and Honour, Ride on, Ride on with Majesty. The King deserves all Honour and Majesty. Please watch this hymn by Kings College Cambridge choir.