You can only imagine what the Day of Passover must have been like in Jerusalem in the days of Jesus ministry.  Millions of people coming to the city, the feast of unleavened bread starting 7 days earlier so a whole week plus one day of feasting, singing and praising the Lord for the long ago deliverance from Egypt and for the return from Babylonian captivity. Now in Jesus days they prayed as they offered their Passover lambs and ate the Paschal meal, for a new deliverance. Deliverance from the Romans who were now their overlords and masters.

The Last Passover with Jesus stands out above and beyond all others that went before it or since that first Passover in Egypt. This  is the Passover that began when Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s colt as it was prophesied by the prophet, Zechariah in Zech. 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Can you imagine that day? For a over 3 years, the rumors have flown throughout Judeah about Jesus of Nazareth. Many claimed to have seen him perform incredible miracles. They say He had healed the sick, given sight to the blind, caused the deaf to hear, the lame to walk and even brought the dead back to life. His apostles and disciples proclaimed Him the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. He was the Messiah, the anointed prince of peace, the son of David who would rule and reign, seated upon a throne in Jerusalem, the city of King David.

Then at the beginning of that last week the people are preparing for the Passover that would take place on the 15th of day of the month, about 5 days before the Passover meal is to be observed and there is a sound of voices calling out and singing coming from outside the walls of Jerusalem. No this is not the procession to the Temple, it is too early, but something different is happening, not at all part of the traditional observations but something more, more exciting, more moving and there is a sense of watching history being made this Passover.

The voices come closer and those inside the city walls hear what they now realize are shouts of praise. We read from Matthew’s Gospel, Matthew 21:8-9 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Luke writes, Luke 19:37-40 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

All of Jerusalem is praising their coming king, calling out “Hosanna, save us,” to the son of David, their Messiah, their finally come King. So powerful is the praise and the truth they are proclaiming that Jesus says tells the Pharisees, who want it to stop, “If you could make them be silent then even the rocks of Jerusalem would break out in praise.“

The disciples and people take off their cloaks and lay down palm branches to smooth his way and they praise Him with words from the Hallel, Psalms 118:25-26 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD.

Closer to the Hebrew it would sound like this, Psalm 118:25–26 (TLV) Hoshia-na! Please, Adonai, save now! We beseech You, Adonai, prosper us! 26 Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai— Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Adonai.

They cried out for their Messiah to deliver them, but to save them physically as a nation from their Roman conquerors. They were calling out for the wrong deliverance. One day Jesus, the Messiah will come and deliver Israel from armies of the anti-Christ, but in this time, He comes to save them from something much more oppressive and deadly than a pagan nation.

Jesus, the Christ was also Jesus of Calvary. Jesus, the seer was also Jesus the Savior, Jesus the rabbi, was also Jesus the redeemer, Jesus the son of Mary was also Jesus the Son of God, Jesus who gave life to Lazarus was also Jesus who would lay down His life for sin. Jesus was the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world, and that eternal salvation, that eternal deliverance was much greater than the deliverance that so many in Israel that day were calling out for.