With the gifts of Purim given, I experienced sadness yet freedom. Unaware of what was about to take place in the following month of Nisan, I embarked on relocating to a place overlooking the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives. Still grieving the loss of my mother I was comforted by friends with whom I survived the best and the worst of days.
Part 8 Hozanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Matt.21:9
Entrance of Yeshua into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday
The following morning, the eighth of Nisan, proved to be extremely busy for me. After many sales that morning, absolutely no one passed by after noon and I decided to go home and relax. The sun was well past the highest point in the sky as I sat outside with a cup of wine and some figs and barley bread.
My view to the east faced across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives. I leaned back as far as possible to see the summit but could not view the highest point. Walking out past the cover of the arbor, I was able to see the crest of the lush mountain. It was actually a range of peaks ascending and descending with the final drop being deep into the Kidron Valley before me. I heard commotion off in the distance and saw what at first I thought I imagined, a mass of heads appearing as people approached the summit. Soon I could see a great number in a procession as they came to the crest of the hill.
The river of people streamed down the mount strewing something like branches. As they progressed further, a wide path of greens appeared covering the brown dirt road. It mystified me. What was all this? The sound of singing and laughter like a celebration, perhaps a royal wedding.
The procession continued and I strained to see a man seated on an animal, a donkey. How very strange. After perhaps an hour, some of them were already coming through the valley and back up toward the Sheep Gate, where the lambs to be slaughtered for Passover would soon pass through. The flow of people began to process by on the road to the temple, which lay to my left.
I heard the words they kept singing.
“Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest”
I ran back to my dwelling, grabbed my cloak and walking stick, and went to join the procession. By the time I caught up to them, there were hundreds ahead of me. I caught a glimpse of the man on the donkey a ways behind, and the remainder of those processing jubilantly.
“Who is that?” I yelled to get the attention of a poorly dressed man next to me.
“That is a great prophet and wonder worker from Nazareth!” he shouted back.
I realized it was Yeshua. They were proclaiming loudly the Messiah was among us. They recognized him and were praising God whom He called Father. I became part of the great stream of people singing the words written in the Psalms.
My pace slowed purposely and after some time I stood along side Yeshua and looked up at Him. His eyes did not reflect the joy being expressed by the crowds. He smiled at me but the expression of sadness returned. I thought He recognized me and wanted to tell him I no longer sold in the house of His Father. Yet I could not say a word.
Everyone continued walking through the streets leading to the Temple. People still threw palm and olive branches, as well as some cloaks, on the road in front of Yeshua, while their voices increased in volume.
The tension seemed to rise steadily, but as the processors poured into the Court of the Gentiles. their voices no longer chanted praises. Perhaps it was because they feared the scribes and pharisees, many of whom hated Yeshua.
After I entered the Court, I waited for Him and wondered if he would angrily drive out the animals and their sellers and turn over the money tables, as He had done once before. He walked through the Court and looked at everything. He went around alone just observing quietly.
DJ Pasternak, Author 