What is the significance of "Palm Sunday"?
As most of you know, yesterday (Sunday, March 24th) was "Palm Sunday." Some have called "Passion Sunday" in ages past as it begins the start of the celebration of Easter for most of us here in the West. This day has a VERY deep significance that most don't realize. This day that we call "Palm Sunday" (the name given from the branches laid down in the path of Jesus riding on a young donkey as He entered Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate) has another name that most don't use today. It is called "Lamb Selection Day" or "Shabbat HaGadol." This day is very significant to the nation of Israel because it is the day that God set apart as the day that each family would select a lamb to use for their annual sacrifice and atonement for the sins of that family. The lamb would need to be perfect. No blemishes. The lamb would be selected on Sunday, and then taken into the family's home. On the year that Jesus was crucified, Friday, April 3, AD 33. The Lamb Selection Day fell on a Sunday. So the family would select a lamb and keep it in their house until Friday, when the Passover would be celebrated and the lamb sacrificed.
“On the tenth of this month (Nisan) each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household” – Exodus 12:3
The children would play with the lamb and it would be their family pet for the week. The children, as expected would grow very attached to this new family member. When the lamb would be sacrificed on Friday, it is important to note, that this sacrifice would be deeply personal for the family members. It wasn't just an objective sacrifice, but a personal one. This lamb, by its death, would set them free from the bondage and punishment of sin.
SO... do you see the connection happening? I hope you do. Otherwise, you miss the incredible thing God did on this day called "Palm Sunday." On March 29th, AD 33, Jesus entered into the Eastern Gate presenting himself as THE LAMB that was perfect, presented by the Father to the family of God, Israel as the one and final sacrifice that would once and for all take away the sins of all. The last time He was at that gate, was in 587 BC right before King Nebeccenessor sacked Jerusalem. He was in a glorified state (shekinah glory) and was leaving the temple as a Judgement towards Israel for their rebellion. Only to return as a savior, as a human, a lamb to be sacrificed for their Sin.
All those who accepted him as their sacrificial lamb were there shouting "hosanna", and began to sing the ancient messianic psalm that is foretold by the Psalmist to be sung by the Jews when Jesus returns. They didn't know that this wasn't the time for that song, but all they could do is wave their palm branches and sing as loud as they could. As Jesus said, if they didn't the "rocks would start singing."
He was truly brought into the house of God there in Israel, he lived among the children, was inspected every day by the people, and was found to be without spot or blemish. He was the one!
When it was time to sacrifice the lamb, the animal would be placed on the altar at noon and tied up. It would be bound there until 3 pm when the priest would put it to death. Christ was bound to a cross at Noon, and at 3 pm, Christ died for our sins once and for all.
Do you see it? What an incredible God to include such detail in His word, and to make it so painfully obvious that He loves you and is sovereign over all.
This week, take some time to celebrate what Christ did for you personally, and for the world. He did what we couldn't do. Our perfect lamb is not dead, He is alive and lives!