“THE 10TH OF NISAN” by Karen A Roth
On the 10th of Nisan (Palm Sunday) in 30 AD Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt of a donkey. He had given His disciples explicit directions where to find the donkeys and what to say if confronted. “So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on the donkeys, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” MT 21:6-8
The road into Jerusalem is packed with a great multitude of travelers arriving for Passover. They see Jesus riding a donkey—the sign of a king. The disciples add to the pageantry by throwing their garments on the donkey. Israelites began spreading garments on the road in front of Jesus. Historians say that many draped cloths on large rocks, trees, and the sides of buildings for a grand display. They waved palm branches or laid them on the road before Jesus to demonstrate their joy. The atmosphere was like Independence/Victory Day.
In the book of Genesis, Abraham’s son Isaac rode on a donkey to be offered as a sacrifice. Abraham placed the wood for the sacrifice on his son’s shoulders. Isaac asked, “Where’s the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide a lamb.” GN 22:8 But God stopped Abraham from offering his son. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy as the Lamb of God. “All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Zechariah, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” MT 21:4-5; ZC 9:9
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” ~MT 21:9-11
Although it’s not the Feast of Tabernacles, it’s very significant that the Jews cut down branches of trees to wave in their hands and lay on the road before Jesus to show their joy. They shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”—praising, blessing, wishing prosperity, happiness, and safety.
Hosanna means ‘Save I beseech.’ But it’s only at the Feast of Tabernacles that the Israelites called forth ‘Hosanna.’ The seventh day of the feast is actually called ‘the Great Hosanna.’
Amazing that they chose to glorify the Son of David with Hosannas when it’s never ever been part of the celebration for Passover—but something in them recognized the King has come!
OVERTURNED THE TABLES
“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.” Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.” ~MT 21:12-14
Three years earlier, after His initial cleansing/baptism/anointing in the Jordan River by John the Baptist at the start of His ministry, Jesus cleansed the Temple. Cleansing His Father’s House seems to be the public act marking the beginning and close of His ministry. Some scholars consider ‘overturning tables’ to be similar to Isaiah rolling up the scroll of heaven. Its prophetic language interpreting the heavenly luminaries as representing kings, empires, and states. In 30 AD Jesus turned the world upside down.
Jesus once again cleansed the profanity in His Father’s House saying, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” He sanctifies the Temple for those hungering for the supernatural power of God. Truly Someone greater is in the House!
It’s unlawful for the blind and lame to come into the Temple. But Jesus overturned and drove out what didn’t belong—making room for the blind and lame to come to Him and be miraculously healed.
THE 10TH OF NISAN
The 10th of Nisan is the day male lambs are chosen for the Passover sacrifice in Israel. Christians rename the 10th of Nisan to ‘Palm Sunday’ and ‘DAY 1’ of Holy Week. According to Hebrew law, each family chose a lamb for their Passover sacrifice and brought it with them to Jerusalem.
Jesus came into Jerusalem like all the lambs chosen for the Passover sacrifice. The lamb must be visible at the Temple for five days so everyone can see its perfection. Unlike previous years, when He came late and remained hidden because it was not the time—this year, Jesus made Himself known to all.
The scripture is detailed on what Jesus did each day…where He slept…who He talked to … what He spoke about. Everything Jesus did is documented.
DAY 2: JESUS CURSED THE FIG TREE
“The next day (Monday) as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.”
Jesus did not expect to find figs on His way from Bethany to Jerusalem. According to Dr. Lightfoot, it wasn’t the season of common, ordinary figs to be ripe. But Jesus did expect to find some on this ‘Benoth Shuach’ tree, because it was full of leaves. “This type of fig tree put forth its fruit the first year, which hung on it the second, and brought to perfection on the third; so that when it was three years old, it had fruit of the first, second, and third year on it. The amount of fruit depended on the year.” There should have been some fruit on the fig tree. There was none, so Jesus cursed it.
The fig tree is an emblem of the Jews. His Father had first given them the pattern of the Tabernacle; the Levitical priesthood set it in order in the Wilderness. Restoration always begins in the Tabernacle/Temple. At the onset of His ministry—Jesus went to the Temple and cleaned it out. In the next three years, Jesus tilled around the fig tree, fertilized it, and watered it.
“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.” The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.” MK 11:12-19 NIV
Three years later, He expected to find the fig treefull of good fruit. He expected His Father’s House to be a House of Prayer, where the Father is reverenced, and the Son recognized! He didn’t find it. Instead, He found the fig treefull of leaves—a ceremonial show of religion, hypocrisy, but no fruits of righteousness. Once again, He overturned the tables and called it a den of thieves.
DAY 3: THE SCAPEGOAT IS CHOSEN
“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” JN 12:20-24
“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So, he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.” LK 22:1-6
Jesus concluded His teachings for Tuesday of Holy Week with the future destruction of Jerusalem, and His Second Coming. Up to this time, Jesus had directed His ministry to only the “lost sheep of the House of Israel,” but the times of the Gentiles are about to begin.
Today, some Greek Gentiles ask to speak to Jesus. Instead of addressing the Gentiles, Jesus turns back to His disciples saying, “Now the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.” Jesus’ mindset is focused on ‘finishing’ His purpose. He again spoke a parable of His death… “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”
When His teaching for the day was completed, Jesus and the disciples withdrew to the village of Bethany, to Simon the leper’s home. Later that evening, the high priest and scribes plot to kill Jesus. Caiaphas, the high priest, selected Jesus to die for the people as the SCAPEGOAT saying, “You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all, you fail to see that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people, rather than that the whole nation should perish.” Judas Iscariot had also ‘snuck out’ to meet them, “and conferred … how he might betray Jesus.”
DAY 4: PREPARATION FOR PASSOVER MEAL
And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?” And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ‘Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” LK 22:8-15
On Wednesday morning of Holy Week, Jesus sent Peter and John into Jerusalem to check on the room selected for the Passover meal that evening after 6 PM (their Thursday began at 6 PM of our Wednesday night).
The ceremony began at noon when the second lamb of the daily sacrifice was brought out and tied to the altar for all to see its perfection. The lambs were sacrificed at the hour of the second daily sacrifice at 3 PM and continued until about 5 PM. At the end of the ceremony, the lamb that each family brought to be sacrificed was taken home and prepared for the feast that night. The sacrificial lamb was to be roasted whole, with no bones broken.
DAY 5: PASSOVER “EVENING”
Jesus said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
It’s their last meal together. He wants to convey the significance of the Passover meal to them. DID THEY KNOW what’s happening? —that JESUS is the Passover Lamb … that He fulfills the reason they celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread?
After celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus prayed for them saying, “I pray for…those whom You have given Me.” JN 17 The Bible says God is “near kin.” He is our Father; we are His children—not just in creation but by the gift of adoption, our spirit man calls God “Abba Father.”
Genealogy considers ‘family’ to be near or next of kin. Medical doctors record diseases of the parents because of the strong link in blood relatives to similar health issues. Jesus is our near kinsmen through a blood covenant relationship.
On the Passover, the Blood of the Lamb was applied to the doorposts of the house. The overlapping of the ancient covenant of Passover to the ‘death, burial and resurrection’ of Jesus, means all those who accept the Blood covenant of Jesus are now joint heirs with Him.
“There’s power in the blood of Jesus!” The scripture says our ‘bloodline’has been purged if we “diligently listen to the voice of the LORD…” God “put none of these diseases on you” and heals us. We praise God for the privilege of being near kin to Him, singing: “God, the Lord, is the strength of my heart, He’s my portion forever. Yes, the Lord
my God is the strength of my heart, Your nearness, O God, is my good.”
DAY 5: THE LONGEST NIGHT
Jesus celebrated the last sacrificial Passover Meal of the old covenant with His disciples earlier in the evening. After the meal, they left Jerusalem and crossed the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives to pray… Jesus surrendering in obedience to the will of God.
The high priest’s guards take Roman soldiers with them to arrest Jesus in the Garden. First, they bring Him to the former High Priest, Annas, and then to the palace of the current High Priest, Caiaphas. At dawn Jesus is condemned by the Jewish court and sent to the Roman governor, Pilate.
Jesus is essentially “selected” for sacrifice by the High Priest, Caiaphas. The Passover Feast started with the High Priest selecting the perfect male lamb (Jesus) to be the sacrifice. At dawn the first lamb of the daily sacrifice is tied to the altar. Likewise, Jesus is bound before the Roman Prefect, Pontus Pilate, who pronounced Jesus without fault. A Gentile pronounced the ‘Lamb of God’ selected by the High Priest as a “righteous” sacrifice.
The 3rd hour (9 AM), Jesus is crucified on the cross—just as the first lamb of the daily sacrifice is offered up on the sacrificial altar in the Temple for the nation of Israel. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, they do not know what they do.” (They would never have sacrificed Jesus if they knew He was the Son of God.)
At noon, the second lamb of the daily sacrifice was brought out to the altar, the sun darkened. At the 9th hour (3 PM), when the second daily lamb is sacrificed, Jesus surrendered His life on the cross, and declared: “It is finished.
THE VEIL RIPPED IN TWO
“Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” MK 15:38 The veil separated the Holy of Holies where God dwells from the Holy Place—measuring sixty feet high and thirty feet wide. Maybe someone could tear the veil from the bottom upwards, but it would take an act of God to tear from the top to the bottom! Jesus’ death as the Passover Lamb opened the portal to the Throne Room of God!
Almost all of Israel did not know that the Passover they performed year after year would one day be fulfilled. It was meant to teach and prepare them—to point them to Jesus and the awaited transition/Passover into God’s Spiritual Tabernacle. Jesus’ followers meet with whispers and tears in an Upper Room and celebrate the feast of Unleavened Bread. Evening of another day passed, and morning dawned as RESURRECTION SUNDAY!
His Resurrection is Victory! Jesus walked back through the veil—the open portal to the Throne Room of God! Likewise, the Awakened Remnant walk in His Presence and participate in His Resurrected/Miraculous Power!
In 2018, the Angel of the Lord decreed: “Arise, Be Strong, for the LORD is in-to-win!” The Awakened Remnant is His Risen Body of Christ positioned to participate in Resurrection Victory Power! Jesus is the Greek name for Joshua—‘God is Salvation.’ Likewise, on a similar apex of a New Age, Joshua heard: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage…for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
“All things are possible to him who believes/trusts!” Therefore, “Arise, Be Strong” and go forth in the power of His Resurrection—He’s won the Victory!
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Karen Roth is the wife of Dr. Roger Roth Sr., and a ministry son of Dr. Mark Hanby. They are the set ministry of a local church in Northeastern Wisconsin; and oversee the Bloodline Network Newsletter. They consider it an honor to work with Dr. Hanby for many years, helping to oversee the ministry of Papa Mark’s extended family—”The Father’s Heart.”
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