The Day they cried “Hosanna!”

There is something about the day that is filled with expectation—Palm Sunday.  I am getting ready for church myself this morning, reading John’s account of that day so long ago¹, wondering if children will wave palms in some part of the worship service.  Take a look at Matthew’s account:

“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:  “Say to Daughter Zion,‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21.1-11

‘Hosanna, hosanna . . .’ the townspeople are waving their palm branches and saying ‘hosanna’ to Jesus. Hosanna is a Christianized form of the Hebrew word Hoshana. It is a combination of the words Yahsha (help, succor, rescue, save, deliver) and na (please, I pray now, I beseech you). In the Jewish context, it was originally a cry to God for help, “Save, please!” (Psalm 118:25) but later on it took on a broader meaning. Over the centuries the phrase hoshiya na stopped being a cry for help unique to the language of the Jews. Instead it became a shout of hope and exultation. Gradually it came to mean,                                             

                                    "Salvation has come!"

When Jesus was in the center of the procession as he entered Jerusalem, the people all around him were shouting, "Salvation has come! Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Praise God in highest heaven!"

It is the excitement of a heart that sees hope and joy and salvation on the way and can't keep it in. So "Hosanna!" means, "Hooray for salvation! It's coming! It's here! The Son of David [Jesus] is our salvation! Hooray for the king! Salvation belongs to the king!”

Video:  “Hosanna” by Hillsong; Click to watch:http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=9M1BFCNU

I see the king of glory 
coming on the clouds with fire
            

The whole earth shakes
, the whole earth shakes . . .



I see his love and mercy 
washing over all our sin


The people sing
, the people sing . . .



Hosanna, 
Hosanna, 
Hosanna in the highest . . .


I see a generation 
rising up to take their place


With selfless faith
, with selfless faith


I see a near revival 
stirring as we pray and seek


We're on our knees
, we're on our knees 

[Chorus]



Heal my heart and make it clean 


Open up my eyes to the things unseen


Show me how to love like you have loved me



Break my heart from what breaks yours


Everything I am for your kingdoms cause


As I go from nothing to Eternity
 . . .

Let the words of the song form your prayer to the Lord.  Look at them again, or listen ~ they actually form quite a comprehensive prayer—from envisioning the King and our reaction to his greatness, prayer for a tender heart and a consuming, selfless love to a cry for revival, and thoughts of the next generation of believers . . . but most of all, ‘Hosanna’, ‘thank you for saving us, thank you for loving us!’ 

Jesus knew his time had come, even as he rode on the back of that donkey … within days would be his agonizing death, yet he received the praise of this people.  What must have been in his eyes as he looked at those who waved palm branches this day, knowing some of the same would yell ‘crucify him’ very soon?  Surely his expressive eyes held a mixture of love, pain, compassion and mercy looking at the crown of his creation. Such love.  And in the next breath, I think of John’s later written words, ‘You are worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
and by Your will they exist and were created.’² 

1 – John 12.12-19

2 – Revelation 4.11