The crowd in Luke 19:38 sang these words with loud and triumphant cries as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. There, He would overcome the world’s philosophies and antichrist religion (John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 1:17-31; Galatians 1:4), conquer sin, defeat death, destroy the works of the devil and take His place as God and man on His Father’s throne, the one Mediator between God and men, to give salvation to His people in sovereign mercy.
The religious rulers envied Jesus. (They always do.) They hated Him and cringed at the words. (They always will.) They could not stand the sound of the people’s praise. (They never can.) They ordered Jesus to silence them. But Jesus told them that was impossible. It was ordained by God from eternity. It was His good pleasure that these should extol His Son as King by open and jubilant praise at this time. The earth then rang with His praise. The earth now rings with His praise by the preaching of Christ and Him crucified in the hearts of believers.
God required the people to praise Christ as King at this particular time in anticipation of the atonement He would accomplish outside the walls of Jerusalem. If they held their peace, God would immediately raise up men from stones to sing in their place. Enough of your opposition! Enough of your attempts to stand in God’s way to make peace in heaven for His people and in their hearts by faith! Enough of your vain attempts to silence praise to the Lord Jesus Christ from them!
No higher praise can be given than this: “Hosanna!” It means, “Save, we beseech!” Or, “O, Save us!” According to John Gill, “Hosanna” is taken from Psalm 118:25, “Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD.” Christ came for this purpose. He accomplished what He came to do. The Lord Jesus Christ now sends the salvation that He obtained for His people to them by His ambassadors (preachers) from heaven’s throne, according to the everlasting covenant of grace, according to the ancient prophecies of scripture and according to the cries of these people. God’s Son came to fulfill His will to save His people. What would this require? It would require dealing with sin and its consequences in heaven and on earth.
Christ’s death made peace in heaven. God required reconciliation, and Christ made that reconciliation by His death on the cross (Daniel 9:24; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20). His death made peace to God’s justice on account of the sins of His people (Romans 3:25; 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Galatians 3:13). God’s law was broken. His justice was provoked. Christ, by his sacrifice, satisfied both the law and justice of God. Neither the wrath of God, nor any of its effects can now fall on the persons for whom Christ made propitiation (Romans 8:1; 1 John 2:1-2). God’s justice is satisfied. His wrath is pacified and taken away (Psalm 85:3; Isaiah 12:1). Every perfection in God is now glorified to the highest possible extent by the death of Christ. Glory to God in the highest! His justice now stands prominently in defense of all for whom Christ died. As the rulers then, all challengers and accusers and opposers to God’s salvation of His people are called to His court. In Romans 8:27-39 the trial is scripted. On Judgment Day, court will be held. God will silence every accuser and all of their charges with this argument: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?! It is God that justifieth! Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Truly, peace has been made in heaven by the blood of Christ for God’s elect people. The Prince of Peace has made peace with God in heaven for sinful men according to the everlasting covenant of peace. He is the King of righteousness, and He is therefore the King of peace (Hebrews 7:2). God has met His own conditions for peace: “He hath made Him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). On this ground, He now says to you, “Be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20)! Is this sufficient grounds for you to believe Him? Go to the Lord Jesus Christ with His words and His work. Go to God by Him (Matthew 11:28-29; Hebrews 10:19). Sue for mercy at the throne of grace. Ask for every grace that brings you nigh. He delights in mercy (Micah 7:18). Sinners, Jesus will receive (Luke 15).
The religious rulers envied Jesus. (They always do.) They hated Him and cringed at the words. (They always will.) They could not stand the sound of the people’s praise. (They never can.) They ordered Jesus to silence them. But Jesus told them that was impossible. It was ordained by God from eternity. It was His good pleasure that these should extol His Son as King by open and jubilant praise at this time. The earth then rang with His praise. The earth now rings with His praise by the preaching of Christ and Him crucified in the hearts of believers.
God required the people to praise Christ as King at this particular time in anticipation of the atonement He would accomplish outside the walls of Jerusalem. If they held their peace, God would immediately raise up men from stones to sing in their place. Enough of your opposition! Enough of your attempts to stand in God’s way to make peace in heaven for His people and in their hearts by faith! Enough of your vain attempts to silence praise to the Lord Jesus Christ from them!
No higher praise can be given than this: “Hosanna!” It means, “Save, we beseech!” Or, “O, Save us!” According to John Gill, “Hosanna” is taken from Psalm 118:25, “Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD.” Christ came for this purpose. He accomplished what He came to do. The Lord Jesus Christ now sends the salvation that He obtained for His people to them by His ambassadors (preachers) from heaven’s throne, according to the everlasting covenant of grace, according to the ancient prophecies of scripture and according to the cries of these people. God’s Son came to fulfill His will to save His people. What would this require? It would require dealing with sin and its consequences in heaven and on earth.
Christ’s death made peace in heaven. God required reconciliation, and Christ made that reconciliation by His death on the cross (Daniel 9:24; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20). His death made peace to God’s justice on account of the sins of His people (Romans 3:25; 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Galatians 3:13). God’s law was broken. His justice was provoked. Christ, by his sacrifice, satisfied both the law and justice of God. Neither the wrath of God, nor any of its effects can now fall on the persons for whom Christ made propitiation (Romans 8:1; 1 John 2:1-2). God’s justice is satisfied. His wrath is pacified and taken away (Psalm 85:3; Isaiah 12:1). Every perfection in God is now glorified to the highest possible extent by the death of Christ. Glory to God in the highest! His justice now stands prominently in defense of all for whom Christ died. As the rulers then, all challengers and accusers and opposers to God’s salvation of His people are called to His court. In Romans 8:27-39 the trial is scripted. On Judgment Day, court will be held. God will silence every accuser and all of their charges with this argument: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?! It is God that justifieth! Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Truly, peace has been made in heaven by the blood of Christ for God’s elect people. The Prince of Peace has made peace with God in heaven for sinful men according to the everlasting covenant of peace. He is the King of righteousness, and He is therefore the King of peace (Hebrews 7:2). God has met His own conditions for peace: “He hath made Him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). On this ground, He now says to you, “Be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20)! Is this sufficient grounds for you to believe Him? Go to the Lord Jesus Christ with His words and His work. Go to God by Him (Matthew 11:28-29; Hebrews 10:19). Sue for mercy at the throne of grace. Ask for every grace that brings you nigh. He delights in mercy (Micah 7:18). Sinners, Jesus will receive (Luke 15).
Rick Warta
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