The Fruit of the Spirit Study Week 14

Welcome to the “Front Porch” Bible Study Series. This week we’ll prepare for Palm Sunday by studying the significance of waving palm branches to the Lord. Now I’ll always have a richer understanding of this Palm Sunday celebration of thanksgiving. Come along as I share this nugget from God’s treasure chest with you.

Click HERE to read today’s Scripture. For comparative Scriptures, click HERE to read Mark 11:1-10.

“The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna!
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The King of Israel!’” (John 12:12-13 NKJV)

As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, He sent two of them ahead to find and untie a colt on which no one had sat. The Lord instructed them to answer anyone who questioned their actions by saying that the Lord had need of it, so they would allow it. As the disciples obeyed, it happened exactly as Jesus had said. They spread their cloaks over the animal’s back where Jesus then sat and led him down the hill into Jerusalem.

When the multitudes who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was arriving, they ran to meet Him. They laid their cloaks on the ground and cut down leafy branches as a “red carpet” for Jesus’s entrance into the city. The excited crowds consisted of those from Bethany who had witnessed Lazarus’s resurrection from the dead and those in Jerusalem who had heard about this great sign. They congregated joyfully around Him, waving palm branches and chanting Scripture taken from Psalm 118:25-26: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” (John 12:13 NKJV).

The Jews intended to cast off Caesar and his Roman rule and crown Jesus as their king. This uproar, however, distressed the Pharisees because they were losing the fight to suppress His popularity. Caiaphas expressed fear over what would happen to them politically, realizing they had to side with Rome against Jesus in order to save themselves.

What is the significance of people waving palm branches? We can trace this practice in both the Old and New Testaments.

In Leviticus 23:39-44 (Click HERE), the Israelites waved beautiful palm branches for seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles (also called the Feast of Booths or Sukkot). This feast memorializes how God brought them out of slavery from the land of Egypt. (For more study about the Feast of Tabernacles, click HERE.)

During Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the people rejoiced by waving palm branches in His honor. They welcomed the deliverance they believed He was bringing to them—freedom from Roman tyranny and the political occupation of Israel. They honored Him as a king riding victoriously into His kingdom. A worldly king would come riding on a horse—a symbol of war—but He came riding on a donkey’s colt—a symbol of peace. Later the disciples would understand how this act fulfilled Zechariah 9:9:

“‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey’” (NKJV).

Lastly, we find a future waving of palm branches during a thrilling time in heaven. Revelation 7:9 describes those who will be saved out of the Great Tribulation wearing white robes and holding palm branches. They will cry out, “‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (v.10). (Click HERE to read more about it.)

Do you understand why waving palm branches is significant to God? It represents people showing thanks for God’s deliverance.

  • In Leviticus, God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and entrance back into their Promised Land.
  • The Gospels describe how the Jews expected deliverance from Rome’s political tyranny and the beginning of Messiah’s reign.
  • Revelation reveals the Lamb of God who will deliver a multitude from the evil rule of the Anti-Christ. They will stand before God’s throne and will serve Him day and night in His temple.

The triumphant entry into Jerusalem will happen one day in the future.
At the Second Coming of Christ, Jesus will be riding on a white horse, not a donkey’s colt. He will come to make war on the Anti-Christ and destroy his reign. This is the age when the Messiah’s eternal reign will begin. (Click HERE to read Revelation 19:11-16.)

As we joyfully wave our palm branches on Palm Sunday, let’s remember to be deeply thankful to God for His gift of deliverance. Jesus loosed us from the bondage of sin and death and gave us the right to become God’s sons and daughters through Jesus’s shed blood. We will be joint-heirs with Christ in His kingdom forever.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”(John 1:12 NKJV).

Dear Lord, thank you for becoming our King of kings and Lord of lords. We wave our palm branches to you with hearts full of thanksgiving and praise for Your gift of deliverance. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

10 thoughts on “The Fruit of the Spirit Study Week 14

  1. I have tears in my eyes and would love to be able to attend an English speaking service each Sunday. My worship will be done reading and meditating on the word from posts such as these and the Bible.
    Please pray for me and if you could put me in touch with Christian services that I could view online. That way I will benefit from the true word of God.
    THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR THE MINISTRY OF HOPE THAT YOU ARE SPEADING.
    A SISTER IN CHRIST.

    • Good morning dear Sandra. I’m praying for God to make a way for you to attend a Christian service in your town. But there are many churches with services online. I’ll find some and PM the links to you. God sees your heart and will answer. Prayers, blessings, and hugs! xoxo ❤️

    • Dearest Sandra, I’m praying that the Lord will make a way for you to attend a Christian service in your town this Easter. But there are many online churches to access as well. I’ll PM some links to you as we get closer to Resurrection Sunday. God will give you the desire of your heart, dear sister. Prayers, blessings, and hugs. ❤️xoxo

    • So glad you stopped by today, Gail. Yes, this is such a meaningful month for us. I agree, I love meditating on all the events leading up to Resurrection Sunday! Blessings xoxo ❤️

  2. While reading today’s message, I am thinking of the children in our church who will carry palm branches down the church main aisle as we worship on Palm Sunday. Jesus rode in on a colt. He loves us so much. Thank you for sharing the Easter story and reminding us of His love. 🙂

    • Hi, dear Mimi! Nothing is more precious than teaching the children how to worship the Lord. That’s the age when they’re ripe for salvation. Praying that Jesus will touch their hearts and that seeds of salvation will take root and grow! Have a blessed Palm Sunday! ❤️xoxo

  3. I love all the references of palm branches in the Bible! Some of our church services that touched my heart the most during this season, were when the whole congregation were given palm branches as we entered the church. May we never cease giving Him thanks (love your word “deeply”) for His deliverance, mercy, and grace that He so freely lavishes on us! Praising Him that, although He came meekly the first time to bring us salvation and a way to the Father, the next time He is coming boldly to take us with Him as His beloved bride to the place He has prepared for us beforehand, and is coming to reign in full power! And He shall reign forever & ever!

    • Amen! Yes, and I am looking forward to that day, like you, Becky. Ruling and reigning with Christ will be an amazing day. And the marriage supper of the Lamb—I cant wait! In the meantime, let’s all wave our palm branches high in His honor. Thanks to the Lord Jesus for His deliverance! Wishing you a blessed Palm Sunday, sweet friend. ❤️xoxo

  4. Pingback: The Fruit of the Spirit Study Week 41: Conclusion - Karen Jurgens

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