By Gloria Henry

Colt of an AssTh

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Matthew 21:1-5And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethpage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled by the prophet saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

Parables and symbolsMatthew 21:1-14 is about Christ entering into Jerusalem riding a colt of an ass before he was crucified He told his disciples to go to the village where they would find an ass tied and a colt with her and to loose them and bring them to him, and if anyone ask them why they are doing this to tell them the Lord had need of them.

When we think about Christ riding into Jerusalem we think of just one ass but did you know there were 2 animals, the female ass and her colt that was brought to him?

“Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me”, Matthew 21:2,

So what did this mean? Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass”. Why were these animals chosen instead of a horse for Christ to bring forth

salvation unto us? We can see that ever thing Christ did or said was an example, parable and prophecy for us to see. Let us understand what the ass represented. An ass is a beast of burden and lowly and not like a horse. An ass can carry great burdens up mountains and terrains because it is sure footed. In Isaiah 9:6-7 it was prophesied that Christ would bring the government upon his shoulders and salvation to his people; “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government

So Why a Colt?

It isn’t a pretty animal

Why were these animals chosen instead of a horse for Christ to bring forth salvation unto us? We can see that ever thing Christ did or said was an example, parable and prophecy for us to see. Let us understand what the ass represented.

A beast of BurdenAn ass is a beast of burden and lowly and not like a horse. An ass can carry great burdens up mountains and terrains because it is sure footed. In Isaiah 9:6-7 it was prophesied that Christ would bring the government upon his shoulders and salvation to his people; “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government

and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of host will perform this”.

Christ wears the crown of Issachar, “Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens, and that it was pleasant. And he saw that rest was good, and that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute”.

SymbolsThe Old and New Covenants

This was not the first time that God came unto the world and offered salvation through his word. As we know, he gave his verbal commandments starting with Adam and his written commandments starting with Moses. The government was on his shoulders then and now. What did these 2 animals represent when Christ rode into Jerusalem and his disciples put their clothes on the animals and set Christ upon the asses? A great multitude

spread their garments in the way and cut down branches from trees, and strawed them in the way. These two asses represented the old and new covenants; the female ass was the old covenant which God brought to the people with his written word; the colt of the ass represented the new covenant being brought to the people for their salvation. The old covenant with its animal sacrifice could not save mankind but it took the blood of Christ to bring salvation to the world. That is why it was important that the colt had never been ridden by anyone because, only Christ, being the seed of the gospel could bring this to the people, Luke 19:30.

The New Testament

Christ was bringing in a new dispensation, the New Testament or the gospel. A way was being opened not only for Israel but the Gentiles as well. “Go through, go through the gated; prepare

ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway: gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him”, Isaiah 62:10-11.

This is important to know, just as the colt of the ass came forth from the female donkey and they represent the old and new covenant; the new covenant or gospel came forth from the old covenant. The laws of God never changed, neither his testimonies. Christ being crucified there was no further need of animal sacrifices! Christ said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled”, Matthew 5:17-18.

The laws of God never changed, neither his testimonies. Christ being crucified there was no further need of animal sacrifices! Christ said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled”, Matthew 5:17-18.

Amen By G. Colleen Henry Elder