They Didn’t Realize
Scripture: John 12:12-19 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)
His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him. (John 12:16 NLT)
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that little donkey, he fulfilled prophecies from Psalm 118:25-26; Zephaniah 3:15; Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt. (Zechariah 9:9 NLT)
John, writing this account nearly sixty years later, makes a really good point. Jesus’ disciples, of whom John was one, actually missed the point of this event altogether! So often in the Bible accounts, the people who were present and even participating in the fulfillment of prophecies God had given, prophecies they had believed in and were eagerly waiting for, didn’t recognize the current events as fulfillment of prophecy at all! Not surprising. God’s ways are higher than ours!
One reason for this is that God always fulfills his promises but seldom our expectations! We can’t help developing expectations about things we are waiting for! Our busy minds and active imaginations create a scenario in which the prophecy plays out in a way that makes sense to us with our limited field of vision. God, who sees the end from the beginning, and who has an unrestricted field of view, sees it in an entirely different way! And you know it’s going to happen the way God sees it!
It’s good to reflect, to think back over the years, the prayers prayed, the promises given, the events and seasons of our lives. Many times we don’t recognize the hand of God at work in the moment, but on reflection we can see it with complete clarity. The prophecies Jean and I have been given through the years have all come true, but not one of them has happened the way we imagined it when we heard it. And for that, I’m very thankful! Because God’s ways are so much better than anything we could have imagined! How about you? Take some time today to reflect on answered prayers, fulfilled promises, and God’s faithfulness!
Prayer:
Father, Thank you for watching over your Word to fulfill it and watching over our lives to fulfill your promises to us. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see! In Jesus’ Name.