Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, March 24, 2013

The Covenant Donkey

Zech 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

“Colt, the foal of a donkey”, AYIR BEN ATHON. Literally translated, “A male donkey, son of a female donkey.”

“Colt, the foal of a donkey”, AYIR BEN ATHON. Literally translated, “A male donkey, son of a female donkey.” Representing our Lord as the Son of the Virgin Mary.

Heb 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

The fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in each of the gospels: Mat 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-50

Our King distinguished himself by riding upon a donkey, a common beast used to carrying heavy loads during times of peace. The “beast of burden”, Mat 21:5, and the “Prince of Peace”, Isa 9:6.

1. “Donkey” is related to Ishmael and Abraham, Gen 16:11-12, where Abraham did not faith-rest on the Lord that resulted in disaster. Ishmael - “wild donkey.”

This represents sin - what our Lord came to reconcile. Because we are all wild donkey’s who rebel against Him.

2. Gen 22, Abraham preparing for the journey to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice Isaac, now in faith and obedience to the Lord.

3. Exodus 13, Israelites were to dedicate their firstborn males to the Lord; sons as well as beast. Animals are included since they too benefited from the deliverance in Egypt by the blood of the Passover lamb.

In Lev 11:2-4 they could not be sacrificed, but they could be redeemed by a lamb. Again the analogy to sinful man. Cf. Rom 5:19; 1 Cor 15:22, 45

“Breaking the neck” of the unredeemed donkeys reminds us of the severe consequence to the unbeliever, Second Death in the Eternal Lake of Fire, Rev 20:15.

4. The Rebellion of Korah, Num 16:15. Moses never took a bribe to pervert justice. The analogy of the righteous vs. unrighteous.

5. Balaam’s Ass, Num 22, tells of God’s Directive, Permissive and Overruling will. Cf. 2 Peter 2:16, “But he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.”

6. Deut 22:10, yoking of an ox and donkey was forbidden by Law. Paul illustrates the principle that believers and unbelievers should not be yoked together, 2 Cor 6:14-18.

7. Samson used the jaw bone of a donkey to kill a thousand Philistines, Judges 15:15. The might of the work of the Cross to overcome sin and evil.

8. Samuel and Saul, 1 Sam 9, speak of lost donkeys. Vs. 20, “As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?”

Christ being buried for three days and nights and found resurrected on the third day, for “all the Father’s household.”

9. Gen 49:10-12, a prophecy of the Messiah’s suffering and glory. Cf. Luke 24:25-27, 45-48; Acts 26:22; 1 Peter 1:10-11.

An extra Biblical analogy comes from an ancient text from Mari, a city on the upper Euphrates, dating from about the 18th century B.C.

The shedding of the blood of the AYIR BEN ATHON would ratify a covenant. Therefore, it was called the “Covenant Donkey.”

Jesus is qualified to be grantee and guarantor of the new covenant through the shedding of His blood of the covenant.

Zech 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Grace Offering 2 Cor 9:7, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, March 24, 2013 Tape # Palm Sunday Special The Covenant Donkey Zech 9:9-12; Mat 21:1-11; Isa 9:6; Gen 22:3-5 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2013