A joyful kingdom.
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem," etc. How sudden, how loud, how urgent, is this call to rejoice! No wonder; for in the bare fact announced here there is ample cause to rejoice. "Thy King cometh"—a King of thine own, not an alien king like him just spoken of. This possibly the connection of thought. Still greater the cause for rejoicing in what is said of this King; whether
I. TO ZION HERSELF. Consider:
1. The purpose of his coming, viz.:
2. The manner of his coming. How admirably this corresponds to his purpose! Being a King, he appears (for once at least) in befitting state, riding on an animal never employed before. Being also a Saviour, he comes in mercy and meekness, in the lowliest way a king could.
II. TO THE HEATHEN NEIGHBOURS OF ZION. As shown by the description given here:
1. Of the aspect of his kingdom towards them. "He shall Speak peace to the heathen" (Zechariah 9:10). The Jews themselves seem to have expected otherwise; as shown to some extent by such passages as Acts 1:6; Mark 10:37; and specially by the extreme unwillingness of the Apostle Peter to treat any Gentile whatever (Acts 10:4) as otherwise than common or unclean. This "enmity" (Ephesians 2:16) was to be so completely "taken away" that the very weapons of warfare were to be "cut off" and perish. A cause for rejoicing, indeed, when accomplished, both to believing Jews (Acts 11:18) and to Gentiles (Acts 13:48).
2. Of the extent of his kingdom among them. "From sea to sea," etc. (Mark 10:10). The reference, apparently, is to Psalms 72:8; also to the promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:18; and ultimately to Psalms 2:8. How this was fulfilled in gospel times we learn from such passages as Acts 11:26 and Acts 17:6; Romans 15:19; Colossians 1:6.
III. TO MANKIND AT LARGE. Whether we consider:
1. The kind of persons saved. These would appear (from Colossians 1:11) to be the worst cases of all—persons needing salvation the most. They are described as being persons in prison; as being in its lowest part, perhaps in its "pit;" as being there without means of subsistence; as having their life, in fact, like Joseph in Genesis 37:24, Genesis 37:27, only not gone.
2. The kind of salvation vouchsafed.
CONCLUSION. How great cause, in all this, for us, too, to rejoice! If the prospect was good, the fulfilment is better (Matthew 13:16, Matthew 13:17; Hebrews 11:13, Hebrews 11:39, Hebrews 11:40; 1 Peter 1:10-12). If the mere hope was so bright, how much better the harvest! How great cause, also, for taking warning! The fuller the salvation, the greater the peril of rejecting it (Hebrews 2:1-3; Hebrews 10:28, Hebrews 10:29). The more complete, also, its provisions, the more final. "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin;" "Last of all he sent unto them his Son"