Again and again, the Old Testament prophets had prophesied about the things that the Messiah would do when He would come in His first coming. Now the prophet Zechariah prophesied concerning the ministry of the Messiah and in particular about His triumphal entry to the city of Jerusalem. Zechariah gave a word of comfort to the Jews who were waiting for their King. He said, “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” (Zech. 9:9).
With regard to this verse, there are three important things which we should take note of. Calvin rightly commented, "The sum of the whole is, that the prediction by which God gave to his chosen people a hope of redemption were not vain or void; for at length in due time Christ, the son of David, would come forth, - Secondly, that this king would be just, and saved or preserved; for he would restore things into order which were in a disgraceful state of confusion, - and thirdly, he adds, that this king would be poor; for he would ride on an ass, and would not appear in great eminence, nor be distinguished for arms, or for riches, or for splendour, or for number of soldiers, or even for royal trappings which dazzle the eyes of the vulgar: he shall ride on an ass."
This is to say that the prophecy of Zechariah reveals that the Messiah would be a King when He enters Jerusalem. Nevertheless the last part of Zech. 9:9 shows that when the King comes He would be poor and riding on an ass.
When Mark recorded the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem, he emphasised that Jesus was sitting upon a colt (Mark 11:7). Therefore when the people saw Jesus, they shouted, “Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mark 11:9). They knew that Jesus was the one prophesied by Zechariah. Nevertheless soon after this event, the Jews were waiting for Jesus to bring victory and liberty to the nation of Israel as a King appointed by God. When they realised that Jesus did not do as they wished, they rejected Him. Nonetheless, those who believed in Him knew that in His first coming, the Messiah would come as a poor and a servant. But in the Second Coming of Christ, He would come as a King who would fulfil what the Scripture said concerning Him.
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