A Pastor’s Perspective

“Sunday Driver” by Mike Hill, pastor of Calvary Chapel Aberdeen (mjhill@ida.net)

“How in the world did I end up here?”  It felt surreal to be in the emergency room waiting for the doctor to mend the gash in my forehead.  When the police officer entered the room to hand me the ticket, I was jolted back into reality.  I phoned home.  “Honey, I’m okay, but I wanted to let you know I was in a car accident.”  Assured by the calmness in my voice, my wife asked about the details concerning the crash, damage, etc.  Then, she inquired, “Where are you calling from?”  I gently responded, “Oh, the hospital…”  “YOU’RE WHERE??!!”

When that day began some seven years ago, I didn’t plan to get T-Boned by a family van.  If someone predicted that my destiny included shuttle service by an ambulance to the hospital, I would have laughed it off.  I didn’t intend to pull out in front a vehicle I should have seen.  Not planned or predicted.  I just wasn’t paying attention. I chalked it up as a “Sunday driver” accident that occurred on a busy weekday.

Jesus was no ordinary Sunday driver as He rode into town upon a donkey some 2000 years ago.  Nor was anything accidental about that special Palm Sunday, April 6, 32 A.D.  Every detail surrounding that day was planned and predicted well in advance.

In 538 B.C. the prophet Daniel experienced a close encounter of the supernatural kind.  The angel Gabriel appeared to him and disclosed the most amazingly detailed prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.  He revealed to Daniel the very day of what we call the “Triumphal Entry.”  "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times” (Daniel 9:25).  According to this prophecy, the Messiah was to come 483 years (7 weeks of years + 62 weeks of years = 7x7 + 62 x 7 = 49 + 434 = 483 years) from the time of the command to restore and build Jerusalem.  When was the command given?  March 14, 445 B.C.  King Artaxerxes gave this particular decree to Nehemiah  (Nehemiah 2:1-8). 

Knowing that Daniel used the Babylonian calendar which has only 360 days per year, you can calculate to the very day when Jesus fulfilled the Zechariah 9:9 prophecy, and came upon a colt, the foal of a donkey, to reveal Himself as Messiah.  Multiply 360 x 483 = 173,880 days.  What specific date occurred exactly 173,880 days after March 14, 445 B.C.?  April 6, 32 A.D.  Amazing!  No wonder Jesus wept over Jerusalem on that day.  He knew that a few days later He would be rejected by the people He came to save.  Tragically,  they would suffer judgment (See Luke 19:42). 

There are over 300 prophecies in the Bible that were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming.  You’d think everyone in His day would be prepared to receive Him.  There are many more prophecies yet to be fulfilled in His Second Coming.  He won’t be riding a donkey then, but He’ll be the Victorious King riding upon a white horse (Revelation 19:11).  Don’t be “blind-sided” by not paying attention to God’s Word.   The Bible says to “watch” and “be ready.”  Prepare your heart to welcome the King.