“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!"

Ps 92:12-13 - “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”

Each Spring we celebrate Palm Sunday at the beginning of Holy Week. We are reminded of this passage where many in the crowd carried palm branches and waved them and laid them on the road before Jesus as He was entering into the royal city. The palm tree has a strong tall straight trunk with a crown of branches on the top that stuck out like a crown on the head of the great king of trees. Although the tree was used for poles, food, leaves for thatched roofs and making containers, people also waved the palm branches. This was a celebration custom. We do the same thing, only we call them pom-poms. Most cheerleaders at athletic events will attract attention and excitement with their cheers and shaking pomp, pomps. It is expressing enthusiasm. 

When the Minnesota Twins won their world series in 1987 and 1991, one of the ways the people showed support and excitement in 91was the waving of the homer hanky. Seeing the stadium alive with excitement and white hankies fluttering was a fun event.

Palm branches were used in the Old Testament for rejoicing.  Lev.23: 4l says " On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days." This celebration was known at the time as the Feast of the Tabernacles. It related to when God chose to dwell in their midst in the tabernacle. This was when a tent housed the presence of God and He named this place the Holy of Holies.  

Interestingly, at this time, many of the Jews were staying in booths and tents preparing for the Passover - commemorating the time when Moses led them out of Egypt. They recognized God was in their midst and they celebrated.  This was a prophetic Old Testament celebration of the presence and provision of God for His people. The crowds had seen Jesus provide food with the feeding of the 5,000. They saw Him as a king who would heal the sick and raise the dead.  They wanted a new King that would rule for many years as long as he would give them what they wanted.

Other people were always setting up their own expectations for the Lord, but Jesus refused to live up to the misguided expectations. He will not allow us to make Him over, set the agenda, or determine the terms of our relationship together. He is the one who tells us, not we tell Him.  

Crowds haven't changed much throughout the centuries. They are as fickle as any other crowd. They can rally to the polls to elect an official, then rally to kick him out of office, depending on the mood of the day. It happens to just about every president. It happens for some good and bad reasons. Crowd appeal is very shallow. Let us all be careful not to get caught up in what seems to be group pressure for whatever reason.           

We get a glimpse of another celebration found in Rev. 7:9 "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice. Salvation belongs to our God."  

Palms branches were a significant part of celebrating a victory and a religious expression that God was with them.

Dale