What a day that will be!
All day today, Palm Sunday, I've been thinking about this story which I wrote a while back. This is a journalist's report of that coming day - interviewing the various people gathered to see the King enter the city to sit on the throne. Yes, it's all speculation. I tried to imagine what it will be like, but I'm sure it will be more than I can ever dream it to be.
ZION REJOICES
“Good morning. This is Keturah Goldman, reporting for WKNG. I am standing outside the city of Jerusalem, or Zion as it is now called. As I look around, it is hard to believe this is the same place we have known all our lives. Those of us who survived the Great Disasters and Purification can hardly believe the difference.
“It has only been a few months, but the world has changed. After the Worldwide Earthquake, the only mountain remaining is Mount Zion. With the gleaming gold temple at its peak, it stands as a beacon above all the land. The valleys have been lifted and the hills made low. Gone are the deserts and wilderness places. Instead, there are lush fields of grains and grass. Trees and flowers flourish where only sand and rocks once existed.
“Nearby is the new Crystal River. This river flows from the temple itself, widening as it travels westward toward the Dead Sea. Reports tell of the once-barren-waters now being filled with fish of all species. Everything that is touched by the Crystal River is healed and nourished.
“It seems like only yesterday when the Messiah returned with the saints and angels. What a frightful, yet glorious sight that was! I have with me another survivor, Michael Stein. “Hi, this is an exciting day, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is."
"Where were you, sir, when Jesus Christ returned to earth?”
“I was hiding in the caves near Petra. I thought it was the end of the world. With the darkness and fire and the earthquake, I was sure it was the end of the world.”
“I suppose, in a way, it was the end of the world—the end of what we have known down through history. What are you doing in Jerusalem today?”
“I’ve come, along with everyone else, to see the King. I’ve been helping with the clean-up and reconstruction, but today is a day of rejoicing.”
“Yes, it is! Praise to the Lord! Thank you for talking with us, sir.”
“Praise to the Lord!”
“There are people of all nationalities around me today, although even that has changed. We are all citizens of the Zion Kingdom now. There are no countries and governments, except for the Lord’s Kingdom. He rules over all. It has been found that there are only 144 thousand survivors of the Great Disasters. All the other citizens are the Regenerated Ones. They have different bodies than ours. Still having skin and flesh, they are able to travel by thought, passing through solid walls. They eat, yet do not seem to get hungry or thirsty. They have wisdom and powers never known by man before. Some wear bands of gold around their head. Those are the Martyred Ones.
“Here is a Regenerated One right now. Let’s see if he’ll talk to us. Hello, sir. Could you tell us your name and a little about yourself?”
“Good morning. Praise to the King! I’m Russ Hodkins, former missionary and translator.”
“Translator of the Bible?”
“Yes, just before the Rapture, we had teams working to translate the Bible into about ten different unwritten languages. We never did finish the Minoa translation, but that doesn’t matter now. The Lord is with us! We have no need of Bibles!”
“There are thousands of people here. What a wonderful day!”
“Yes, besides all the Survivors and Regenerated Ones, there are thousands, maybe millions, of angels around us, too.”
“You can see the angels?”
“Yes, they are brilliantly white and singing, ‘Holy is the Lamb that was slain. Glory to the Highest! Honor and majesty to the Son of God!”
“Amazing! Thank you, sir, for sharing that sight with us. There now seems to be some excitement in the crowds. I can see men cutting down branches from the trees growing along the river and passing them out to bystanders. Children are running about. There is singing and shouting and laughter. The air is alive with anticipation. Even the flowers and birds seem to be praising the Lord. The trees are clapping their hands for joy. Perhaps, even the rocks are rejoicing!
“It has only been a few months, but the world has changed. After the Worldwide Earthquake, the only mountain remaining is Mount Zion. With the gleaming gold temple at its peak, it stands as a beacon above all the land. The valleys have been lifted and the hills made low. Gone are the deserts and wilderness places. Instead, there are lush fields of grains and grass. Trees and flowers flourish where only sand and rocks once existed.
“Nearby is the new Crystal River. This river flows from the temple itself, widening as it travels westward toward the Dead Sea. Reports tell of the once-barren-waters now being filled with fish of all species. Everything that is touched by the Crystal River is healed and nourished.
“It seems like only yesterday when the Messiah returned with the saints and angels. What a frightful, yet glorious sight that was! I have with me another survivor, Michael Stein. “Hi, this is an exciting day, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is."
"Where were you, sir, when Jesus Christ returned to earth?”
“I was hiding in the caves near Petra. I thought it was the end of the world. With the darkness and fire and the earthquake, I was sure it was the end of the world.”
“I suppose, in a way, it was the end of the world—the end of what we have known down through history. What are you doing in Jerusalem today?”
“I’ve come, along with everyone else, to see the King. I’ve been helping with the clean-up and reconstruction, but today is a day of rejoicing.”
“Yes, it is! Praise to the Lord! Thank you for talking with us, sir.”
“Praise to the Lord!”
“There are people of all nationalities around me today, although even that has changed. We are all citizens of the Zion Kingdom now. There are no countries and governments, except for the Lord’s Kingdom. He rules over all. It has been found that there are only 144 thousand survivors of the Great Disasters. All the other citizens are the Regenerated Ones. They have different bodies than ours. Still having skin and flesh, they are able to travel by thought, passing through solid walls. They eat, yet do not seem to get hungry or thirsty. They have wisdom and powers never known by man before. Some wear bands of gold around their head. Those are the Martyred Ones.
“Here is a Regenerated One right now. Let’s see if he’ll talk to us. Hello, sir. Could you tell us your name and a little about yourself?”
“Good morning. Praise to the King! I’m Russ Hodkins, former missionary and translator.”
“Translator of the Bible?”
“Yes, just before the Rapture, we had teams working to translate the Bible into about ten different unwritten languages. We never did finish the Minoa translation, but that doesn’t matter now. The Lord is with us! We have no need of Bibles!”
“There are thousands of people here. What a wonderful day!”
“Yes, besides all the Survivors and Regenerated Ones, there are thousands, maybe millions, of angels around us, too.”
“You can see the angels?”
“Yes, they are brilliantly white and singing, ‘Holy is the Lamb that was slain. Glory to the Highest! Honor and majesty to the Son of God!”
“Amazing! Thank you, sir, for sharing that sight with us. There now seems to be some excitement in the crowds. I can see men cutting down branches from the trees growing along the river and passing them out to bystanders. Children are running about. There is singing and shouting and laughter. The air is alive with anticipation. Even the flowers and birds seem to be praising the Lord. The trees are clapping their hands for joy. Perhaps, even the rocks are rejoicing!
“In the distance, I see the King on a white stallion. He wears a red cloak, with a purple and gold sash across His shoulder. On His head is a crown of gold, sparkling with every precious jewel on earth. Shouts of ‘Hosanna!’ and ‘Worthy is the Lamb!’ rise from the crowd. Branches and garments are strewn before Him.
“As He passes, all bow before Him—men lay prostate before their Creator, their Redeemer, their Messiah. He is not coming as a humble King on the back of a foal of an ass. He is coming to His throne as a triumphant King. He has conquered sin and death and hell. He is the King of all rulers and principalities and powers. Praise to the King! Let the children of Zion be joyful! Rejoice for Your Messiah cometh!
“The noise is deafening as He approaches the city. The eastern gates have been opened wide. Trumpets are sounding on the tops of walls and along the way. Praise to the King! There are banners and ribbons and music. The heavens itself are singing to Him.
“The Messiah is drawing closer to us now. He raises His arm, and I can see the scar in His palm—the mark of His sacrifice. He is the Lamb of God, the propitiation for our sins. He looks at me. Tears of gratefulness run down my cheeks.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee:
He is just, and having salvation!”
shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee:
He is just, and having salvation!”
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