Ascending Mount Zion

The sound of singing grew nearer, interspersed with shouts of “Hosanna!” The shepherd and his family were standing on the staircase leading down from the double-doors of the Huldah gate. Josiah and Zacharias instinctively moved nearer to each other. Deborah put her arm around her husband in anticipation as the throng drew closer and closer. It was clear to all that Sarah had been right after all, and that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. Finally, they saw the first of the crowd round the corner. Some of them were running in the front, waving palm branches in the air. Josiah searched through the emerging multitude for Jesus, and then he saw Him. He was neither on foot nor riding upon a great horse. He had the appearance of a humble man, riding on the foal of a donkey, the jenny in tow. It was Zacharias who spoke with a trembling voice as soon as he saw Him, reminding Josiah of Zechariah’s prophecy, “‘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 a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.’ This Word is being fulfilled before our very eyes!” The shepherd was in awe and unable to speak. All he could do was nod his head. They expected the crowd to move past the foot of the staircase below and proceed to the triple-doors of the other Huldah gate, since the double-gate was being used as an exit on that day. Instead, Jesus stopped below them. He dismounted the colt, as the crowd grew quiet, except for some of the children who continued to sing. Everyone was waiting to see what He would do next. To Josiah’s surprise, He started climbing the steps toward him. Several men crowded around, seeking to shield Him, but He pressed ahead of them picking up the pace as He climbed toward the gate. Suddenly, two Levites came running down the steps past Josiah. It was clear they were agitated. When they got to Jesus one of them said tersely, “This is the exit. You must enter at the other gate.” Jesus stopped and turned, looking at the throng behind him. He took one more step forward causing the Levite to protest again, “I told you that you can’t enter this gate!” Jesus paused momentarily before responding, “Look at the people. There are so many, it is better for them to enter this gate because of the staircase.” Josiah glanced down below and noticed for the first time that the staircase to this gate was much wider than the one he’d climbed to enter the Temple that morning. In fact, the staircase in front of the triple-gate was only fifty feet wide, while the one leading to the double-gate was over two hundred feet wide. He realized that Jesus was thinking of the safety of the crowd. The Levite didn’t know what to say and followed Jesus as He climbed the stairs. When Jesus drew near Josiah, He looked into his eyes, though He didn’t speak a word. Suddenly, Josiah felt overwhelmed. He knew that he was in the presence of the Holy One. It seemed like Jesus could see deeply into his soul. If the Teacher’s eyes weren’t so full of love, Josiah would have dropped his head in shame. It was as if Jesus knew everything about him, even his darkest secrets; and yet the shepherd felt fully accepted by Him. He knew instantly that Jesus was merciful. A strange hush overcame the crowd, even the children, until little Naomi unexpectedly broke the silence. She loved to sing, especially the psalms, and in child-like faith began to sing and repeat the things she’d heard from the multitude. “Hosanna!” She shouted, and then she sang a line from one of her favorite psalms, “Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the LORD!” The Levite, who’d previously tried to get Jesus to use the other gate, quickly tried to hush her; but she wouldn’t stop singing the psalm to Jesus, “Save now, I beseech Thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the LORD!” “Teacher, silence the girl!” The Levite shouted at Him. Instead, Jesus ignored him, reached down and picked her up. Both Josiah and Deborah felt secure with their youngest child in His arms. He looked at her, smiled and whispered something in her ear. Neither Josiah nor Deborah could hear what He said, but His words caused Naomi’s face to light up with a big smile. He kissed her forehead and placed her in her mother’s arms, before quickly heading up the remaining steps. “What did He say?” Deborah asked. Naomi’s eyes were shining when she replied, “He whispered to me, ‘I’ve got a secret for you. If you don’t sing, the stones will immediately cry out.’ Mommy, I don’t want the stones to sing for me.” Deborah responded as she hugged her child, “You can sing to Jesus as much as you like.” At that moment, Josiah and Zacharias realized that the crowd was moving past them. Desperately wanting to see what Jesus was going to do, they led their families back up the steps toward the gate. Josiah had just entered the gate, when he heard a loud crashing sound. Tables were being hurled through the air and coins were bouncing off of the wall and rolling across the marble floor. Somehow, Josiah, Isaac and Michael were able to maneuver through the crowd so they could see Jesus. His tender countenance when He spoke to Naomi had now changed into unmitigated fury. Rushing through the Court of the Gentiles, He knocked over cages and opened the doors of the pens holding the sacrificial animals. Doves and pigeons filled the air, while bulls, sheep and goats stampeded through the court. The vendors who sold them ran from the Temple in abject terror. Suddenly, He cried out in a loud voice to those who were fleeing, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves!’” Zacharias hurried to Josiah’s side in the midst of the chaos and whispered in his ear the words of a psalm of David, “‘The zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up!’ Josiah, David spoke of Him. David spoke of this moment!”