The triumphal parade into life

     One of the top ten fears people have is the fear of death. This is a hard one to overcome without the Lord. There are some key steps in facing our fears, not the least of which is to define them. Physical death is easy to define, but why is it fearful? It is because of uncertainty. People are afraid to die because they are unsure about if there is anything after, or because they believe there is an afterlife but they are not confident about what it holds for them. The Bible is clear about this. Only God is eternal going backwards. He had no beginning, and He will have no ending (Ex 3:14, Is 57:15, Rev 1:8). We all had a beginning, but we are all eternal going forward. From the moment of conception. we will all continue to exist forever going forward. The only question is where. This menu has only two options – eternal life and eternal death (Mk 9:43-47, Lk 16:19-31, Jn 3:15-21, Jn 5:24-29, Rom 2:5-10, Rom 6:23, Rev 20:11-15). In this case, death does not mean annihilation. It means eternal separation from God in a place of torment. This is also called the second death (Rev 2:11, Rev 20:6 & 14, Rev 21:8).

     God told Adam that in the day he ate the forbidden fruit he would die (Gen 2:15-17). Adam and Eve did not physically die when they sinned. In fact, Adam lived 930 years in total (Gen 5:5). They died spiritually because sin separates us from God (Is 59:1-2). When a flower is cut from the plant, it is already dead because it is disconnected from its life source. It may take a week or two for the pedals to change color and fall off and for the stem to wilt, but it was already dead. When we are disconnected from God, we are spiritually dead (Mt 8:22). It may take time for that to be reflected in the body, but death is already working in it (Lk 1:79, Rom 7:24, Rom 8:6, Jam 1:15).

     God is holy. To be in relationship with Him we are also to be holy (Lev 20:7, 2Cor 6:14-7:1, 1Pet 1:15-16). For God, holiness is His nature. Our human nature is tainted by sin (Rom 3, Rom 6-8). The gospel is the solution to this dilemma. We die to sin in repentance, we are buried with Christ in water baptism, and we are risen with Him through the baptism of the Holy Ghost (1Cor 15:1-4, Acts 2:38-39, Acts 8:12-17, Acts 10:43-48, Acts 19:1-7, Rom 6:1-4, Col 2:8-12). When we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we become partakers of His divine nature (2Pet 1:2-4). If we continue on the path of sanctification, we can have confidence in His ability to keep us until we enter into eternal life (Jn 8:31, Col 1:20-23, 2Tim 1:12, 1Jn 5:13). This does not negate our free will. We must choose to follow Him daily (Deut 30:10-20, Josh 24:15). There is eternal security, but it is not unconditional. The word if appears over 100 times in both the Old and New Testaments regarding our status with God. If is a word of condition.

     Man has no means within himself to conquer physical or spiritual death. God knew this before the world began, and He made a plan to solve this dilemma (Jn 17:5 & 24, 1Cor 2:7, Eph 1:4, 2Tim 1:9, Titus 1:2, 1Pet 1:20). Since no man could fix the problem because all have sinned (Rom 3), God came in the flesh Himself to be our Savior (Jn 1:1-14, Jn 14:7-11, Acts 20:28, 2Cor 5:19, Col 1:19, Col 2:9, 1Tim 3:16). Through the sacrifice He provided, He conquered both physical and spiritual death (Jn 3:16, Jn 5:24, Jn 6:26-58, Rom 5:10-21, Rom 6-8, 1Cor 15:20-26 & 54-56, 2Cor 2:16, Heb 2:9, Heb 9:15-17, Rev 20:6, Rev 21:4). He abolished death (2Tim 1:10). “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham (Heb 2:14-16).”

     2Corinthians 2:14-16 says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” Here Paul is referring to the victory parade the Roman army would be given when returning from a victorious battle. The word translated triumph here is the Greek word thriambeuō, which according to Thayer’s Lexicon means “among the Romans, a triumphal procession”. It can also mean a hymn sung in festal processions in honor of the god Bacchus (Dionysus). The only other place this word appears is Colossians 2:15, which says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

The Roman victory parade was a highly organized affair, and each aspect of it has correlation to the victory Jesus Christ won for us. According to Vines Expository Dictionary, 2Corinthians 2:14 refers to Christ displaying the church as His glory and His devoted subjects as the Roman general’s sons and officers riding behind his chariot in the victory parade; whereas Colossians 2:15 refers to the triumphant display of defeated captives exposing them to humiliation.

     Here are some descriptions of this parade:     

     1. “A triumph in Rome was a magnificent procession in honor of a victorious general, and

the highest military distinction which he could obtain. It was granted by the senate only to

one who had held the office of dictator, consul, or praetor, and after a decisive victory in the

         complete subjugation of a province. In a Roman triumph the victorious general entered

the city in a chariot drawn by four horses. He was crowned with laurel, having a scepter in

one hand and a branch of laurel in the other. He was preceded by the senate and

magistrates, musicians, the spoils of his victory, and the captives in fetters; and followed by

his army on foot, in marching order. The procession thus advanced along the Via Sacra to

the Capitol, where a bull was sacrificed to Jupiter, and the laurel wreath deposited in the

lap of the god. During the triumphal entry the priests burned incense, and hence, the

reference of the apostle: "For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are

saved, and in them that perish; to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a

savor from life unto life" (2 Cor 2:15,16). The incense that was to the victor the "savor" of

his triumph would be to the wretched captives the "savor," or intimation, of a rapidly

approaching death in the Roman arena or in the damp vaults of the Tullianum. Thus the

"incense," or influence, of the apostolic gospel would be to the believer the assurance of

redemption through Christ, and to the unbeliever the assurance of spiritual death.

         After the suicide of Antony in Alexandria (30 BC) Augustus Caesar succeeded in getting

         Cleopatra into his power. She had hoped to subdue him by her charms, but without avail.

         Aware that she was doomed, she revolted against the thought of being led in triumph to

         Rome, and, as tradition states, took her own life by allowing an asp to bite her, saying, "I

         will not be led in triumph"; see Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, V, ii:

           "He'll lead me, then, in triumph? ....

            Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown

            In Rome as well as I: mechanic slaves,

            With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers shall

            Uplift us to the view. ....”

         (Arthur Walwyn Evans, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

     2. “During the Roman Triumph March (“thriambeuo” – a noisy, joyous victory

          procession”), as the people celebrated the military success of a general,

          as the spoils of battle were paraded in the streets, as the Roman priests

          burned incense in celebration of the victory, and as the enemy captives

          marched in humiliation and defeat to the coliseum, the general’s sons

          walked behind him in a place of honor. They didn’t fight the battles, but

          they shared in the Triumph March because they were related to the

          General by blood!

          I wasn’t at Calvary, but I have a right to the privileges of a Son. As long

          as I stay in the Triumph March, there is victory. The devil may accuse

          from his position of defeat at the back of the parade (!), but I don’t need

          to listen to him – he has been conquered by my Father!”

     3. “Hail the conquering hero! Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian, had won a great victory.

         Jerusalem and all Palestine had fallen! When Titus returned to Rome the senate voted

to honor him with a “triumph”—a special parade of high honor. Leading the procession

were wagons of silver and gold, the spoils of war. Then came the captives, accompanied by

         huge tapestries that depicted how each battle had been won. At the end of this “triumph”

         parade came Titus and his father, riding together in a stately chariot. Domitian (the brother

         and ultimate successor of Titus) rode beside them on a magnificent steed. The “triumph”

         wound its way through the city until it reached the temple of Jupiter. There, according to

         time-honored custom, the enemy’s general would be executed. In this case it was Simon,

         the son of Gioras. When the cry rang out that Simon was no more, Rome feasted through

         the night and celebrated Titus’s great conquest.” (Ozark Christian College)

     4. A” custom in the ancient world after winning a war was to bring the captives back, and it 

         was called a Triumphal Procession or a march through the city of Rome. Company grade   

         officers were called centurion. Field grade officers were called tribunes. General officers

         were called praetor or imperium. When an imperium was victorious, his army lined up and

         saluted him with a tremendous shout: “Ave imperator!” The highest honor that could be

         given to an imperator was a Triumph (Triumphus). On the day appointed for the

         Triumphal Procession, the senate declared a holiday and the entire population of Rome

         came out of their homes and stationed themselves along the streets. The victorious

         imperator or general assembled his troops outside the gate and delivered a speech

         commending his army on their victory. The highest honor was the corona [crown in the

         Latin, equivalent to the Greek stephanos] = “crown.” At the end of his speech and having

         given out all of the decorations, he gave a command and the finance corps distributed to

         every Roman soldier a large sum of money for his part in the campaign. At the gate of the

         city, the imperator was met by the Roman senators and magistrates of the city. They    

         welcomed him in the name of the senate and people of Rome or SPQR. The idea was to

         make a display of these people or a public display of the captives. Then came a long train

         of carriages, extending for miles, on which were displayed various pictures of the country

         that had been conquered. Next came a flute-playing band, followed by the white bulls

         which were destined to be offered as sacrifices. They were followed by the priests carrying

         their sacrificial knives. Next came the enemy’s arms, their captured weapons, followed by

         the leaders of the enemy country and army and members of their family. Behind them

         came the lictors or the officers of the imperator marching in single file. Then standing

         behind the imperator in the chariot was a slave. Bringing up the rear was the entire body of

         infantry in marching order. Just as the procession ascended the Capitoline hill, the highest

         of the seven hills of ancient Rome, the leaders of the conquered army were pulled out of

         ranks, taken to the Mamertime dungeon, and brutally slaughtered. After this occurred a

         certain number of prisoners were slaughtered as a sacrifice to Jupiter, and the general 

         himself would come to the temple of Jupiter. Then a public banquet was held in honor of

         the imperator that lasted from six to eight hours. During the course of the banquet, the

         imperator was given a Triumphalis Domas, which was a beautiful mansion, called the

         House of Triumph.” (Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries)

     5. “When Titus returned to Rome, his brother Domitian built a great big stone arch in his     

         honor. Inside the arch were carvings showing Titus carrying away the sacred things of the

         Jews, including the Menorah, the golden trumpets, and a copy of the Torah. If you go to

         Rome today you can see the Triumph Arch of Titus standing above the forum in Rome.

         Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, wrote about Titus victory in his book, The Jewish

         War, Book VII. Josephus tells us how Titus destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the

         Temple and then returned to Rome with the spoils of war and the captured Jewish soldiers.

         Back in Rome, Titus joined with his father, Vespasian, and his brother, Domitian, who

         would later be emperor and exile John to Patmos where he would write the book of

         Revelation. Once back in Rome they led the citizens in a Roman Triumphal Procession.

         The Roman Triumphal Procession through the streets of Rome was an honor bestowed on

         Roman generals who defeated the enemy on foreign soil, captured over five thousand

         enemy soldiers, and obtained additional territory for the Roman Empire. The emperor and

         all of the citizens of Rome cheered as the procession passed by them. The procession led

         up the Via Sacra, the main street of Rome that led from the Forum to the Temple of Jupiter

         on the Capitoline Hill. The general, mounted on a white horse, rode at the head of all of his

         troops, and was followed by wagon loads of items he had taken from the conquered nation.

         The most precious of objects taken from Jerusalem were items from the Temple: the

         golden table on which the bread of the presence had been placed, the golden lampstand, or

         Menorah, the golden trumpets used in calling people to worship, and a copy of the Jewish

         Torah. Behind the wagons that carried these objects rode Vespasian, then Titus, with

         Domitian beside him. The triumphal procession ended at the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus

         where Simon, son of Gioras, who had been the Jewish general, was put to death before all

         of the citizens of Rome. All of this happened in 70 A.D. when Titus destroyed Jerusalem

         and the Temple of God.”(Britton Christian Church)

     6. “Rome's earliest "triumphs" were probably simple victory parades, celebrating the return of

         a victorious general and his army to the city, along with the fruits of his victory, and

         ending with some form of dedication to the gods. This is probably so for the earliest

         legendary and later semi-legendary triumphs of Rome's regal era, when the king

         functioned as Rome's highest magistrate and war-leader. As Rome's population, power,

         influence and territory increased, so did the scale, length, variety and extravagance of its

         triumphal processions. The procession (pompa) mustered in the open space of the Campus

         Martius (Field of Mars) probably well before first light. From there, all unforeseen delays

         and accidents aside, it would have managed a slow walking pace at best, punctuated by

         various planned stops en route to its final destination, the Capitoline temple; a distance of

         just under 4 km. Triumphal processions were notoriously long and slow;]the longest could

         last for two or three days, and possibly more, and some may have been of greater length

         than the route itself. Some ancient and modern sources suggest a fairly standard

         processional order. First, the captive leaders, allies and soldiers – and sometimes

their families – usually walking in chains; some were destined for execution or further display. Their captured weapons, armour, gold, silver, statuary, and curious or exotic

treasures were carted behind them, along with paintings, tableaux and models depicting

significant places and episodes of the war. Next in line, all on foot, came Rome's senators

and magistrates, followed by the general’s lictors in their red war-robes, their fasces

wreathe]d in laurel; then the general in his four-horse chariot. A companion, or a public

slave, might share the chariot with him; or in some cases, his youngest children. His

officers and elder sons rode horseback nearby. His unarmed soldiers followed, in togas

and laurel crowns, chanting "io triumphe!" and singing ribald songs at their general's

expense. Somewhere in the procession, two flawless white oxen, garland-decked and with

gilded horns, were led for the sacrifice to Jupiter. All this, to the accompaniment of music,

clouds of incense and the strewing of flowers. Almost nothing is known of the procession's

infrastructure and management. Its doubtless enormous cost was defrayed in part by the

state but mostly by the general's loot, which most ancient sources dwell on in great detail

and unlikely superlatives. Once disposed, this portable wealth injected huge sums into the

Roman economy; the amount brought in Octavian’s Triumph over Egypt triggered a fall in

interest rates, and a sharp rise in land prices.]No ancient source addresses the logistics of

the procession; where the soldiers and captives in a procession of several days could have

         slept, ate and drank, or where these several thousands, plus the spectators, could have

been stationed for the final ceremony at the Capitoline temple.The following schematic for

the route taken by "some, or many" triumphs is based on standard modern

reconstructions; any original or traditional route would have been diverted to some extent

by the city's many redevelopments and rebuildings; or sometimes by choice. The starting

place (the Campus Martius) lay outside the city's sacred boundary (pomerium), on the

western bank of the Tiber. The procession entered the city through a Porta Triumphalis

(Triumphal Gate) and crossed the pomerium, where the general surrendered his command

to the senate and magistrates. It continued through the site of the Circus Flaminius,

skirting the southern base of the Capitoline Hill and the Velabrium, along a Via Triumphalis

(Triumphal Way) towards the Circus Maximus, perhaps dropping off any prisoners destined

for execution at the Tullanium. It entered the Via Sacra, then the Forum. Finally, it ascended

the Capitoline Hill to the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. Once the sacrifice and dedications

were completed, the procession and spectators dispersed to banquets, games and other

         entertainments sponsored by the Triumphing general. In most triumphs, the general funded

         any post-procession banquets from his share of the loot. There were feasts for the people,

         and separate, much richer feasts for the elite; some went on for most of the night. Dionysus

         offers a contrast to the lavish Triumphal banquets of his time by giving Romulus's triumph

         the most primitive possible "banquet" –ordinary Romans setting up food-tables as a

         "welcome home", and the returning troops taking swigs and bites as they marched by; he

         recreates the first Republican triumphal banquet along the same lines. Varro claims that

his aunt earned 20,000 secterces by supplying 5,000 thrushes for Caecelius Metellus's

triumph of 71 BCE. Some triumphs included ludi, as fulfillment of the general's vow before

battle, or during its heat, to a god or goddess in return for their help in securing victory. In

the Republic, they were paid for by the triumphing general. Marcus Fulvius vowed ludi in

         return for victory over the Aetolian League and paid for ten days of games at his Triumph.”

         (Wikipedia)

     Here is a summary of the above descriptions:

         1. The general

            a. must have total victory on foreign soil

            b. was given the highest honor

            c. was granted this honor by the Senate

            d. rode in a chariot with four horses

            e. wore the laurel crown

            f. had a sceptre in hand

            g. was on a white horse

            h. wore a painted (decorated) toga

            i. was called “man of triumph” for rest of his life

        2. The order of the procession

           a. the general

            b. his sons and his officers

            c. the Senate

            d. the army in togas

            e. the spoils

            f. musicians

            g. priests burning incense

            h. captives

            i. the losing general

        3. The route (about 4km)

           a. people lined the streets and cheered

           b. the route was the Via Sacra (holy way)

           c. they went through the Triumphal Arch

           d. they went to Capitoline Hill (the highest in Rome)

           e. prisoners were taken to be killed

           f. the parade ended at the temple of Jupiter

           g. they had a great feast

        4. The general shared the spoils with the soldiers, and was given a mansion called “the              house of triumph”.

     There are some clear scriptural parallels to this parade:

        1. The general is Christ (Heb 2:10 – captain of their salvation)

           a. He won total victory on foreign soil

              1. the world knew him not; he came unto his own, and his own received him not (John

                  1:10-11)

              2. I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (Luke 10:18)

              3. be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33)

              4. now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John 12:31)

              5. the prince of this world is judged (John 16:11)

              6. having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing

                 over them in it (Colossians 2:15)

           b. The laurel: on his head were many crowns (Revelation 19:12)

           c. He has a sceptre in His hand

              1. the sceptre shall not depart from Judah…until Shiloh come (Genesis 49:10)

              2. the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre (Psalm 45:6, Heb 1:8)

           d. He will ride a white horse: Revelation 19:11 – behold a white horse, and he that sat

               upon him was called Faithful and True

           e. He will wear a painted (decorated, not plain) toga

              1. he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes (Genesis

                  49:11)

              2. wherefore art thou red in thine apparel…their blood shall be sprinkled upon my

                  garments, and I will stain all my raiment (Isaiah 63:1-4)

              3. he was clothed in vesture dipped in blood (Rev 19:13)

   2. The order of procession

      a. The general followed by his sons and his army

         1. Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming (1Cor 15:20-23)

         2. Christ is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18)

         3. Christ is the firstbegotten (Heb 1:6 )

         4. all the armies which were in heaven followed him (Rev 19:14)

      b. The army wore togas

         1. white linen garments

            a. Jesus (Dan 7:9, Mt 17:12 (Mk 9:3), Rev 1:13)

            b. Angels (Dan 11:35, Dan 12:10, Mt 28:3. Lk 24:4, Jn 20:12, Acts 1:10, Rev 15:6)

            c. Saints (2Chr 5:12, Ecc 9:8, Rev 3:4-5 & 18, Rev 4:4, Rev 6:11, Rev 7:9 & 13-14,

                Rev 19:8 & 14)

      c. The spoils

         1. when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh

             from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils (Lk 11:22)

         2. Colossians 2:15

      d. Musicians

          1. David and the ark (2Sam 6:5)

          2. Jehoshaphat (2Chr 20:19-22 & 28)

      e. Priests burning incense

         1. the altar of incense (Ex 30, Lev 16:12-13)

         2. let my prayer be set before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as

             the evening sacrifice (Ps 141:2)

         3. Zacharias (Lk 1:9-11)

         4. Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a

             sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (Eph 5:2)

         5. an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God (Phil 4:18)

         6. golden vials full of odours, which are the prayer of saints (Rev 5:8)

         7. much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints…and the smoke of the

             incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God (Rev 8:3-4)

         8. the four smells mentioned in 2Corinthinas 2:14-17:

            a. the smell of his knowledge (vs 14)

            b. a sweet smell of Christ (vs 15)

               1. all thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces (Ps

                   45:8)

               2. S.O.S. 1:3 – because of the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment

                   poured forth

            c. the smell of death unto death (vs 16)

            d. the smell of life unto life (vs 16)

            e. in them that are saved, and in them that perish - It is really one smell. It depends on

                whether you are saved or not as to how it smells to you. To the victors the incense

                smelled great. To the losers who were being marched to their death it smelled

                bad. The same event means opposite things. To Noah and his family, the flood waters

                served to lift the ark above them. To everyone else they brought death. When the Lord

                returns, it will be salvation to the believers. To the lost, it will be destruction.

                1. The pillar of God’s presence was darkness to Egypt, but light to Israel (Ex 14:20)

                2. God’s manifestation on Mt. Sinai was communion for Moses but a terror to the

                    people  (Ex 20:18-21, Gal 4:24-26, Heb 12:18-24)

                3. Moses’ veil represented God’s glory for him but a covering to the people (Ex 34:29-

                    35, 2Cor 3:5-18)

                4. I have set before you life and death…choose life (Deut 30:15 & 19)

                5. Death and life are in the power of the tongue; they that love it shall eat the fruit

                    thereof (Prov 18:21)

                6. An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is

                    abomination to the wicked (Prov 29:27)

                7. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death (Rom

                    7:10)

                8. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace

                    (Rom 8:2)

                9. God’s people smell like Him: they took knowledge of them, that they had been with

                    Jesus (Acts 4:13)

               10. It says the offerings gave a sweet smell to God 27 times in the Old Testament

                   a. while the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof

                       (S.O.S. 1:12)

                   b. How much better is thy love than wine, and the smell of thine ointments than all

                       spices…the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon (S.O.S. 4:10-11)

                   c. Nor the smell of fire had passed on them (they offered themselves as

                       living sacrifices to God, and the smell of the world could not get on them) (Dan

                       3:27)

                   d. His beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon (Hos 14:6)

                   e. we are unto God a sweet savour (2Cor 2:15)

                   f. our offerings smell good to God

                      1. the house was filled with the odour of the ointment (Jn 12:3)

                      2. an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God (Phil 4:18)

                   g. the losing army stinks: But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and

                       will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea,

                       and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill

                       savour shall come up, because he hath done great things

                1l. John 12

                   a. Vs 1-11 – Mary’s offering of ointment

                      1. Jesus went to the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus who had been raised from

                          the dead (Jn 11). Supper was made. Martha served. Mary brought ointment.

                          Martha made supper. Mary sat at His feet and chose the good part. The ointment

                          weighed a pound and was very costly (vs 5 – 300 pence, one year’s wages). It

                          was sweet spices (Song of Solomon 1:12, Song of Solomon 4:13-14). It was an

                          aromatic plant from India, an essential oil used for perfume. Mary anointed His

                          feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the odor.  Judas

                          complained that it was a waste. Judas was a thief and had the money bag.

                          Jesus said to let her alone. Matthew, Mark, & Luke say that this is when Judas

                          went to betray Him. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that Jesus was

there. The odor of her worship was sensed by everyone there. It was also sensed

                          indirectly by the those who were not present but heard about it and came.

                          The Jews planned to kill Him and Lazarus because many believed in Him

                          there. Mary worshipped with the sweet smell of spikenard. Judas complained

                          and betrayed Him.

                   b. Vs 12-19 – the triumphal entry into Jerusalem

                         When they heard Jesus was coming, people laid palm trees in the way for Him

                         and worshipped Him. The Pharisees complained that the world was gone after

                         Him. Some rejoiced and worshipped while others complained. This event was a

                         direct fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (Zech 9:9, Mt 21:1-11).

                   c. In Luke 19:29-44, we read that the religious leaders who were not making the

                       prophetic connection told Jesus to rebuke His disciples. His response was that if

                       these should hold their peace, the rocks would cry out. He said that Jerusalem

                       would be laid to the ground because they knew not the time of their visitation.

                       In a related passage, Jesus told them, “then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten

                       and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets (Lk 13:26).

                       Geographical location is not nearly as important as spiritual condition. Jacob was

                       in a geographical location but unaware of God’s presence: “and Jacob awaked out

                       of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not (Gen

                      28:16)”. Jesus said, “Father, glorify thy name” and there came a voice from heaven

                      saying He would (vs 28), but the hypocrites “loved the praise of men more than the

                      praise of God (vs 43)”.

      f. The captives were put to death.

         1. He will miserably destroy those wicked men (Mt 21:41).

         2. The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).

         3. Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,

              triumphing over them in it (Col 2:15).

         4.The Lord will sit on the white throne in judgment (Rev 20:11-15).

         5. The losing general is Satan

            a. Through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the

                devil (Heb 2:14)

            b. The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 20:10)

   3. The route

      a. Psalm 68 is a parallel passage showing the triumphal parade.

         a. vs 1 – let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered

         b. vs 2 -  the wicked perish at the presence of God

         c. vs 3 - let the righteous be glad

         d. vs 4 – sing unto God

         e. vs 7 – when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march

         f. vs 14 – the Almighty scattered kings

         g. vs 17 – the chariots of God are twenty thousand

         h. vs 18 – thou hast led captivity captive (Jud 5:2, Eph 4:8)

         i. vs 25 – the singers went before, the players on instruments followed after

      b. The triumphal entry of Jesus followed the same pattern (Mt 21:1-23).

         a. vs 1 – He came from the Mount of olives

         b. vs 1-7– He rode an animal

         c. vs 7-8 – the multitude cheered Him

         d. vs 12 – He went to the temple    

         e. Mt 22:4, Lk 14:16, Rev 19:9 - we will have a feast with Him

   4. Jesus, the victor, will share the spoils with His army in the house of triumph.

      a. He will divide the prey (Num 31:25-47, 1Sam 30:8-10 & 20:31).

      b. Ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families (Num 33:54).

      c. Thou hast received gifts for men (Ps 68:18)

      d. Will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the

          strong (Is 53:12)

      e. The stronger will overcome and divide his spoils (Lk 11:22)

      f. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said take this, and divide it among

          yourselves (Lk 22:17).

      g. He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men (Eph 4:8).

      h. Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,

          triumphing over them in it (Col 2:15).

   5. We talk a lot about honoring and glorifying God, and we should; but we never talk about

        God honoring and glorifying His people. He does. Sometimes we accept this but think it is

        only in the next life, but it is in both.

      a. Honor

         1. We can receive honor from God (1Sam 2:30, 1Ki 3:13, 1Chr 29:12, Ps 8:5, Ps 91:15,

             Prov 4:8, Jn 5:4 & 44, Jn 8:54, Jn 12:26, Rom 2:29, 1Cor 4:5, 2Cor 10:18, 2Pet 1:27).

         2. Honor goes to the humble, not the proud (Prov 15:33, Prov 18:22, Prov 22:4, Prov

             29:23, Heb 2:9).

      b. Glory

         1. God glorifies His children (57 times) (Ps 3:3, Ps 8:5 (Heb 2:6-10), Ps 62:7, Ps 63:11,

             Ps 64:10, Ps 73:24, Ps 84:11, Ps 85:9, Ps 106:5, Ps 149:5, Prov 3:35, Prov 4:9, Prov

             16:31, Prov 28:12, Is 4:5, Is 24:16, Is 28:5, Is 41:16, Is 45:25, Is 58:8, Is 60:1-2 & 19, Is

             62:2-3, Jer 4:2, Jer 9:24, Jer 13:11, Jer 30:19, Eze 26:20, Dan 2:37, Dan 5:18, Zech 2:5,

             Zech 6:13, Rom 2:7 & 10, Rom 5:3, Rom 8:17 & 30, 1Cor 2:7, 1Cor 11:15, 1Cor 15:43,

             2Cor 3:7-8 & 18, 2Cor 4:17, Eph 3:13, Col 1:27, Col 3:4, 2Tim 2:10, 1Pet 1:7-8, 1Pet

             4:14, 1Pet 5:1 & 4, 1Pet 5:10 ).

            a. Here are some sample verses:

               1. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor (all men – not just His: Ps 8:5 (Heb

                   2:6-10).

               2. The LORD will give grace and glory (Ps 84:11)

               3. A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee (wisdom: Prov 4:9)

               4. Glory to the righteous

               5. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory (Is 62:3)

               6. They might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and

                   for a glory (Jer 13:11)

               7. The God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory \

                   (Nebuchadnezzar: Dan 2:37, Dan 5:18).

               8. Glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good (Rom 2:10)

               9. The hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory (1Cor 2:7)

               10. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory (1Cor 15:43)

               11. We are changed into the same image from glory to glory (2Cor 3:18)

               12. A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2Cor 4:17)

               13. Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:27)

               14. The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you (1Pet 4:14)

               15. Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away (1Pet 5:4)

         2. Glory is also a verb (27 times) (Ps 63:11, Ps 64:10, Ps 106:5, Is 41:16, Is 45:25, Jer 4:2,

             Jer 9:24, Rom 5:3, Rom 15:17, 1Cor 1:29 & 31, 1Cor 3:21, 1Cor 4:7, 1Cor 9:16, 2Cor

             5:2, 2Cor 10:17, 2Cor 11:12 & 18 & 30, 2Cor 12:1 & 5-6 & 9, Gal 6:13-14, 2Thes 1:4,

             Jam 3:14).

         3. God will take the glory away from sinners (26 times) (1Sam 4:21-22, Job 19:9, Ps

             89:44, Is 5:14, Is 8:7, Is 10:3 & 12, Is 13:19, Is 16:14, Is 17:3-4, Is 20:5, Is 21:16, Is

             22:18, Is 23:9, Is 35:2, Jer 22:18, Jer 48:18, Eze 24:25, Dan 5:20, Hos 4:7, Hos 9:11, Hos

             10:5, Hab 2:16).

         4. Rewards are a form of honoring and glorifying.

     God wants us to have the spirit of victory. The enemy does not, so he attacks it. How does

     he attack it, and how do we fight back?

     1. Discouragement is based on forgetting the promises of God , and taking our eyes off them.

       a. Remember:

         1. Past victories (1Sam 21:8-9 – Goliath’s sword)

         2. God’s promises for today

         3. God’s promises for the future

         d. Deuteronomy means second law. It is Moses’ recounting of God's commandments and

promises.

     2. Understand the process of the dream – death, burial, and resurrection. Like Abraham,

         Joseph, David, and many others, we have to have faith while it seems like God has let the

         dream die and be buried. He must bring it to pass in His time in His way, not ours. The

         fulfillment will happen in such a way that we and everyone else will be able to see that He

         did it.

     3. Weariness is a dangerous thing:

        a. The enemy smote the hindmost and feeble when they were weary (Deut 25:18).

        b. Jabal smote Sisera in his temples (thoughts) when he was asleep and weary (Jud 4:21).

        c. When Ahithophel explained his plan to kill David, he said, “I will come upon him while

             he is weary and weak (2Sam 17:2)”.

        d. The enemy will wear out the saints (Dan 7:25).

        e. God promises to strengthen the weary and give them endurance:

           1. This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest (Is 28:12)

           2. Even the youths will faint and be weary, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew

               their strength (Is 40:30-31).

           3. I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary (Is 50:4)

           4. I have satiated the weary soul (Jer 31:25).

           5. Be not weary in well doing, for we shall reap if we faint not (Gal 6:9, 2Thes 3:13).

     4. The enemy attacks with lies:

        a. The devil is still using the same three-pronged attack he used in the garden of Eden

            because people are still falling for it (Gen 3:1-7, Mt 4:1-11, 1Jn 2:15-17).

       b. "No, you can’t"

          1. The oft quoted but oft misapplied Philippians 4:13 can encourage us when we use it in

               the context of Philippians 4:12-13 (whatever state I am in… abased…abound).

          2. Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,

              according to the power that worketh in us (Eph 3:20)

          3. The promise is not that we can be whatever we want, but whatever He wants.

       c. The truth will make you free (Jn 8:31-32, Jn 14:6, Jn 17:17).

A fundamental key to having victory in Christ is just staying in the battle, refusing to accept defeat, and maintaining our choice to be on the winning side. When we do that, not even death cannot defeat us. Christians don’t really die. We are souls with bodies, not bodies with souls. Our earthly bodies are only temporary housing until we move into our eternal ones (Rom 7:24-25, 2Cor 4:18, 2Cor 5:1-8, Phil 3:20-21, 2Pet 1:14-15). We will go from life to life (Jn 3:16, Jn 4:14, Jn 5:24-29, Jn 6:47-58, Jn 11:25-26, 2Cor 2:16). We will join Him in His triumphal parade, celebrate His victory, and go His eternal “house of triumph” (Rev 19-22).