Well, when they got close to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent forth two disciples, saying to them: “Be on YOUR way into the village that is within sight of YOU, and YOU will at once find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. And if someone says anything to YOU, YOU must say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ At that he will immediately send them forth.”This actually took place that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet, saying: “TELL the daughter of Zion, ‘Look! Your King is coming to you, mild-tempered, and mounted upon an ass, yes, upon a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden.’”
So the disciples got on their way and did just as Jesus ordered them. And they brought the ass and its colt, and they put upon these their outer garments, and he seated himself upon them. Most of the crowd spread their outer garments on the road, while others began cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. As for the crowds, those going ahead of him and those following kept crying out: “Save, we pray, the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name! Save him, we pray, in the heights above!”
Now when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was set in commotion, saying: “Who is this?” The crowds kept telling: “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee!”
~~~ Matthew 21:1-11 ~~~
As he moved along they kept spreading their outer garments on the road. As soon as he got near the road down the Mount of Olives all the multitude of the disciples started to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice concerning all the powerful works they had seen, saying: “Blessed is the One coming as the King in Jehovah’s name! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest places!”
~~~ Luke 19:36-38 ~~~
As noted in the above accounts, "the multitude of the disciples" who had packed into Jerusalem for the Passover were rejoicing that "the prophet Jesus" was arriving as "the One coming as the King in Jehovah's name" and their actions were in harmony with their expectations: they publicly hailed him as King, spreading out palm branches and 'outer garments' before him. How great a number the multitude of disciples was we may never know; however, Jerusalem would have been packed with literaly thousands - if not a few hunderd thousand - because of the Passover. Consequently, this "multitude of the disciples" was of considerable number.
The way the above accounts reads, one would think that Jesus was sure of Kingship - if not eventual world rulership - and nothing could have prevented it. But, would such be the case? What if you had been there?
Just four days later saw a most shocking turn of events. This crowd, now influenced by the religious leaders of apostate Judaism, called for Jesus' blood! Yes, this same crowd who once proudly and publicly hailed him as their King and who did humble works in submission to his royal authority had now become a demon-incided mob who, not only cried out for his murder, but clearly repudiated his Kingship by now publicly stating they 'had no King but Ceaser'! As a result of this diabolical pressure, the authorities felt they had no choice but to turn Jesus over as a criminal, a King rejected who was abandoned to death. That same night any who were identified as his followers by this mob - as was Peter - were in danger of also being denounced to the authorities for elimination.
As sad as this situation was one must ask: Could this same thing happen again? This is a good question. However, the answer has already been given. Many in our day who once publicly announced the good news of Jehovah's Kingdom and who dedicated themselves to Jehovah to do His will in submission to Christ's royal authority have now - just as publicly - renounced his Kingdom Rule calling out that he may reign in the future but not now (2 Peter 3:1-4; Jude 17-19); they have rejected Christ's theocratic household management of his earthwide Congregation (Hebrews 13:7, 17; Matthew 24:45-47); they have denounced all Christ's loyal Kingdom subjects as deluded fools worthy to be "beaten" for standing up for in support of the truths about Christ's royal invisible presence and established Kingdom Rule . - Luke 12:45; Matthew 24:48-51.
Do you find this turn of events shocking? You should. However, one good point about the rejection of Christ back in 33 C.E. is that after he was resurrected and placed by God upon high, the preaching work that his anointed disciples accomplished, as the 'faithful Slave' class, had a beneficial effect upon this once fickel, disloyal and demon-incided multitude and many repented and submitted again to his royal authority and were welcomed back by Jehovah as part of his household arrangment. Will this happen again? Will you have a part in it? - Acts 2; 3:12-26.
Today some have proved fickel in their dedication to Jehovah. They have abandoned His theocratic organization and deny the invisible Presence of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens. They deny we are deep in the last days of this wicked system of things and deny that the appointed times of the nations - the "Gentile Times" - ran out in 1914 and that the "kingdom of mankind" now rightly belongs in the hands of Christ Jesus our Lord. They have done this as a result of the doubt inspiring ideas presented by apostate sects that have sprung up on the internet. Having ignored the loving warning given by the anointed Slave Class as to the danger of obsorbing demonic, apostate information, these ones have heedlessly "rushed in where angels dare to tread". As a result, the faith of most have been damaged or destroyed altogether. The leaders of these apostate sects and their associates have produced faith-destroying publications that professes "new light" and greater understanding which, upon examination, is full of scriptural errors, shortsighted views and possible plagiarism from the works of a Church of God clergyman who feels he is a modern prophet, inspired by God, and called upon to sound warnings against his organization.
Perhaps those who have been caught in Satan's trap by means of these books and websites will be able to reason upon the scriptures and come to a more scriptural and correct conclusion thus restoring them to an active relationship with Jehovah and his theocratic Organization before the end arrives. For all who are having their own crises of conscience or doubts about having left Jehovah's Christian Congregation, take the time to once again go over the fundamentals of scriptural truth - with the use of your Bible - and as the apostle Paul said, once again 'prove to yourself the good and acceptable and perfect will of God' before the Day of Jehovah springs upon all the earth. - Romans 12:1, 2; 13:11, 12; Mark 13:37.
