Why Would A King Ride A Donkey Instead Of A White Stallion?
Some people have wondered why the king mentioned in Zechariah 9:9-10 would ride a donkey into Jerusalem rather than a warhorse, a white stallion. This would seem like an odd choice for royalty, a king. After all, we expect to see kings mounted on strong white horses, chargers. That’s what kings ride, don’t they?
In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses if they rode to war, but donkeys came in peace. In 1 Kings 1:33, it mentions Solomon riding a donkey on the day he was recognized as the new king of Israel. Other instances of leaders riding donkeys are Judges 5:10; 10:4; 12:14; and 2 Samuel 16:2.
The mention of a donkey in Zechariah 9:9 fits the description of a king who would be “righteous and having salvation, humble.” Rather than riding to conquer, this king would enter in peace.
After all, didn’t Yeshua say in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Zechariah 9:9 tells Israel to “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you.”
The King is coming. But what kind of King?
Rejoice because
He is Just - Righteous
He has Salvation
He is Meek - (lowly, poor)
This King, riding on a donkey, is coming in peace. He is righteous, and He has salvation. He comes to save. And what did the angel say when He was born? You shall call His name what? Yeshua (Jesus). Why? For He shall save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). Not only is He a King and righteous and a Savior, but He is meek (lowly). Now that, of course, was the first coming of Messiah, wasn’t it?
Let’s look at Zechariah 9:10. We move from the first coming of Messiah where we see His character, to the Second Coming where we see Him as conqueror: “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
From the deep humiliation and affliction of Messiah at His first coming (v.9), Zechariah moves to the glory and exaltation of His Second Coming (v.10).
In other words, note what He is saying:
Cut off the chariots and the horses - He will bring an end to war. He will remove the need for chariots and horses in Jerusalem. They won’t have to fight anymore.
Cut off the battle bow - There is no need for these implements of war. Why?
He shall speak peace to the nations.
His dominion will be from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. That is a quote from Psalm 72:8. “From sea to sea” means worldwide.
He will bring peace.
No more need for war.
We are in the salvation part.
God has redeemed Israel.
No more war.
Messiah is on the throne.
Yeshua fulfills this prophecy of Zechariah. The worldwide peace proclaimed by this humble King will be a fulfillment of the angels’ song in Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace toward men of goodwill.” Significantly, Jacob’s blessing on his son Judah includes a reference to a donkey and a donkey’s foal (Genesis 49:11). Yeshua is from the tribe of Judah.
Zechariah 9:9 was fulfilled by the triumphal entry as Yeshua rode into Jerusalem on the Tenth of Nisan (what is observed as Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19). Verses 10 and following refer to a future time when the Messiah will reign after defeating His enemies at the second coming.
