The Humble King (Zechariah 9:9-17)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10 NIV)

When Jesus rode down the middle of town on a donkey's colt, he knew exactly what he was doing.  He was telling the crowd that he was the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy and all the other prophecies about the savior/messiah.  They knew what he was doing, too.  Otherwise, they would not have been singing "Hosanna to the King" as he went by.

As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. (Zechariah 9:11-12 NIV)

The savior/messiah was here to set them free.  They had plenty to be set free from.  Israel went into captivity because of their own sin and they hadn't controlled their own country since then.  They only returned home because the king of Babylon allowed them to go home.  They have a temple that they rebuilt, but it's only a shadow of the temple originally built by Solomon.  They live in their own land, but Rome now occupies all the land and the Roman soldiers are a constant reminder.  They are not free.

I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword. Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. (Zechariah 9:13-15 NIV)

They were ready to be set free from the oppression of other countries.  They were ready for God to use their troops like a bow, an arrow, and a sword.  They were ready for their enemies to be "full like the bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar" - a bowl that was filled with blood.  They were ready to go into battle and have their messiah/savior lead the charge.

The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women. (Zechariah 9:16-17 NIV)

They didn't understand the timeline of God's full picture, though.  The savior/messiah was also supposed to suffer and die.  The savior/messiah was supposed to set people free from the bondage of sin.  When the savior/messiah did these things, God's Spirit would be poured out on all nations.  When the savior/messiah did all this, people would truly be set free.

The final battle is still to come.  The savior/messiah will lead his people into that battle and the war will be finished.  This will happen in the second coming of the savior/messiah.  No one knows the day or the hour when this will take place, but it is coming.  Right now, though, the savior/messiah has given us a way to set the captives free.  He has given us a way to be free from the bondage of sin and death.  He has set us free.

How about you?  Have you been set free?  Has the savior/messiah set you free from sin and death?  Are you a part of His army, setting other captives free?