As a group of us walked down a narrow cobble-stone street in Jerusalem in 1968, a man leading a donkey which was loaded with goods, said to me, “This is the Jerusalem-four-wheel-drive.” He was comparing his donkey to four-well drive vehicles in the U.S. Donkeys are known to be sure-footed and beasts of burden. Not only were they still popular in 1968, but even more popular in biblical times. They are mentioned numerous times in the Bible and are symbols of peace, humility, and service. Note some lessons one learns from biblical donkeys.
Donkeys had to be redeemed before they could serve. When the children of Israel left Egypt, Moses told them that when they got to the promised land, “You shall devote to the LORD the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD. But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck” (Exodus 13:12-13 – see also Exodus 34:20). Donkeys were considered an unclean animal and therefore had to be redeemed by the blood of a lamb if it was going to be kept for service.
All people who have reached the age of accountability, are considered unclean because of sin they have committed (Isaiah 59:1-2; Psalm 51:1-2). Just as the donkey was unclean, so are we. We also have to be redeemed. For the donkey it took the blood of a physical lamb. For humans it takes the blood of Jesus who is the lamb of God (John 1:29). In that great doxology Paul explained. “In Him (Christ Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Again, as Paul gave instructions to Titus, he wrote urging all to look for the Savior Jesus Christ, “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession” (Titus 2:14). When the donkey was redeemed by the blood of the physical lamb, he now belonged to the one who redeemed him, so we also become a possession of God who purchased us.
Donkeys once redeemed became servants – bearers of burdens. Being redeemed was not the final process for the donkey. He was redeemed so that he could serve. God redeemed us for the same reason. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Again, Christ Jesus, “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). As unclean people, redeemed by the blood of Christ, we are to be servants. Jesus described that condition with these words, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).
The greatest burden any donkey ever bore was carrying Jesus into Jerusalem. The Sunday before Jesus was crucified on Friday Jesus said to two of His disciples, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me” (Matthew 21:2). As He rode into town, “Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road…The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LOAD; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:8-9). This was the fulfillment of what Zechariah had foretold about 600 years before the birth of Jesus, when he wrote, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you, He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (9:9).
As “donkeys” in God’s service the greatest burden we can bear is to take Jesus into every city! May the world recognize Him as the King and may they come to Him for salvation!
Wayne Burger