I, Shiloh, write these words in my chronical of the times with Jesus, King of the Jews.
“When I heard that Jesus was at Lazarus’ house, I gathered several other Jewish men and hurried to Bethany to see Him, but not only Jesus, we wanted to see Lazarus as well since Jesus had raised from the dead. Jesus and His disciples, and Lazarus, were still reclined at the supper table when we arrived. Fragrant spikenard filled the house.”O Aliza,” I said, to my wife “It was wonderful to see Jesus, and it was wonderful to see Lazarus, too.”
“Shiloh,” my wife said, with a smile that told me she was filled with joy as I was, “You are a blessed man.”
“And you are correctly named for you are filled with happiness. You are joyful for my good,” I said.
“And you, Shiloh, are His gift to me and our son.”
“Jesus is coming to Jerusalem today. We shall take Ari to see Him, and we will welcome Jesus,” I said.
Aliza gave me her usual approving nod.
Early that afternoon, Aliza, Ari, and I walked a short distance to the main road leading into Jerusalem. We were amazed to see a great multitude that had come to celebrate the Passover feast were already lined up on both sides of the road. Someone cut bunches of palm branches and distributed them among the crowd. The people of all ages waved their branches with an exuberance I had never witnessed before as they cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” The sound of the crowd’s praise was deafening, and at the same time, exhilarating!
Others took off their cloaks and spread them on the dusty road. Who could not join the throng of jubilant people!? My heart was filled with joy overflowing!
I looked down at Ari, who was proudly and exuberantly waving a palm branch, and I squeezed his other hand.
Then, there He was! Jesus riding on a donkey! Ari broke from my hand before I could do anything, and ran to Him. And then a most remarkable thing happened. Jesus stopped the procession, looked down at Ari, a child, placed His hand on Ari’s head and blessed him saying, “Be blessed with the joy of the Lord as your strength.”
Ari bowed down to Jesus. How did Ari know to bow down to Jesus? I wondered. A verse came to mind, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of God.” I began to see Jesus through a child’s eyes. My child. When I looked at Jesus through Ari’s eyes of innocence and pure love, I fell to my knees and bowed down before the King of all kings. “Behold! Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt,” I said, in complete awe as Jesus looked my way and smiled.
Aliza leaned into me and with face turned upward, she called out, “Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!”
The words in my chronical are feeble and cannot possibly capture the essence of who this Jesus is, signed – Shiloh.