Do you remember this song?
She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain when she comes
She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes
She’ll be coming around the mountain, she’ll be coming around the mountain,
She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes.

The song is upbeat with great anticipation.
Someone is coming. Who is she? Not too sure, but when this person arrives there’s going to be a party, and we will all go out to meet her.
This same spirit of anticipation flows as Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. And, Jesus does not come around a mountain; He comes down a mountain.
Thinking elevation, once Jesus sits upon the donkey colt, He descends from the Mount of Olives. As many pilgrims have arrived in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover; they are caught up in the thrill of ushering Jesus into the holy city. “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9b-10)
The Mount of Olives comes alive with palms waving; a king rides into Jerusalem with great fanfare. Jesus comes to a halt. The crowd hushes with the silence of anticipation. The disciples’ faces cry out – “Don’t lose this moment with holy talk.” Jesus said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:23-24)
Jesus slides off the colt. He loses Himself in the crowd. Pilgrims look about each other awkwardly. They disperse – grumbling, complaining, and disillusioned.
Jesus did come to Jerusalem to be the grain of wheat that would fall to the earth and die. This humble king would be lifted up; to draw us to Himself. He came down from heaven to accompany us; to again lose Himself in the crowd.
Jesus is present to cast out the darkness; to cast out the ruler of this world. Before drawing us to glory; our humble king enters our story, our weakness, and our restlessness. We cannot sort through the mess of life on our own; nor will we learn how to die to ourselves in holiness. Jesus slips into this crowd, this fellowship of faith (the church), in that He would accompany us to accompany each other in following Him.
Jesus rides on. The road ahead will take Him back up the Mount of Olives. There he discloses the signs of His coming and of the close of the age. His Olivet Discourse will impart parables to encourage us to be watchful and waiting for our Master’s return.
Jesus rides on. He will return to the Mount of Olives to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, which literally means “Garden of the Oil-press.” Here Jesus would be pressed upon in knowing the fate that will soon be dished out upon His body. Here He would be pressed with ropes, taken down the mountain and back into Jerusalem, to be pressed upon the cross. There Jesus died to bear the fruit of faith in you. This is how your humble king saved you.
And, she’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes. This song stems from a spiritual about the Second Coming of Christ Jesus. The “she” is thought to be the chariot that our ascended God and King will ride in His return. The only thing is – Scripture does not make any mention of Jesus riding a chariot.
But, we do have this word from John’s Revelation. “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war… He is clothed in a robe dripped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses.” (Rev 19:11, 13-14)
Our ascended Savior wears a red marked robe. This is the blood He shed for us, as He was pressed upon the cross. The heavenly host is elsewhere noted to be God’s holy angels, but this army are also the saints of heaven – the Bride of Christ. So, with all of us who go to be with our Savior before He returns, we are the “she” who will be coming around (or down) the mountain when Jesus comes as our glorious God and King. •
— By Pastor Neil Stern
St. Peter’s, Leduc.
A portion of his sermon from Palm Sunday.