Very few of us have lived somewhere ruled by a king. So when we read Isaiah’s prophecy of a king whose rule will be never ending, whose nation will be filled with justice, joy and peace, it can be hard to imagine.

It can be even harder to imagine when we see how this king comes – to a teenage bride, announced by angels to shepherds and sought by wise men from hundreds of miles away. It is these wise men who followed a star to Jerusalem and asked around, “where is the one born king of the Jews?”

A king was born. And very few people knew about it. Very few worshiped.

This king will be king of the nations and will usher in an age of justice, peace and joy.

It is one thing to talk about Jesus being king, but the implications are at least twofold:

– My hopes and my sadness cannot be caused to go to high or too low when it comes to earthly leaders. No earthly politician is worthy of our ultimate hope and no earthly politician should be able to steal our joy.

– It is no good to talk of Jesus as king if I am not willing to seek him, to submit and to worship.