Advent Sunday Week 4: A King Is Born
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Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who would step in when you are bullied, protect you from harm, and make sure you are safe and cared for? In the modern day there are lots of agencies that advocate for those who are hurting, but in ancient Israel, the person who was supposed to stop abuses and protect the weak was the king.
It’s hard to imagine people wanting a king, but kings were those who would hold the loyalty of the people and bring everyone together for protection and political success. The Israelites wanted a king during the time of Samuel in the Old Testament, but they looked at the outside appearance of the candidate, not at the heart.
Israel’s first king, Saul, was not humble before God.
When Israel asked for their first king, they asked for a king like all the pagan nations around them, and God gave them the wish of their heart, which ended up being a disaster:
So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots…. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”… And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” (1 Sam. 8:10-11, 18-20, 22)
The people liked Saul because he was tall and handsome; however, he was not humble before God and ended up killing his own people, the priests of God (1 Sam. 22:21).
God sought a king who would rule justly, keeping all of God’s commands.
The next king, David, was God’s pick, and he was a man whose heart was set upon serving God:
“But now your [Saul] kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (1 Sam. 13:14)
A king was coming who would earn the right to rule forever.
God promised David that in his descendants a king would come who would rule forever. This coming king would be greater than King David himself:
“‘And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” (2 Sam. 7:16)
“David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,
‘““The Lord said to my Lord,
‘“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’” (Mark 12:36; see also Matt. 22:44 and Ps. 110:1)
Jesus was the king who perfectly followed the words of his heavenly Father.
The king who was to sit upon David’s throne would not only have perfect love for God, but would rule people spanning all times, ethnicities, and backgrounds. He was born in a manger, not in a grand palace. He also wasn’t a handsome man like Saul. He was not a person who you would pick out from a crowd as special. Yet, unlike Saul, Jesus was a king who followed the words of his heavenly Father, and he was a king who would protect his people, a shepherd who would gather from all over the world, from every race and nation.
Jesus is the great Shepherd-King.
A shepherd cares lovingly for his sheep, guarding them from wolves and bears, as well as guiding and protecting them from their own foolish straying. As our great king, Jesus calls us to lovingly submit to his good rule, knowing that what he calls us to do is good for us and pleases God. Jesus also protects us from our fierce enemy, the devil, who is like a hungry lion, always seeking to destroy Christians.
King Jesus earned life everlasting for his people.
We are protected from spiritual harm by our King Jesus. Unlike King Saul who failed to protect, but even killed his people, Jesus died for his people. Jesus laid his life down for us to defeat our greatest foes—sin and death. In this act of self-sacrifice, Jesus went to battle on our behalf, being the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice for our sins and living a righteous life, thereby earning everlasting life for those who put their trust in him.
Jesus is a king like no other!
Jesus’ rule always blesses his people. In the midst of this Christmas season, reflect on how you have a king who laid down his life for you. It is under his protection and blessing you now live. The little child born in the manger is a mighty King for his people—the King of all creation and your personal Shepherd-King.
Click below to read the entire Advent Sunday series!
Part 1: Advent Sunday Week 1: The Story of a Warrior Child
This article was originally published on December 20, 2020.
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