For to us a child is born,      
to us a son is given, and
the government shall be upon his shoulder
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace
   there will be no end,
     on the throne of David and over his kingdom
   to establish it and to uphold it
  with justice and with righteousness
   from this time forth and forevermore.
         The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:6, 7 ESV

On this Holy Child rested
the government of the Universe
and even as an infant His rule was a threat
to Rome and to the Sanhedrin,
the political rulers of His world and
the religious leaders of His day.

His reign came with His coming and
a throne was His right of birth.
He came to establish His throne on David's precedent
and He reigns today, the Unseen King.
His Kingdom is ever moving and increasing until
one day it will burst onto earth in full and dazzling splendor.

The Magi called Him "King of the Jews"
the title on His final cross.
Foreigners, they knew and cherished His position,
while His "own received Him not."
That they knew a King was born is astonishing enough,
that they traveled months to honor the Child King is amazing.

As Gentiles, not Jews, their presence in the scene is both prophetic and shocking.
The mystery remains of their identity
and how it was they came to
anticipate the birth of this Jewish King,
Child of another culture and a different race.
We guess of Daniel's influence centuries before
by the exile in Persia.
But explanation would not dim the phenomena
of their presence and their lavish gifts.       

The Magi knew His kingship but worshiped Him as God.
The Child King as God was the Magi's secret knowledge
and it was known by no one else in the story
(save Mary and Joseph).

Herod feared His government enough to murder.
The shepherds acknowledged Him as Savior
but they had no announcement of His government..
        
Christ's true presence brings His dominion.
And that Lordship disturbs
the rule of man and of satan.
The result is glory and death.

"But his citizens hated him, and sent
a delegation after him, saying,
          'We do not want this man to reign over us.'"
Luke 19:14 NASB

Adam's family does not want His dominion.
The rule was stolen long ago.

But Jesus was born to reign, to bear a government
and build a kingdom.
That kingdom is being "established and upheld" in this hour,
to be unveiled in a future hour.

. . . and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever;
and His kingdom will have no end.
Luke 1:33 NASB

He is the final King and the Only True King.
Long before His birth He was named Prince of Peace.

At this remembrance of His birth, let us celebrate
the Crown over the cradle!       

This Christ Child, born with the right of government,
came to carry humanity on His servant-shoulders.
His is the true Kingdom in which we His children,
rest now and forever.

"A Child is born, a Son is given to us."
He is given to us!
His reign is a gift, a safety, a comfort.
His kingdom is the end of human tyranny and satanic rule!
His is a blessed throne whose rule is our Love and Peace.

We do not think of the Christmas Infant as a King,
that from birth
His destination was a throne by way of a cross.

So this Christmas may we welcome and worship,
as did the Magi...

the Christ Child, our King.

Copyright © 2005 Martha Kilpatrick