During the Christmas season here at Hillside we sing a lot of Christmas carols. Many of those carols emphasize that Jesus is King. We sing, “Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King” and “Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King’” and “This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.” Jesus is the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets to come and reign as King (Num 24:17; Isa 9:6-7; Mic 5:2; Zec 9:9-10).
According to 2 Samuel 7, this King must be a descendant of David, the king. In Romans 1:1-4, Paul indicated two truths that are crucial to Jesus’ kingship. First, He is qualified to be King in that Jesus was born of the seed of David (vs.3). Second, He was appointed or declared King (Son of God) at His resurrection. It is clear from 2 Samuel 7:14 that God referred to a king in David’s line as a “son of God.” Perhaps, when Jesus was declared the Son of God at His resurrection it is a reference to His being declared King. The “today” predicted in Psalm 2:7 is probably the day of Christ’s resurrection when He was “begotten” as God’s Son in terms of being King. “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten you.’” After His resurrection, Christ was exalted to the right hand of God and He will reign until His enemies have been made His footstool (Psa 110:1; 1Co 15:24-25).
Jesus Christ is our King! May we submit to Him as His subjects, obeying Him above all others. As another of those carols demands, “Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King.”