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“Hail to the Lord’s anointed, Great David’s greater Son! Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun! He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free, To take away transgression And rule in equity.
“Kings shall fall down before Him And gold and incense bring; All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing. To Him shall prayer unceasing And daily vows ascend; His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end.”
David was a great king, just as our hymn describes him. He captured Jerusalem, conquered his enemies, and expanded the borders of Israel. David’s son Solomon was also a great king. God blessed him with wisdom and wealth. So much gold flowed into his kingdom that “silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon” (1 Kings 10:21b).
In time, the kingdom ruled by David and Solomon came to an end. The nation was shattered by civil war, conquered and occupied by foreign powers. Yet God promised David that another King would be born into his royal line. As foretold by the prophets, when the right time came, “great David’s greater Son” Jesus, the Lord’s anointed, was born in Bethlehem. Although as a little Child Jesus received kingly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, His kingdom was not built on earthly wealth and power. When Jesus lived on earth, many people expected Hm to conquer His enemies in battle, as His ancestor David had done. They wanted him to break the oppression of their Roman conquerors and restore to Israel the glory their nation had once known.
Great David’s greater Son was the promised Messiah. People expected and longed for His coming. But when He came, He was an unexpected kind of king, different from His royal ancestors. Jesus did not come to conquer earthly enemies but to break the oppressive powers of death and Satan. He came to set captives free from sin. Jesus was not lifted up on a throne of ivory and gold as Solomon was. Jesus was lifted up on a cross. He was crowned with thorns to mock His claim of kingship. He did not enter battle as a warrior leading a great army. He fought as a weak and helpless victim nailed to a cross. He carried the sins of the world in His own body, and suffered the penalty of death for those sins. Jesus conquered by dying and rising from death. That was something that even the great King David had never done. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, David foretold his greater Son’s victory over death: “For You will not abandon My soul to Sheol, or let Your holy One see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). The earthly kingdoms of David and Solomon came to an end. Jesus’ kingdom, a Kingdom for people of every nation, is still increasing. It is a Kingdom that will never end.
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, King and Savior, I pray that my life and my words of witness will help to bring about the increase of Your kingdom. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed,” which is number 398 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
- Do you think it’s important for a nation’s leaders to pray to God?
- How did David and Solomon stay close to God? How did this impact the way they ruled?
- How do we know that Jesus’ kingdom is so much greater than any kingdom on earth?
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