In biblical times, the Jews had been waiting for their savior and expected him to be coming out of the clouds riding on a war horse. They expected thunder and shouting and all the pompous regalia that such a king would bring with him. But God had different plans for His story.

Had it been thunder and a festival of fury, everyone would have taken notice. Instead, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came on a truly silent night. His announcement was only to a select few who were deemed trustworthy enough to keep the secret.

Later, after Jesus came through the area on His earthly ministry, He came riding into the Jewish holy city of Jerusalem. Christ was not on a large white war horse, but instead He came humbly on the back of a donkey.

So why did the King of Kings enter our world like this instead of having trumpets blaring and thunder roaring? Because our God gives favor to the meek and humble and not to the pompous. A person who thinks of themselves as “high and mighty” would only bow to someone who showed themselves as bigger and more forceful than they are. The Jews were expecting that everyone would be forced into doing God’s will and accepting the Savior.

That isn’t Gods way though. Many times in the Bible it says that God is love and wants your love in return, but love that is forced isn’t love at all. He isn’t going to force you to love or believe in Him, God will simply ask for it. The Jews expected a God to strike down all who opposed Him, but instead He sent an invitation for all to be saved, not just the Jewish people. God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Make no mistake, when Jesus arrives the second time it will be with the force and thunder of Heaven. For now, Christ just simply asks for your love and acceptance. He paid the cost for your sins so that you would have the opportunity to come freely to his throne. Not out of fear, but of love. Not as a subject of the king, but as a child of the King of Kings.

It’s a different story than what was expected. The story of Jesus is a story of peace, not war, and it is truly the greatest story ever told.

DH