Isaiah didn't say, "The church choir shall be upon His shoulder." He didn't say, "The worship team," or "The Sunday sermon." Nope. It was the government.
That word hits differently in 2025, doesn't it? For many, it brings thoughts of bureaucracy, taxes, or gridlock. But Isaiah wasn't talking about some tangled institution. He was talking about Rule. Reign. Authority.
This child wasn't coming to host a prayer meeting. He came to take the throne.
"The government shall be upon His shoulder." Not a government. The government. Ultimate power. Ultimate justice. Ultimate peace. He doesn't campaign for the job. He's appointed. He doesn't need a majority vote. He already holds the universe together—holding up the very government of it all on His shoulders.
In other words: He rules.
That's the part we often skip over in the Christmas story. We love the manger scene. The animals. The silent night. But while the baby was small, His mission was massive. He didn't come to simply inspire hearts. He came to reign over nations.
Herod got it. That's why he panicked. The magi got it. That's why they brought gold. The angels? They shouted it in the skies. This wasn't a sweet bedtime story. This was a divine political declaration.
Isaiah's prophecy was clear—this wasn't about starting a religion. It was about installing a King.
And that King doesn't stay in the cradle. He ascends the throne.