The King Nobody Wanted

the Jewish people were waiting for something to ha

always asking one another. "Will he come in five

him "the Messiah." If they spoke the Greek language, they woul

ose who made him angry. He was not a Jew by birth. The Messiah, when he came, would be a good king. He would be a Jew himself, and a friend to all the Jewish

ry name! For Caesar was the emperor of the Romans. Some years before, the Romans had occupied the country and begun to rule it. Herod was stil

t," the older people sighe

ields flashed in the sunlight, and when they were on the mar

orship God. They did not like to see Roman soldiers whipping people with long leather whips called scourges, into which bits of glass and lead and iron were fastened to make them bite more deeply into

great day for the nation that was called by the glorious name of Israel! From all over the country the men of Israel would rise up. They would come when their king call

mpire ever was. The Jews would rule the world. Everyone, everywhere, would worship the God of

ord would go around that he had finally arrived, and in great excitement some of the Jews would get ready to drive the Romans out of Pal

eir Holy Scriptures. For it was surely written there that the Messiah woul

wing. And as he plowed the land, the farmer thought about the Messiah, and wondered if he would come before the harvest in the spring. Then spring would come, and the wheat and barley would be growing up in the smiling fields, and all

of how long Israel had waited for the Messiah to come. The beggars in the city streets, who were deaf, or blind, or crippled, would si

, keeping an eye on their sheep, and they had plenty of time to think. When the rain and the snow were in their faces, the shepherds were thinking, When will he come? And when the

ere hiding, a traveler would have dreams. Or the dream might come to someone in sunny Galilee, where camel caravans crossed with their loads of spices and jewels and precious thin

is eyes shot flames of fire. His arms and feet shone like polished brass or gold, and when he spoke his voice was like the shouting of ten thousand men. It was King Messiah! "Destroy the Romans!" h

ng the dusty road, or watching the camel caravans go by, or standing i

s were still there. There was

he King w