The children of Israel had been for some hundreds of years under a foreign yoke, always under the domineering control of Babylon, Rome or someone else.
Such was the unhappy condition of God’s ancient people. Some of them no doubt -possibly many -were wistfully looking forward to the fulfilment of the prophecies which they had read so often.
When would it be true: ‘Unto us a Child is born, a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder’?
When would they be able to throw open wide the gate and sing ‘Who is this King of Glory?