The following is reprinted with permission of The
Timely Messenger
PEACE ON EARTH
By Gregg Bing
During the Christmas holidays,
we often hear the expressions “peace on earth” and “good
will toward men.” Many think of this holiday season as a time of
peace, but there is very little peace on earth. Politically, we see nations,
races, even religions at war with one another. Economically, we see turmoil
and uncertainty day after day. Even in our personal lives, many have such
hectic schedules that peace and rest is only a dream for many. This is
especially true during the holidays with family gatherings, school and
office parties, and the madness of Christmas shopping at the malls.
When the Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, some 2000 years ago,
the angels announced His birth to the shepherds. A multitude of the heavenly
host praised God saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
Jesus’ birth was the coming
of Israel’s long awaited Messiah; the One whom God anointed to be
Israel’s King; the One whom Isaiah called the “Prince of peace”
(Isa. 9:6); the One whose government and peace would be unending (Isa.
9:7).
Peace on earth was certainly what
God’s chosen people, Israel, longed for. At the time of Jesus’
birth, they had been under Gentile dominion for over 600 years, beginning
with the Babylonians, who destroyed the city of Jerusalem and their temple,
and continuing to that present day with the cruel Romans (Luke 2:1). Israel
longed to be free from Roman taxes, Roman governors, Roman soldiers, and
Roman laws – they longed for peace.
When the angels announced to the
shepherds the birth of Israel’s Savior and Deliverer, it must have
seemed that peace was about to be a reality in their lives. But the birth
of Jesus did not bring peace on earth. We read in John 1:11 that, “He
came unto His own, but His own did not receive Him.” How could this
have happened? The many Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah’s
coming were all fulfilled in the Lord Jesus (Micah 5:2, Isa. 7:14, etc.),
and the proofs of His identity and His authority as their King were clearly
demonstrated through His teaching (Matt. 5-7) and His miracles (Matt.
8-9), yet the Jewish leaders “plotted against Him, how they might
destroy Him” (Matt. 12:14).
Israel’s own expectations had
blinded their minds to what God’s Word taught concerning the Messiah
(Christ). The problem began with Israel’s leaders. They had corrupted
God’s Word by their traditions and interpretations of the law (Matt.
15), and when God spoke to them “in His Son” (Heb. 1:1-2), they
did not hear Him (John 8:47). These men honored God with their lips, but
their hearts were far from Him (Matt. 15:8). They were “blind leaders
of the blind” (Matt. 15:14), and so Israel rejected the One who was
their peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When Jesus wept over the city of
Jerusalem, He said of them, “If you had known, even you, especially
in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are
hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). The prophet Isaiah said of Israel,
“The way of peace they have not known” (Isa. 59:8).
Jesus’ coming into this world
did not result in peace, but in division (Luke 12:51-53). The people were
divided over Him and who He was. A small remnant, including the apostles,
believed He was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt.
16:16), but the majority of Israel saw Him only as a teacher or prophet.
To those who believed, He was precious, but to the rest, the Lord Jesus
was offensive and they stumbled at Him, “being disobedient to the
Word” (I Pet. 2:7-8). They rejected the “Prince of peace,”
declaring, “We will not have this Man to reign over us” (Luke
19:14), and they delivered Him to the Romans to be crucified.
While those who put Jesus to death
were certainly “wicked” or “lawless,” we read in Acts
2:23 that all this was according to God’s determined purpose. This
was exactly why the Son of God came into this world – to give His
life on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world (I Pet. 3:18, I
John 2:2). He, “Himself, bore our sins in His own body on the tree”
(I Pet. 2:24). Isaiah prophesied of the great sacrifice that He would
make for us: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised
for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by
His stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).
It was through His death that Jesus
brought peace. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.” Our sin separates us from God, for He
is holy, and we are under the penalty of death (Rom. 6:23), but even in
this terrible condition, God loved us; so much that He was willing to
send His only-begotten Son into the world to become the propitiation for
our sins (Rom. 3:24-26, I John 2:2). Jesus’ death on the cross satisfied
God’s holy and righteous requirement. This One, who knew no sin,
become “sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him” (II Cor. 5:21). When we simply believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ as our Savior, God justifies us; He declares us to be righteous
in His sight. The result of being justified is described in Romans 5:1:
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We, who once were enemies of God,
are reconciled to God through the death of His Son (Rom. 5:10).
Many today are longing for “peace
on earth” between men and nations, but, sadly, there is no peace.
Wars and threats of wars continue with no peace in sight. The Scriptures
teach that there will be peace on earth one day, but only when the Lord
Jesus Christ, our risen and ascended Savior, returns to earth to fulfill
the promises made to the nation of Israel. The Prince of peace will establish
His kingdom on this earth and His people, Israel, will rule and reign
with Him. This is a peace that man can never hope to achieve through his
own efforts.
Others are longing for peace in their
own hearts and lives. This is a peace that is possible, but, once again,
not by our own efforts. This peace only comes when we have “peace
with God” through the Lord Jesus Christ. When we trust in Christ
as our Savior, not only do we have “peace with God,” we are
also filled with “joy and peace in believing” “by the power
of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13, Gal. 5:22). This wonderful “peace
of God,” which is beyond our understanding, then keeps or guards
our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).
If you are longing for true peace
in your own heart and life, you can have it this very day, even this very
moment, by simply believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished
work on the cross of Calvary; that He died for your sins and rose again
the third day (Acts 16:31, I Cor. 15:3-4). It’s not by any works
of righteousness on your part (Tit. 3:5), but all by God’s grace—His
gift of eternal life (Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 6:23).
Won’t you trust Him today and
experience this wonderful peace? You can have “peace with God”
and the “peace of God” in your heart and life. This is truly
“good will toward men.”
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