Peace. Our society longs for it. The question is, on whose terms do they want it? The lack of peace between individuals, families, and nations comes from the fighting of two kings for mastery over the earth….and the hearts of men.
One king is Satan, described by Scripture as “the god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4) Since Adam’s initial submission to this king in the garden, Satan has held the initial sway as he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus’ words “Ye are of your father, the Devil,” could be used to explain so much of the wrong perpetrated today.
The other King is the One Whose birth we celebrate this season: Jesus, the Prince of peace. He came to undo the damage done by Adam, to redeem us from the tyranny of sin and of Satan, and to reclaim His rightful Kingdom.
The Jews expected the Messiah to simply claim His throne and be done with it, but what they failed to understand is that the real kingdom at stake is not a physical one, but a spiritual one in the heart of every person ever born. Until all men unite under one king, the followers of both will fight it out.
Peace is found only in submission to Christ. Peace is coming now, one heart at a time, and the time will come when Christ will defeat Satan, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, and then true peace will finally come to earth – even to the middle East (and only then).
The true meaning of the angels’ message to the shepherds was beautifully captured by Isaac Watts:
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing.
No more let sin and sorrow reign
Nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love.
Why is He the Prince of peace? Because He’s going to win! And since we know how it will end, it behooves every person to make sure they’re on the winning side.
May the Prince of peace reign supreme in your hearts this season, and may you have a blessed Christmas rejoicing in the birth of the King.
man! That is so true…. Jesus IS the Prince of Peace. Other religions and ideas promote peace in different ways. The only true Peace is King Jesus, though, and I pray that our hearts will be opened to see that even more. Thanks for a cool blog post!