Prince of peace

 PRINCE OF PEACE

 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given .… And he will be called … Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.

ISAIAH 9.6–7a

 

During His time on earth, Jesus restored peace everywhere He went. He calmed tumultuous storms, He brought healing to the sick, He raised the dead to life, He forgave sinners their sins.

Isaiah prophetically calls the coming Messiah the “Prince of Peace” (Isa 9.6), and the angels announcing the birth of Jesus declare “on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests” (Lk 2.14).

Jesus came to restore not just peace as we understand a cessation of hostility, but a rich, full, abiding harmony of life. His first coming began this process of restoring peace between us and God, His second coming will bring wholeness as He intended His creation to be when He first set the universe in motion.

In contrast to human history filled with war, gloom, and despair, the reign of Jesus will be marked by flourishing peace, wholeness, and delight. Isaiah 9 describes the shift from gloom and darkness to the Messianic Age, and Malachi describes a time when the “the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings” (Mal 4.2 ESV). Jesus’ rule will restore well-being to individuals and to society as a whole when He brings worldwide peace in His future kingdom on the new earth.

But Jesus’ reign of peace is not reserved for His future kingdom; it begins here and now for all those who follow Him. The Prince of Peace brings us peace with God, the end of spiritual enmity and striving to secure God’s favour through our good works, as well as peace of mind and heart, a state of being at rest despite difficult circumstances because we know that God is in control. In fact, the very night Jesus was betrayed, in His last teaching moments with His disciples, Jesus promised them peace, not as the world offers it, but as only He can give give (Jn 14.27). No matter what would happen, they could rest and enjoy sweet fellowship with God, which would then create ripple effects in their relationships with the world around them.

We live the present reality of God’s kingdom, pushing back the kingdom of darkness and bringing to fruition the peace of Jesus. Just as He is the Prince of Peace, so He calls us to be makers of peace all around us (Mt 5,9). Though the world may be caught up in anxiety and worry, we can rest securely in the knowledge that Jesus is making all things right, and we can participate with Him in bringing peace to a broken world as we look forward to the future kingdom of peace.

 

Prayer

 

What a beautiful picture You paint for us, Jesus! I can’t wait for Your reign to begin and for all the ugliness of sin to disappear. But in the here and now, fill me with Your peace and help me to bring peace in all my interactions. Where there is worry, bring a reassurance of Your provision. Where there is strife, bring to mind Your humility. Where there is bickering, bring to our hearts Your love. Be our peace.

In Jesus’s name, Amen 

 

If you want to read more 

 

Jdg 6.20–24, Isa 8.21–9.7, 11.1–9, Lk 2.14, Ac 3.15, Rom 5.1, Eph 2.13–18, Phil 4.7, Rev 1.4