“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given….. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” ”
The appearance of the angel terrified the shepherds for several reasons including the fact that an angel from heaven could mean that they were doomed to die, as often times in O.T. records God used angels to bring destructive plagues. “On earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” – the angels’ song was not a promise of universal peace on earth, it was peace to those on whom God’s approval rested and will rest in future generations.
“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth?” – It had been prophesied that Messiah would bring peace to the earth, but here we see Christ indicating that His coming would bring division instead of peace; what did He mean by this statement? Christ’s coming into the world primarily brought peace between God and mankind through faith in Christ. Faith in Christ results in salvation, thus giving us that peace . Secondly, peace with God brings peace among the believers in Christ, and that peace should extend to all mankind. Instead we see a great division between the believer and the unbeliever because of the TRUTH that Christ represents . Are you a fragment of the “division”, or are you at “Peace”?
I heard the bells on Christmas day
their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth”, I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
of peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead: nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
with peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Enjoy the Real Peace of Christmas!