- Spiritual war between God and rebellious mankind - The war between God and man started in the Garden of Eden as a result of Adam’s sin; and because man is at war with His Maker, he is also at war with other men. Our sinful Adamic nature, with which every human being is born, is described in James 4. We fail to consider the futility of our efforts to get right with God, the magnitude of our sin, and the eternal, infinite, holy God with whom we have to deal face to face one day. God both hates and will judge sin and sinner alike. Yet, in the midst of judgment there is a ray of hope, a glimmer of mercy for His people.
Jam 4:2 “ [in Adamic nature] Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”
Rom 8:7 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
Rom 3:10, 17-18 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one...And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Isa 64:6-7 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.”
Tit 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”
- The "Prince of Peace" and His Kingdom of Peace - As “the Prince of Peace” many people think that Jesus came to bring some kind of political or secular peace among nations or groups of people. However, wars are the result of man’s sinful nature and will never be abolished on this sin-cursed earth. Jesus dispelled all doubts about His purpose for coming to this earth in Matthew 10. God in the flesh, Christ came to bring division and strife – even within families, the closest-knit social units in this world. The reason Christ is named the “Prince of Peace” is because He came to bring eternal peace to fallen man, who by nature is dead in trespasses and sins, by ending the state of perpetual warfare that exists between God and all who are unsaved. Only God Can End this Warfare. The word for “habitation” describes the place where believers dwell and is also rendered, as a “sheepcote”, or “fold”, where sheep are protected.
Rom 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat [food] and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Gen 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee [or Satan] and the woman [the elect], and between thy [or Satan’s] seed and her seed; it [referring to Christ] shall bruise thy [Satan’s] head, and thou [Satan] shalt bruise his [Christ’s] heel.”
Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Matt 10:34-36 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”
Isa 40:2 “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem [typifying the elect], and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned…”
Isa 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Isa 32:17-18 “And the work of righteousness [salvation] shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”
John 10:16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold [peaceable habitation], and one shepherd.”
Isa 9:7 “Of the increase of his [Lord Jesus Christ] government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
- The Chastisement of Our Peace was Upon Him - As we have seen above in Isaiah 9, this peace can only be provided by the Savior . Isaiah 53 reveals the great sufferings of Hell which Christ endured, the atoning work of the Lord for each of His elect, that has “reconciled” them to God giving "peace with God". Peace is the Work of Righteousness. One might ask, “What exactly is the ‘work of righteousness’?” Any time we see the word “work” in the Bible with regard to salvation, we can know that it has to allude to something that God does. Any work of ours can never be righteous in God’s eyes. The “works of righteousness” were accomplished by God as we learn from Isaiah 61.
Isa 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Psa 38:3 “There is no soundness in my [Messianic Psalm] flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest [peace] in my bones because of my [Not his own sin but laid with our sins] sin.”
2 Cor 5:21 "For he [God] hath made him [Lord Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Isa 32:17-18 “And the work of righteousness [salvation] shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”
Eph 2:13-17 “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”
- The Peace which Christ Bestows on His Elect is Salvation - Isaiah 40 beautifully describes the salvation that God accomplishes when He brings to an end to the warfare that previously existed between man and God. We learnes from Ephesians 2 that this is the work of the Lord Jesus. The Gospel of the Bible brings these “glad tidings”. In other words, if we have truly become saved, we are no longer God’s “enemies”, and our war with God has ended. Romans 5 concludes that one is saved or justified by the faith of Christ, which produces “peace with God” , the peace that results from salvation. Christ has brought us Peace from the Guilt of Sin, Peace from Spiritual Death, Peace from Hell. All who are unsaved, with out "the Prince of Peace" will be damned eternally on the last day. When we have become reconciled to God by salvation ("peace with God"), God also gives us the “peace of God”. When we have the “peace of God which passeth all understanding”, our souls can Rest quietly with God as we trust completely in Him with every aspect of our lives.
Isa 40:2 “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem [typifying the elect], and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned…”
Rom 5:9-10 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Rom 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Php 4:6-7 “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Isa 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
- Preach the Gospel of Peace and Live Peaceably with All Men - Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace has reconciled us to God and set us apart to be His ambassadors. We proclaim this Gospel of Grace so that our neighbor might be reconciled to God too. This is how we love our neighbor as ourselves. May God give us renewed zeal to be about His business. Blessed are the peacemakers and beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. After God saves a believer, Peace begins to manifest itself in the life of this individual who truly has become a “new creature” (or creation) in Christ.
Rom 5:9-10 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Col 1:20 "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."
2 Cor 5:18-20 "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
Rom 10:15 “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Matt 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Gal 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Rom 12:17-21 "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
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