The
Advent of Peace
Isaiah 9:2-7
Introduction: Last Sunday we transitioned from Thanksgiving
to Advent by focusing on the “Advent of Hope.” Hope realized, and hope in future.
We have confidence that God is good, and that he is working. Though we don’t always
understand, we anticipate expectantly the unfolding of His plan. We believe
God. We trust Him. We have hope.
This
week our advent celebration turns to the theme of “peace.” In the light of our experience, the angels’
announcement on that first Christmas might seem strange in Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace
among those with whom he is pleased!" War in Ukraine. Tensions in the mid-east. Saber
rattling on the Korean peninsula. Unrest in countries like Haiti and Brazil. Violence in schools
and on the streets of American cities – even right here in Philadelphia. Peace on Earth? We see conflict between nations, struggles
in the work place, problems in our homes and families, even divisions in our churches.
Peace on earth? It may not look like it from our perspective! Even Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, "Do not
think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring
peace, but a sword.” How then can we understand the angels’ announcement of
“peace on earth” in the light of our experience?
“Peace” can have several
meanings in Scripture. One is indeed “an absence of war or violence” but that
is usually only one small facet of what is meant by the biblical idea of peace.
It is obvious that the day when swords will be hammered into plowshares is an
aspect of “peace” that is still future. Even so, we can still have peace, even
now. Jesus said in the Upper Room, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give
to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be
troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 14:26). What did He mean? The
Hebrew word “Shalom” is explained by one scholar as
“The state of fulfillment that results from God’s presence.” This is what is expressed
in the Aaronic benediction in Number 6:24-26: “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine
upon you and be gracious to you; 26
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” God’s presence brings “shalom.”
“Peace”
relates to the idea that was expressed when God looked at His creation, before
the fall, and pronounced it all “good,” tob.
God who is good, holy, and perfect was in perfect fellowship with His
creation, no sin, no separation. There was peace. The way life should
be! That peace was disrupted by the fall. In the fullness of time the
arrival of the Prince of Peace, according to promise, meant that fellowship can
be restored, reconciliation can be experienced between God and those who would
believe.
The BIG Idea: Jesus is our peace. The Son of God
took upon himself a human nature in order to give his life so that we could
experience true peace, SHALOM!
I. The PURPOSE of Advent: Peace on earth, peace with God, peace in our hearts, peace
forever (Isa 9:2-5). Humanity was lost, powerless, in the darkness.
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping
warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as
fuel for the fire.
First
of all, the prophet speaks about the great need of humans (v.2). “The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.” The first day of
Creation God said, “Let there be light,” and it was good. John’s gospel
shows the importance of the theme of “light
and darkness” from the very first chapter (cf. Jn 1:4, 9, 14). There is a
moral/spiritual element to it: “And this is the judgment: the light has come
into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because
their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Why
don’t we have peace on earth? James asked and answered the question when he
said:
“What causes
quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this: that your passions
are at war within you?” (James 4:1).
Conflict starts in the rebellious
human heart. Jeremiah said “The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). The prophet is describing a dark place, and
that is the depth of the depravity of the human heart. We are all sinners. Psalm
53 begins by saying in the first couple of verses, “… there is none who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on
the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after
God. 3 They have all fallen
away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even
one.” That is pretty clear. How many of us are sinners? Every last one, by
birth and by choice (those verses may sound familiar from Paul’s quotation in
Rom 3:10f).
The good news came in the
promise of deliverance in Isaiah 9:3-5. Verse
5 describes a time when the Light shining in the darkness will bring “peace on
earth”: “…For
every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in
blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.” Though
“peace on earth” is not yet our experience, that day is coming, that is our
sure hope, the enemies of Christ will be put under his feet and peace will
reign, at last. Because of His
coming, because of the reality of His presence for those who trust Him we can
already experience peace in our hearts, a peace that passes understanding. Jesus
is our peace. The Son of
God took upon himself a human nature to give his life so that we could
experience true peace, Shalom! That was the purpose of Advent. Isaiah 9:6
points us to the One who came…
II. The PERSON of Advent: The Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). God sent his Son for us.
“For to
us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his
shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
“For unto us a child is born…”
The prophet is assuming a physical, historical, human birth. God the Son took upon himself a human nature. There was an early heresy that the church
confronted called “Docetism.” The idea was that Jesus didn’t really take a full
human nature, He only appeared to be
human. The Bible makes it clear that the
eternal Son took a human nature, and the divine and human natures were one in
the person of Christ. The theological phrase
is the “hypostatic union.” He is fully God, and fully man. Paul described this
act in his letter to the Philippians when he wrote in Philippians 2:6-7 “…although
He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be
grasped, 7 but emptied
Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness
of men…” A Jewish-Christian scholar from the 19th century, Alfred
Edersheim, reflected on this when he wrote in The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,
“…that on such a
slender thread as the feeble throb of an infant life, the salvation of the
world should hang—and no special watch care over its safety, no better shelter
be provided it than a stable, no other cradle than a manger! And still it is
ever so. On what slender thread has the continued life of the church often
seemed to hang; on what feeble throbbing that of every child of God—with no
visible means to ward off danger, no home of comfort, no rest of ease…”
Life is hard, and too often fleeting,
in this fallen world. Believers are not exempt from suffering. But take heart, we
have a King and High Priest who understands, who can sympathize with our
weakness and empathize with our pain. He was tempted/tested in all points as we
are, yet without sin. But peace on earth? Why then did Jesus warn, “In the world you will have tribulation…”?
The promise of “peace” begins in our heart, it is peace with God and the peace of God. Paul told the Romans
5:1, “Therefore, since we have been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ.” And then we read in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We read more about that in Ephesians 2:14-17,
“For he himself is
our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the
dividing wall of hostility 15
by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in
himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to
God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace
to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.”
For Jew and Gentile alike the way to
peace is through Jesus Christ. The
prophet Isaiah spoke of the birth of the Child, and then in the next phrase
says “…unto us a Son is given…” A
Son, handed over as a gift. This is not only parallel with the previous
phrase, but it expounds on a couple of elements. One, the child would be a
son. (In our day of sonograms that may seem like a small factor, but God’s
plan would be accomplished). Secondly, he was “given.” The term used
in John 3:16 expresses the same idea: in John God gave His Son,
in Isaiah, the passive form, the Son was “given.” As Paul said, “God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all…” (Rom
8:32). John in his first letter said, “This is how God showed his love among
us, He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him…”
(I John 4:9).
The
prophet Isaiah, writing 700 years earlier, goes on to give more information
about the coming One: “…and the
government will be upon his shoulders…” (Isa 9:6b). He is the Ruler of
creation, Lord of all, and His Kingdom will come. This hope is not exclusively
future. Even now we’ve been transported
from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the Son… (Col 1:13). And so, He
must reign in our hearts and minds by faith. But He will return to establish
His kingdom on earth—and somehow, incredibly, we will reign with Him!
The litany of titles that follow express various aspects of who He is: “And
his name will be called, Wonderful
counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father…” Each
designation gives us a little more information about the Promised One…
He is our Wonderful counselor.
The Holy Spirit is described as our “Parakletos”
in the upper room discourse in John 14-16. He is our Comforter, Helper, and
Advocate. In I John 2 the same word is applied to Jesus. He is our
Advocate, our Counselor, our Comforter.
Here in Isaiah 9:6 He is also described in the unmistakable language of
deity: mighty God, everlasting Father… Think about it: God
is on your side! He is at your side, to help, guide, and protect. He is
transcendent, “Almighty God,” yet also intimately near, so we can call Him
Father. Because that is true, we don’t need to be overwhelmed or despair: if
God is for us, who can stand against us?
He is finally called the “Prince
of Peace” – The Prince of Shalom.
He is the one who’s reign would be marked by the presence of God and the
blessings of the covenant. He is Immanuel, God with us. And so,
we can experience “shalom” because of His presence. As the Prince of Peace, He is the source
of peace. Because of His work we are reconciled to God. Because of His
presence we can have peace in the midst of a chaotic world.
Think again of the words of Paul
to the Philippians: “Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which passes all
understanding…” (Phil 4:6,7). What are the situations that you are facing in
life that can cause you anxiety, that would keep you up at night or burden
you? The consequences of the Fall are
all around us, that is why Jesus came! God is bigger than our problems! The Son took upon himself a
human nature in order to give his life so that we could experience true peace:
Shalom!
III. The PROMISE of Christmas: The Advent of Peace on Earth (Isa 9:7).
“Of the
increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the
throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with
justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The
zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”
Notice that he speaks of an eternal kingdom – One of the issues
that come up from time to time in when you try to share your faith with
someone, is the problem of evil. If God is good, and all powerful, why is there
so much suffering and injustice in the world? This world is not as it was when
it was created by God. That original creation was pronounced “good,” it was a
setting marked by “shalom,” the fulfillment that results from God’s presence.
He is Emmanuel, God with us.
Human rebellion, sin, brought suffering and death into the world, and
believers are not exempt. Sometimes, as we know from the broader teaching of
the Bible, the storms of life are indeed linked to our sin, our rebellion
against God. God will do what He needs to get out attention, not to punish us,
but to bring us back! Other times suffering or trials are just a consequence of
living in this fallen world. Even then we can remember, God isn’t surprised by our
suffering. Even there He is present and working, causing all things, even the
hard things, to work together for our good, and for His glory (Rom 8:28).
An eternal kingdom brought about by God. It can be and will be an
eternal kingdom and everlasting peace because the omnipotent king of the
universe will accomplish it. Now listen: “wars and rumors of wars” will
characterize this age until Jesus returns.
But “shalom” is not merely the
absence of conflict. We look forward to the day when fellowship and the
presence of God will be restored fully. But even now we can experience peace.
We read in Philippians 4:5-7…
“…The
Lord is at hand [and so the presence of God,
the requirement of “shalom”] 6 do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God. 7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…”
Have you had the experience of your young
child being frightened at night and running to your bedroom? They can climb
into bed and fall fast asleep in about two seconds, because if mommy and daddy
are there, there is no fear. Here is God’s
promise to us: “The Lord is at hand” (Phil 4:5). Daddy is with you. You can rest. You can have
peace, the Shalom for which you were created. The way
life should be! And that is because…
What is God saying to me in this passage? The Son of God took upon himself a human nature to give his
life so that we could experience true peace, the shalom for which we
were created!
What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Christmas
can be a time of high anxiety for many. Are you feeling overwhelmed by pressures of the season? Trials
at work, difficulty at home, concern about the future? Christmas celebrates
hope and peace, because of the Prince of Peace, Jesus, has come. So…
1. I would encourage you this month to be in the Word. Make a daily time
to read, focusing on the promises of the incarnation, a part of your Advent
celebration. Many start a Bible Reading program in the beginning of the year…
why not get started now? His Word is truth, let it be a Light to your path…
2. Don’t allow the pressures of family get togethers, travel, and shopping
to become “Christmas” for you. Remember Jesus. Focus on the fact that
the Eternal Son of God, purposefully took on a human nature – for you…
Look at the Chaos around us and remember why He came: To give us
peace!
3. Look for opportunities to share the promise of Peace with those in
your sphere of influence, point them to Jesus, the One who came to save us.
4. Jesus began and ended the upper room discourse in John with a promise
of Peace: John 14:27, “Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I
give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
And then, in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me
you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take
heart; I have overcome the world." There will be peace for those who
trust Him!
5. Remember the promise: as we lean on Him, His peace will guard
our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. You
can take God at His Word! Shalom.
Today, this second Sunday of Advent,
we celebrate to Lord’s Table. He became a man to give His life so that we could
have peace with God. He Himself is our Peace. AMEN.
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