We've all probably had Christmas cards with this phrase written on it, and this time of year we sing songs that contain the phrase. In fact, all year long we hear cries for "peace on earth." We hear it begged and pleaded for in songs, and in speeches... but where is it? I don't see it. What exactly is this promise of "peace on earth?" To find the answer, of course, we go to the Bible.
The promise of peace on earth
-From the fall of man there has been a promise regarding the coming restitution ("The act of recovering a former state or posture" - Webster, 1828) and the reconciliation ("The renewal of friendship after disagreement or enmity - Webster, 1828) of all things through Christ.
-Acts 3:21 "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world
began."
-Colossians 1:20,21 "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. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled."
1. The first promise given, immediately after the fall, was the promise that the seed of the woman would conquer the seed of the serpent (the devil).
Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
-Paul uses this concept in his letter to the saints at Rome.
Romans 16:20 "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
-This is also alluded to in the book of Revelation with the battle between the seed of the woman and the dragon/serpent.
Revelation 12:17 "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ."
-We also see in Revelation the victory over the dragon/serpent.
Revelation 20:10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day
and night for ever and ever."
2. We also see Jacob's prophecy concerning Judah mentioned the coming of "Shiloh"
Genesis 49:10 "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people
be."
-("Shiloh" has been said to mean "the world's Tranquilizer")
3. We also have Isaiah's prophesy that His name shall be called "the Prince of Peace"
Isaiah 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."
-The multitude of angels declared "peace and good will toward men" at Jesus' birth.
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."
The lies about peace on earth
1. Today, talk about peace is increasingly popular, but nowhere to be found.
-Politicians run their campaigns on world peace.
-Beauty pageant participants give speeches on world peace.
-Yet wars and rumors of wars abound.
Matthew 24:6 "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.")
2. Murders and riots are increasing every year.
3. We know that the coming Antichrist will claim to bring peace.
Dainiel 8:25 "By peace he shall destroy"
-This passage is apparently a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes, the Greek ruler who would conquer Syria and persecute the Jews 175 years before Christ.
(Josephus, War of the Jews, 1: 2 "Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with
his unexpected taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter he
had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, and
remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he compelled the Jews to
dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and
to sacrifice swine's flesh upon the altar; against which they all opposed
themselves, and the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides
also, who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked commands,
joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all sorts of the
extremist wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the inhabitants, man
by man, and threatened their city every day with open destruction, till at length
he provoked the poor sufferers by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge
themselves.)"
-But it also seems to carry with it a prophetic reference regarding the future Antichrist who will claim to bring peace and yet persecute God's people.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no
need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace
and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape."
Revelation 6:3,4 "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the
second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was
red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth,
and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a
great sword."
Revelation 13:4-8 "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is
able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to
continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against
God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and
power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell
upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
The reality of peace on earth (The Christmas song, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" says it well):
1. (Verse 4) "Rise, the woman's conquering seed, bruise in us the serpent's head."
-This refers to the promise of Genesis 3:15 mentioned earlier in this lesson.
Our final, eternal "peace on earth" will come when Satan is destroyed for good.
2. (Verse 1) "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
-From the moment we receive Christ, we are reconciled to God by grace through faith in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God."
-We don't have to wait for peace, it is already ours when we walk in the Spirit.
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ"
I hope you have true "peace" in your own heart and life this Christmas season!
The promise of peace on earth
-From the fall of man there has been a promise regarding the coming restitution ("The act of recovering a former state or posture" - Webster, 1828) and the reconciliation ("The renewal of friendship after disagreement or enmity - Webster, 1828) of all things through Christ.
-Acts 3:21 "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world
began."
-Colossians 1:20,21 "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. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled."
1. The first promise given, immediately after the fall, was the promise that the seed of the woman would conquer the seed of the serpent (the devil).
Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
-Paul uses this concept in his letter to the saints at Rome.
Romans 16:20 "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
-This is also alluded to in the book of Revelation with the battle between the seed of the woman and the dragon/serpent.
Revelation 12:17 "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ."
-We also see in Revelation the victory over the dragon/serpent.
Revelation 20:10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day
and night for ever and ever."
2. We also see Jacob's prophecy concerning Judah mentioned the coming of "Shiloh"
Genesis 49:10 "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people
be."
-("Shiloh" has been said to mean "the world's Tranquilizer")
3. We also have Isaiah's prophesy that His name shall be called "the Prince of Peace"
Isaiah 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."
-The multitude of angels declared "peace and good will toward men" at Jesus' birth.
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."
The lies about peace on earth
1. Today, talk about peace is increasingly popular, but nowhere to be found.
-Politicians run their campaigns on world peace.
-Beauty pageant participants give speeches on world peace.
-Yet wars and rumors of wars abound.
Matthew 24:6 "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.")
2. Murders and riots are increasing every year.
3. We know that the coming Antichrist will claim to bring peace.
Dainiel 8:25 "By peace he shall destroy"
-This passage is apparently a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes, the Greek ruler who would conquer Syria and persecute the Jews 175 years before Christ.
(Josephus, War of the Jews, 1: 2 "Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with
his unexpected taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter he
had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, and
remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he compelled the Jews to
dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and
to sacrifice swine's flesh upon the altar; against which they all opposed
themselves, and the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides
also, who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked commands,
joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all sorts of the
extremist wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the inhabitants, man
by man, and threatened their city every day with open destruction, till at length
he provoked the poor sufferers by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge
themselves.)"
-But it also seems to carry with it a prophetic reference regarding the future Antichrist who will claim to bring peace and yet persecute God's people.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no
need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace
and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape."
Revelation 6:3,4 "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the
second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was
red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth,
and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a
great sword."
Revelation 13:4-8 "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is
able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to
continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against
God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and
power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell
upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
The reality of peace on earth (The Christmas song, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" says it well):
1. (Verse 4) "Rise, the woman's conquering seed, bruise in us the serpent's head."
-This refers to the promise of Genesis 3:15 mentioned earlier in this lesson.
Our final, eternal "peace on earth" will come when Satan is destroyed for good.
2. (Verse 1) "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
-From the moment we receive Christ, we are reconciled to God by grace through faith in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God."
-We don't have to wait for peace, it is already ours when we walk in the Spirit.
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ"
I hope you have true "peace" in your own heart and life this Christmas season!
