Prince of Peace

A good Advent book, or Lessons and Carols service will usually start in the beginning. Genesis 3:15 is the first mention of the Gospel. God is speaking to the serpent in the garden when he says "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." This is the very first time that God speaks of his plan of redemption, of the final victory of Christ, which he had ordained before the beginning of time. Once I heard this verse mentioned in a sermon, and the pastor said that the Hebrew word which we translate "enmity" really means "a conflict with murderous intent." After the fall everything was broken. Our relationships with ourselves, God, each other, and the rest of creation - none were functioning as they could before sin. After this we have about two thousand years in which God chooses a people for himself, and leads them through times of faithfulness, and many of wandering. He consistently reminds them that a redeemer is coming - someone who will make what is broken whole again. In Isaiah 9 we read one of the most famous prophesies. "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. 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." By that phrase "Prince of Peace" I have written " no more enmity" and "destroys enmity in my heart with God." Do you see this? This is the peace Christ brings! He restores what has been broken - namely, our relationship with God. Since God cannot look upon sin, he could not associate with us. But in a great act of love and mercy, without compromising his justice, the God of creation poured out his wrath against sin on his son. All of our sin was placed on Christ, and his righteousness was placed on us. Colossians 1:19:20 puts it this way, "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." There it is again! That word, PEACE. We are able to have peace with God, to know him intimately, only through Christ. Let's be faithful to remember why this Prince of Peace humbled himself and came as a baby, and thank him constantly for that!