On the Road to Bethlehem #16: Prince of Peace

“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.”

—Isaiah 9:6

Another clue to the identity of God’s Messiah would be seen in one of the aspects of His Person and reign. He will be the “Prince of Peace.” The Messiah’s rule will be characterized by peace. The word for “peace” in Hebrew is shalom, which communicates a sense of “wholeness” or “completeness.” How does this Prince of Peace bestow peace? The New Testament testifies that God gave us peace through Christ (Romans 5:1).

As sinners, we are enemies of God, under His wrath and deserving of God’s judgment (Ephesians 2:2). But, “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”—Romans 5:8. God has decreed peace—a ceasefire—through Christ’s death on the cross,

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near”—Ephesians 2:13-17.

God is known as the “God of peace” (Romans 16:20; Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20), and His gospel is known as “the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). In other words, Christ Jesus’ death on the cross enabled us to have peace with God (Romans 5:1; Acts 10:36; Colossians 1:20), peace with ourselves (Ephesians 2:13-17), and live a life characterized by peace (Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:16).

And we live in this peace by believing in Him and living our life in subjection to Christ’s Lordship manifested through His Spirit at work in us,  

“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"—John 16:33. 

He is our peace by making peace for us, and by believing in Him and being in communion with Him, we participate in His peace,  

“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”—John 14:27 (cf. Galatians 5:22; Philippians 4:7).

A Prince is the son of the Ruler and Christ is the Son of the Father—the divine Sovereign over the universe. Jesus is God’s Messiah and it is through Him that the Kingdom of God has been inaugurated (Matthew 12:28), but not yet consummated. The Kingdom of God is being manifested in a very small manner through each Christ follower. In that respect, they are citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world. As Jesus said,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But My kingdom is not from the world."—John 18:36.

Jesus will rule at the end of time, when He comes again and establishes His kingdom in fullness, when He will not only be the “Prince of Peace,” but will ascend to the throne of His ancestor David and become the King—the sovereign ruler known as the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (cf. 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). In one of the great mysteries within the Godhead, after God the Son takes His place as King of Kings, He will then deliver the Kingdom to God the Father,

“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all his enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For ‘God has put all things in subjection under His feet.’ But when it says, ‘all things are put in subjection,’ it is plain that He is excepted who put all things in subjection under Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all.”—1 Corinthians 15:24-28.

Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” and His rule will be one where we will be made whole—like Christ (1 John 3:2)—and in joyous everlasting fellowship with our loving Triune God. May we live our lives as joyous citizens of the Prince’s kingdom, patiently awaiting the day when His rule will be made manifest for the entire world to see (Revelation 1:7)—when  

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”—Revelation 21:4. 

May the joy and peace of Christ be with us until then. Amen.