The first Christmas greetings from the angels that first Christmas morning was “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” Now 2,000 years later, look around, there is anything but peace. We hear of terrorist attacks, nation rising up against nations, one group of people against another. Even in our own nation, we are as divided as a nation as we ever were.
There are a great number of things that work against peace in our world today. We know that we are living in troubling times; COVID is running rampant, the past election is uncertain, we seem to be on the verge of civil war, corruption and crime is all around us, our future is most uncertain. The world is not a safe place with wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and hunger. Drugs and alcohol destroy families and lives. Hate seems to be the rule of the day.
Where is the peace?
These things are nothing new. 2,000 years ago the nation of Israel was an occupied land. The Romans ruled that world with an iron fist, showing little mercy to all. There was no security, nothing was certain; there was no peace in the land.
Then Jesus came. The first recipients of that joyous news were poor shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem. In general, shepherds were considered dishonest and unclean according to the standards of the law. But they represented the outcasts and sinners for whom Jesus came. Such outcasts were the first recipients of the good news.[1]
Let’s look closely at what the angels said to those shepherds:
Luke 2:10–11 (NKJV) Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
The first words I want to look at are “Good tidings of great joy.” Throughout Luke “joy” (chara) is often associated with salvation.[2]
Second, the phrase: “a Savior” We understand the term savior, one who saves others. In Matthew we read:
Matthew 1:21 (NKJV) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Jesus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, which quite literally means “YAHWEH saves.” Now keep this in mind.
The next words are "Christ the Lord" – Christ is simply the Greek word for the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Messiah means the anointed one. The anointed one, the Lord. Lord here is used because the Jews did not use the proper name of God which is YAHWEH. The Greek OT was translated using “The Lord” for YAHWEH as we do today. Look in your Bibles to the Old testament and you will see “the LORD” with LORD in all caps. In the Hebrew it was always YAHWEH.
In effect, the Angels, who probably made the announcement in Hebrew or Aramaic made the announcement that born in Bethlehem was the One who will save the people from their sins, who was none other than the Messiah, who is God Himself. Emmanuel – God with us. (Matt 1:23)
This is God, who came in the flesh, became a man, be to be the perfect sacrifice in payment for our sins. Jesus came to save.
Then the Armies of heaven, million upon millions of angels appeared, breaking out in praise to God. What a sight that must have been. What did the Angels say?
Luke 2:14 (NIV) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
These poor shepherds were privy to a scene that the rest of us will have to wait till we are in the presence of God in heaven to witness.
"Glory to God in the highest." None is higher than God.
"And on earth peace" – The Greek grammar, here in these phrases, is not the normal grammar experience elsewhere probably due to the attempt to translate into the Greek the Aramaic or Hebrew spoken by the angels. This is not God wishing peace for the earth. This is the announcement that Peace Himself had come. Peace arrived and is now lying in a manger in Bethlehem. What do we read in Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Jesus?
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV) For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus is the Prince or the Ruler over peace. Later in Isaiah, he says the Peace is the One who keep us in peace.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Trusting in God, and in the NT sense, trusting in Jesus keeps one in peace. The world may be going crazy, but those in Christ have peace.
Ephesians 2:14a (NKJV) For He Himself is our peace …
Jesus is peace. God is not wishing it, but God sent His Peace to those who will receive it. Let’s look at the rest of that phrase that the Army of Angels where saying in their praise to God: "to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14) As I said, the Greek Grammar is irregular. The KJV has “Goodwill toward men.” This is not God wishing men well, but rather the peace God was giving to the earth by sending Jesus to men who seek Him and seek His salvation through Jesus. The Scripture tells us “Salvation is from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9)
Let’s put this together. God did not wish or bestow peace on the earth to everyone, God sent Jesus, who is God Himself, and who is Peace, to those people who have accepted Him, and those who believe in Him, God has placed His favor.
Now here is the cold reality, with Jesus there is peace, without Jesus there is no peace. Why is there no peace on earth? Most people in the world are without Jesus and lost, and without peace.
Isaiah 48:18 (NKJV) 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Isaiah 48:22 (NKJV) “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”
God does not desire for anyone to be lost, to be without His peace.
Ezekiel 18:23 (NKJV) Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
When Jesus had his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, a mere 5 days before they crucified Him, Jesus wept over the city.
Luke 19:41–42 (NKJV) Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
That day it appeared they were welcoming a King, but a few days later they put to death the Prince of Peace. The only one who could really bring peace. And as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24, some 40 years later, Jerusalem was utterly destroyed. Those without Jesus are destined for eternal torment, an eternity without peace. But that is not what God wants for anyone.
2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Repentance and calling upon God, claiming the blood of Jesus, shed for our sins, all claimed by faith in Him, will bring about peace with God.
Romans 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
And with the making of our peace with God, we can experience the peace of God.
Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
And we are called to let the peace of God rule in our hearts:
Colossians 3:15 (NKJV) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
God sent our peace to earth in Jesus. Jesus is that peace. That peace is for those who belong to Him. Jesus said:
John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The word is clear, in Jesus we have peace, but in the world there is tribulation or trouble. But all is under God’s control. The world may be at war, but we can have peace, His peace, which is the only true peace. The world will experience peace when Jesus comes again to rule.
Isaiah 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
Isaac Watts, when he wrote the hymn, “Joy to the World” had Jesus’ second coming in mind. His inspiration was Psalm 98.
Psalm 98:4–9 (NKJV) Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. 5 Sing to the LORD with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, 6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King. 7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it; 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD, 9 For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.
[1] Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 108.
[2] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 208.
