Peace

As the baby Jesus was born on Christmas day, an announcement went out from the angels:
"Glory to God in the highest (Elohim Elyon), and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 
                                                                                                            Lk. 2:14
As we come into the Christmas season again this year, it doesn't appear that men have gotten that supernatural message of peace. There is turmoil within the individual person who can't seem to be at peace, turmoil within marriages and families, between neighbors, in politics, between races, ethnic groups, cultures, religions, and, of course, nations. Jesus warned that this turmoil would increase as the time of His return draws near (Mt. 24:6-8, Lk. 21:9-10). It seems hopeless. Even those who worship God cannot get along with each other. In this world of unending strife, I wanted to find out more about that promise of peace.
Jesus described the promise this way, as He also spoke about sending the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to those who believe:
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."   Jn. 14:27
Jesus told us that He gives us His peace. This peace is not the same kind of peace that is created by men for men, as Jesus said. It is not even part of the same understanding of the word. Peace in Christ is described as surpassing and overcoming all understanding, or reasoning (Phil. 4:7). Perhaps this is why it was announced from heaven that first Christmas. It is now in the world, but not of the world.
It is important then for us to know what the peace of Jesus is that He gives to us. In fact, one of the deceptions of the coming Antichrist in order to make the world believe that he is the Christ, is a form of peace that he will establish, which he, himself, will also break (Dan. 9:27, Dan. 11:36-39). We need to understand the true nature of God's peace.
The Greek translation of the word Jesus used for "peace" is eirene. It means "exemption from the rage and havoc of war, security, prosperity, safety, felicity, of the Messiah's peace, the way that leads to peace (salvation)". The root word means "to join". This is an important point. Am I really as joined to Christ as I think I am? According to the word meaning, this joining with Christ is the place from where His peace flows.
The Hebrew of the word used, shalom, is even more interesting. It starts out meaning much the same as the Greek: "welfare, prosperity, peace, safety, tranquility, contentment, friendship". However, if we look at the root word, we begin to see what makes the peace given by Jesus so different from the peace given by men. The root word means, "completeness, soundness, to perform, make an end of, finish, restore, end, full, to make whole or good". The peace of which Jesus spoke is active, transforming to completion. It transforms not only the individual, but also, consequently, all of creation as we will see. This must be part of the reason why Paul said that all creation groans for the manifestation of the sons of God. It is crying out for that peace given by Christ:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God...because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now."
                                                                                                            Rom. 8:18-22
The prophet Isaiah was given an amazing glimpse of a transformation of both man and creation into the condition of peace always intended in the plan of God:
"...For out of Zion shall go forth the law. And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem...They shall beat their swords in to plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD."   Isa. 2:3-5
And for all creation:
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.(And dust shall be the serpent's food.)  The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole. And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."   Isa. 11:6-9 (Isa. 65:25)
As we have seen above, the meaning of the peace to which Jesus referred includes a bringing to a completion, to a conclusion. The transformation begins in that peace announced from heaven two thousand years ago, and concludes in that miraculous peace of man and creation shown to the prophet Isaiah.
That transformation of peace begins in each one of us. This Christmas, let us be joined to Christ, and to His peace.

Our Father declared by His angels, "...on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

Merry Christmas to you, and God bless you.
                                                                                       

Christmas

 

In Matthew 2, an event is reported in regard to the birth of Jesus. Very special men come from the East, because they had seen an unusual sign in the heavens. They noticed a star that had not been observed before. They believed that this star designates the birth of a very special king. 
These men are very unusual. Being noted that they are from the East, it is very likely that they are Gentiles. The notation that they are "wise men" or magoi, means that they could fit into any or all of the following descriptions: teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers (astronomers), scientists, seers, interpreters of dreams. The implication is that they are spiritually gifted in a certain manner. These men come from "the East". This means in the natural, Chaldea, Media, Persia, etc. The root meaning of the word "East" used here means "a rising (of the sun, moon and stars), direction of the sun's rising, to cause to arise as of the earth to bring forth plants". The root can also mean "into the midst of the end". So these men were very mysterious, and their appearance should draw our attention. These men were important enough for King Herod to invite them before him, even though for his own purposes.
As the wise men discover that the scriptures prophesy that the Messiah, the king, whom they seek, would be born in Bethlehem, they head in that direction. They immediately notice the star moving before them and guiding them in a specific direction. They are amazed as the star rests over the place where the Christ child was. They were rejoicing with great joy, the scripture says, having been supernaturally guided to whom they so desired to find.
As the wise men entered the house marked by the star, they found Mary and her son. These men of honor and reputation, these men of science and spiritual gifting, bowed down in worship before the child. They had found the King. They worshiped Him with their bodies, and they worshiped Him with their substance. They had not come looking for this King empty-handed, but came prepared to give Him gifts. They broke open their treasuries to bring forth these gifts. The gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Gold symbolizes God's might and power in creating, preserving His creation, judging His creation, and controlling the destinies of men.
Frankincense is a white resin burned as incense. It comes from a tree. The white ash that remains after burning symbolizes something that has been purified by fire.
Myrrh is a costly perfume made from a bitter gum gathered from incisions made into the bark of a tree. It is an antiseptic, and was often used in treating the dead body before burial. The root meaning of the word "myrrh" is to be spread or stretched out, to break in pieces.
There is a prophecy in Isa. 60:6 that could very well apply to this special visit of the Magoi:
"The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense."

What do the gifts of the Magoi teach us about our own worship of the King of Kings this Christmas and always? The gifts that the wise men brought reflected the nature of the child they came to see. The gifts honored His position in the God-head, the purification of men by the blood of Christ, and His being an antiseptic against the condition of death, the corruption of the body of man.
As we worship and honor the birth of Christ, we break open our treasuries and bring forth gifts that are reflective of Christ's purpose in the earth, in us. Let us seek Him diligently, as the wise men did, and having found Him, let us show Him honor and glory with gifts worthy of His title of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And with these gifts let us proclaim:
"How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
Your God reigns!"                               Isa. 52:7 

To the heavens and the earth we proclaim this good news. To every person we proclaim this good news.

Our God reigns.


"We Three Kings of Orient Are"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mjRxkMBkE

"What Can I bring"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzPBZzKEPog