(By David Giarrizzo)

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels sang this song from the heavens on that ever-so holy night, they were proclaiming a doxology of praise to God and passing along the very almost-unbelievable promise of “peace on earth.”

It is this part about peace on earth that most intrigues me when I read this passage. Peace on earth: so many questions come to mind when I try to think about that notion. You don’t need to be a news junkie as I am to know how messed up our world is. Words like terror, violence, bloodshed, hostility, war, and crime seem to better express the state of affairs on planet earth than peace. But the Word of God clearly describes a “peace on earth” heralded by the angles.

In order to understand what God meant by “peace on earth,” we need to first understand what He didn’t mean. We hear the phrase misused all over the place this time of year. It is written on Christmas cards, waved on flags and banners, preached by multiculturalists and pacifists, and sung about in sappy songs.  But the peace on earth of Luke 2 does not mean political peace between different countries. It does not mean the absence of hostility or the presence of brotherly affection between humans. So then what exactly were the angels telling those shepherds? How would there be peace on earth through the birth of one little baby in a small town in Bethlehem?

The peace of Luke 2:14 has nothing to do with peace between humans and everything to do with peace with God. John Calvin appropriately describes the peace that Luke speaks of as such:

We obtain peace with God, when he begins to be gracious to us, by taking away our guilt, and “not imputing to us our trespasses,” (2 Corinthians 5:19) and when we, relying on his fatherly love, address him with full confidence, and boldly praise him for the salvation which he has promised to us.

Here’s what J.C. Ryle said about this peace on earth—

Now is come to earth the peace of God which surpasses all understanding,—the perfect peace between a holy God and a sinful man, which Christ was to purchase with his own blood,—the peace which is offered freely to all mankind, the peace which, once admitted into the heart, makes men live at peace with one another, and will one day overspread the whole world.

Thus, this peace on earth is a spiritual peace that is divinely granted by God Himself to only those upon whom His favor and mercy rests. This peace is the peace that God makes with us when he turns our hateful and rebellious hearts of stone into obedient and humble hearts of flesh. This peace is the peace that comes with salvation! Look at these two verses that speak about this kind of peace:

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 3:19-20

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

So my question and the ultimate point is this: How exactly did God the Father secure this peace on earth through that baby Jesus? The angels said that there would be peace on earth, but how would this peace become a reality? How would this peace be given, or transferred, to us? (This is where things get interesting!)

Read what God’s prophet Isaiah said…

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5

How does Isaiah explain how this peace was brought to men?…through Christ’s punishment! Therefore, the answer to the question is this: God used violence to bring peace!

It seems slightly odd to us to think that violence can produce peace. But we need not look any further than the history of the 20^th Century to get a small glimpse of how this scenario has been played out with humans. World War II is a prime example. Through violence (war), peace was eventually established in both Europe and between America and Japan. Ultimately, it took two atomic bombs exploding to save lives and bring peace. Further, throughout the Old Testament we see God using violence to achieve His purposes. One of the most used, God-ordained practices in Israel was blood atonement which always included the killing of an animal. Why do you think God had the Israelites sacrifice to Him like this? To point to the ultimate sacrifice which came in the person of Jesus Christ!

“In him we have redemption through his blood”
Ephesians1:7

God brought us peace through violence. The way in which Christ was killed was one of the most violent popular methods of execution known in all of human history. The Romans were brutal when it came to punishing criminals. And yet this is the way God showed His love for us—by allowing His only, beloved Son to come to earth and bring us peace by dying this horrific death. What a Savior we have who was willing to offer Himself in this fashion! And what a Father we worship who gave us this opportunity to find peace in the Prince of Peace Himself!

Revelation 5:12 reminds us how important an event Christ’s death was for us by telling us that in heaven the eternal song of the redeemed will be a song about death:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”

We need to remember—not just as we near December 25^th, but all year round—that Christ’s entrance into this world was for the purpose of dying for us in order to bring eternal peace between God and men. Thus, the manger rested in the shadow of the cross.

May we not forget this important lesson this Christmas season in the middle of all of our shopping and eating and celebrating; instead, thank Jesus for coming to earth, dying for you, and may God indeed receive the glory for all these things.