THE PRINCE OF PEACE

Luke 12:51

Morning Meditation 10/9/17

“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:”

One of the LORD’S identifying marks is given in Isaiah: Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

What greater name could Jesus have than “The prince of Peace.” There is no peace apart from Jesus Christ. He did what it takes to have peace with God. When He became a man this is what He became a man to accomplish. For man to have peace with God, there had to be a reconciliation. Romans 5:10 says, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."

Jesus is truly the Prince of Peace. He paid the penalty the sin that separated man from God. God does not lose His holiness to fellowship with fallen man. The only begotten Son paid it all. God is completely satisfied that the penalty of sin has been paid for those who have repented and put their faith in Jesus as a personal Saviour. That is a most wonderful reconciliation. There is no struggle at the cross. When the Eternal God comes to the Cross there is nothing left to separate man from God. The man Christ Jesus took that all upon Himself and when He cried “My God My God why hast thou forsaken me?” God knew and Christ knew that sin had been completely erased. O hallelujah!!! Sin has been washed away. Not a stain of it has been left.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE IS NOT A TEMPORARY SAVIOUR

John Gill said, “For unto us a child is born, &c,. This is a reason of all that is said in the context; of the great light that shone upon and was seen by those that sat in darkness, and in the land of the shadow of death; of the great joy among the people; of the breaking off of the yoke, rod, and staff of the oppressor; and of the burning of garments rolled in blood, so putting an end to war, and establishing peace; all which is owing to the child here said to be born, by whom we are to understand the Messiah; as the Targum interprets it; and not Hezekiah, as many of the Jewish writers apply it; who could never be represented as a child just born, when he was, at least, ten or eleven years of age when this prophecy was given out, and twenty nine when Sennacherib came up with his army against him, as Aben Ezra observes; to which time he and others refer the context; nor can any reason be assigned why he should be called a "son", in such a peculiar and unusual manner; nor can it be said of him, that he was the great light which shined upon the inhabitants of Galilee; nor was his birth the occasion of this child is said to be; nor can it, with any justness, be said of him, that of the increase of his government and peace there was no end; seeing his government only extended to the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, and his reign was but twenty nine years, and for the most part attended with affliction, oppression, and war; besides, the many August titles here used cannot be ascribed unto him, nor to any mere creature whatever; but everything agrees with Christ; and to him it is applied, even by some ancient and modern writers among the Jews themselves. for the most agonizing suffering that can be imagined took place as He was suffering there upon the cross but the suffering besides He suffered for every man, woman, boy and girl and He hung suspended between heaven and earth. It was the multitude of the sins for all men piled upon Him. There was not an a man whose sins excaped His suffering as He suffered and there paid the price of their redemption.

“For unto us a child is born, &c.” This is a reason of all that is said in the context; of the great light that shone upon and was seen by those that sat in darkness, and in the land of the shadow of death; of the great joy among the people; of the breaking off of the yoke, rod, and staff of the oppressor; and of the burning of garments rolled in blood, so putting an end to war, and establishing peace; all which is owing to the child here said to be born, by whom we are to understand the Messiah; as the Targum interprets it; and not Hezekiah, as many of the Jewish writers {n} apply it; who could never be represented as a child just born, when nine when Sennacherib came up with his army against him, as Aben Ezra observes; to which time he and others refer the context; nor can a he was, at least, ten or eleven years of age when this prophecy was given out, and twenty my reason be assigned why he should be called a "son", in such a peculiar and unusual manner; nor can it be said of him, that he was the great light which shined upon the inhabitants of Galilee; nor was his birth the occasion of so great joy as the birth of this child is said to be; nor can it, with any justness, be said of him, that of the increase of his government and peace there was no end; seeing his government only extended to the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, and his reign was but twenty nine years, and saved we Is worth would it have affected him tC3C3 RFor unto us a child is born,. This is a reason of all that is said in the context; of the great light that shone upon and was seen by those that sat in darkness, and in the land of the shadow of death; of the great joy among the people; of the breaking off of the yoke, rod, and staff of the oppressor; and of the burning of garments rolled in blood, so putting an end to war, and establishing peace; all which is owing to the child here said to be born, by whom we are to understand the Messiah; as the Targum interprets it; and not Hezekiah, as many of the Jewish writers apply it; who could never be represented as a child just born, when he was, at least, ten or eleven years of age when this prophecy was given out, and twenty nine when Sennacherib came up with his army against him, as Aben Ezra observes; to which time he and others refer the context; nor can any reason be assigned why he should be called a "son", in such a peculiar and unusual manner; nor can it be said of him, that he was the great light which shined upon the inhabitants of Galilee; nor was his birth the occasion of so great joy as the birth of this child is said to be; nor can it, with any justness, be said of him, that of the increase of his government and peace there was no end; seeing his government only extended to the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, and his reign was but twenty nine years, and for the most part attended with affliction, oppression, and war; besides, the many August titles here used cannot be ascribed unto him, nor to any mere creature whatever; but everything agrees with Christ; and to him it is applied, even by some ancient and modern writers among the Jews themselves.