On this fourth and
final Sunday of advent, we come to the final name from Isaiah 9:6, and its
divine and human elements, ie Prince of Peace
Prince
Prince is an human
term accorded to someone who is either a descendent of a past or present
reigning monarch or, as in the case of some small states such as Andorra,
Liechtenstein and Monaco, they are the reigning monarchs. The United Arab
Emirates are also all principalities ruled by an Emir or prince. In referring
to Jesus as the future shepherd who would take care of his flock, God also
referred to him as David who would be a 'prince among them,' (Ezekiel 34:23,
37:25).
'God exalted him
(Jesus) to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour....(Acts 5:31). Prior to
his coming to earth as a baby, Jesus was exalted and one with his Father in
glory, but he relinquished that elevated position and placed himself under his
Father. He submitted himself and subjected himself to his Father's authority.
'He made himself nothing,' Philippians 2:7. Although he was the Father's one
and only Son, he placed himself in our position. Only by living a perfect and
obedient life could this Prince experience again what he had before his
incarnation. In a sense, he had to earn it.
In the same way as
a prince might be heir to a throne, as his Father's Son, Jesus was heir to that
glory that was the Father's and was once his, (Romans 8:17, Hebrews 1:2). It is
the glory that would again be his when he hung on the cross, (John 17:1-5). The
lowest point of Christ's shame and degradation became Christ's highest point of
glory. We speak of the glory of the cross. Subsequently, having obeyed his
Father completely, even to the point of dying as he did, his Father exalted
him, (v 9) back into the glory he had prior to his incarnation, (John 17:5).
'God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every
name,' (Philippians 2:9). Here is the acknowledgement that Jesus is indeed God
the Son, for there is no place higher than God's place and no name greater than
God's name.
1 Timothy 6:15b
speaks of God as, 'God the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord
of lords, who alone is immortal and lives in unapproachable light, whom no-one
has seen or can see.' Revelation 17:14 and 19:16 speaks of Jesus as being King
of kings and Lord of lords, and Ephesians 1 speaks of Jesus being head, (in
other words ruler), of all things in heaven and on earth.
Peace
It was Epictetus,
the 1st Century pagan thinker who said, 'While the Emperor may give peace from
war on land or sea, he is unable to give peace from passion, grief and envy. He
cannot give peace of heart, for which a man yearns more than ever he does for
outward peace.'
No earthly prince
or king could ever give the peace that Epictetus spoke of, the peace that only
God can bestow. The Hebrew word for that peace that God gives and only God can
give, (Numbers 6:26), is shalom(שָׁלוֹם ), which is why it is a divine word.
Translating it as 'peace' does not do it justice. No single word can do it
justice, for it means peace, well-being, quietude of heart and mind, wholeness,
completeness, prosperity, contentment.
Jesus claimed to be able to give this distinct divine peace which is
unlike any peace that the world can offer.
'Peace I leave
with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give
to you as the world gives,' John 14:27. This peace that God gives is a
peace that surpasses our understanding, Philippians 4:7. In the worst of
situations, the most terrible of afflictions, tragedies and persecutions, one
can know this mysterious peace, for this peace is found in Christ himself. As
Ephesians 2:14 reminds us, 'For he himself is our peace.'
When Zechariah,
John the Baptist's father sung of Jesus, God's tender mercy, shining on those
living in darkness, he spoke of him guiding their feet into the path of peace,
(Luke 1:78-79). The angels heralded Christ's birth with the declaration of a
coming peace, 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom
his favour rests,' Luke 2:14.
It is in and
through Christ that God offers that peace. He sent that peace into the world in
bodily form, when he sent his Son Jesus on that first Christmas Day, because he
desired us all to experience and know that peace. May it be the experience of
each and every one of us this Christmas. God bless you all.
'The Lord bless
you and keep you;
The Lord make his
face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up
his countenance upon you, and give you shalom.' Numbers 6:24-26
Howard Webber
Bournemouth, England
Bournemouth, England
2 comments:
Thank you for enriching the lives of many throughout this Advent season. It is always essential to have quiet reflective time for meditation. Yet, when we need it most, it can be challenging to carve out such time. This is especially true at the Christmas season. So, it's good to have 'tools' made available, which can be used to make the Advent season more meaningful and spiritually enriching. Thank you for the tools you have provided this Advent season.
Many blessings, dear brother. And Merry Christmas!
Elizabeth Hayduk,
Former Officer,
Canada
Thank you and God bless you Elizabeth, Howard
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