23 Nov THE PRINCE OF PEACE
It is only Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) that can give you peace for as it is written, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The world cannot give you peace for except you are in Jesus Christ your life will be a combination of confusion and crisis for it written:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”(John 16:33)
THE DEFINITIONS OF PEACE
Here are some of definitions of peace
Baruch Spinoza, the Dutch/Jewish Philosopher, in 1670 states that, “Peace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence and justice”
Jane Addams the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1931, for her work in philosophy and women’s right said that, “True peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice”
Albert Einstein who won the Nobel Prize for physics in 1921 for his discovery of photoelectric effect said that, “Peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice, of law, of order- in short of government”
However let us look at the Biblical and true definition of peace since that is what I am writing on.
The Scripture defines and describes peace as “a great calm”, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:37-39) it confirms that it a state of being “still” as it is written, “Be still, and know that I am God :”( Psalm 46:10a)
Again it defines peace as “quietness and confidence”, “For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not” (Isaiah 30:15)
In conclusion peace is “to have trust in God” for it is written, “For the which cause I also suffered these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12)
THE PEACE OF THE WORLD
The world cannot give you peace because, “For when they say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”(1 Thessalonians 5:3) How can the world give you peace when, “..judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14) How can the world give you peace when we know we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness(1 John 5:19) for, “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked”(Isaiah 48:22) and for emphasis it was repeated again, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isaiah 57:20-21). As it is written, “…and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan” (Jeremiah 12:5b)
PEACE WITH GOD
God Almighty is the God of peace (Romans 15:33) and without Him you cannot have peace. According to the testimony of the scripture, “Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law” (2 Chronicles 15:3) and because they neglected the true God below is the consequence “And in those times there was no peace to him that went out , nor to him that came in ,but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity” (2 Chronicles 15:5-6) However you can only have peace with God through Jesus Christ as it is written, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”(Romans 5:1) For it is written that, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8) As a born again Christian though you are living in the world yet you are not of the world (John 17:16) For ye are dead, and your life is hid in Christ with God (Colossians 3:3) Jesus Christ is not only the Prince of peace but also the Lord of peace and if you believe and abide in Him then He will give you peace always by all means (2 Thessalonian 3:16)
TYPES OF PEACE
The Peace of God
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ “(Philippians 4:7)
Perfect Peace
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3)
Peace like a River
“O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea”(Isaiah 48:18)
Great Peace
“All thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children”(Isaiah 54:13)
“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165)
THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15) “For God is not an author of confusion, but of peace…”(1 Corinthians 14:33) He is the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3) and Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
THE KEY TO PEACE
Psalm 23 is one of the most popular psalms, memorized and recited by many Christians and it is written “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:5) The enemies cannot not disturb, contend or war against you and your celebration because as it is written, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7) King Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs ,”as the oracles of God “(1 Peter 4:11a) and by the sure testimony of experience, for it is written, “For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.” (1 Kings 4:24) He testified that, “But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so there is neither adversary nor evil occurent” (1 Kings 5:4)
This was before king Solomon went astray, “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin”(Nehemiah 13:26). For it is written, “For it came to pass, when king Solomon was old ,that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father” (1 Kings 11:4-6) The consequence was that, “And the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded( 1 kings 11:9-10)
His ways no longer pleased God and as a result, “And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom”(1 Kings 11:14) again , “And God stirred him another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah… And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria” (1 kings 11:23)
That was why he wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 12:13-14, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” Apart from that all else is vanity for, “Vanity upon vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)
You must however understand that you cannot please God without faith for as it is written, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”( Hebrews 11:6)
You must believe that He is
JEHOVAH- NISSI (Exodus 17:5) THE LORD OUR BANNER
As it is written, “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Songs of Solomon 2:4)
You must believe that He is love (1 John 4:8) as it is written, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8) and that His banner over you is love for according to the uniform and valid testimony of the Scripture it is written that, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish ,but have everlasting life”(John 3:16)
You must believe that He is the God of all flesh (Jeremiah 32:27) and that, “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalms 145:9) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world might through him be saved (John 3:17)
You must believe that He is the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore (2 Corinthians 11:31) and that God hath raised Jesus Christ from the dead and “Neither is there salvation in any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10, 12)
You must believe that He is righteous and just, “and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26) “And that he that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18)
You must believe that He is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)
You must believe that He is the Owner of all souls and that the soul that sinneth shall die (Ezekiel 18:4)
And you must believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6b) for as it is written, “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain: I the Lord I speak righteousness, I declare things that are right” (Isaiah 45:18-19) Therefore, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7) And God that cannot lie assures you that, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart”( Jeremiah 29:13) as it is written, “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him ,though ,he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your poets have said, For we are also his offspring”(Acts 17:27-28)
You must believe that He is
JEHOVAH SHALOM: (Judges 6:24) THE LORD IS PEACE
Since the topic of this November 2020 blog publication is “The Prince of Peace”, it is also imperative for me to write on Jehovah Shalom and I will not write on the remaining other redemptive names of God in this publication. ‘If the Lord will, we shall live’ and I will write and publish the rest monthly, beginning from February 2021.Everything and everyone is in the Hand of the Almighty God for as it is written, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”(James 4:14) May God Almighty grant that we go out with joy, and be led forth with peace, so that the mountains and hills shall break forth before us into singing and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands(Isaiah 55:12) now and tomorrow in Jesus name ,Amen.
It is written, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11)
God’s thought for the children of Israel was the thoughts of peace:
“And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Numbers 6:22-26)
God is the God of peace, “I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him”(Isaiah 57:19) It is in peace, that your healing will come, therefore eschew evil, and do good. Seek peace, and ensue it(1 Peter 3:11) and if you remember that your brother have anything against, then leave everything and go and make peace with him(Mathew 5:23-24) Though as a child of God living in the world you will have tribulation (John 16:33) and , “It is impossible but that offences will come “(Luke 17:1a) however , “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with al men” (Romans 12:18)
Believe and confess always, “LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us” (Isaiah 26:12) and since God will ordain peace for you and one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is peace (Galatians 5:22) therefore, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no an shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14)
I pray once more that “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting convenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21)
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