Peace on Earth – when and how?

“Peace on earth” is one of the most common phrases associated with Christmas. I have often disliked it, because it seemed to me a secular, often leftist, way to divert Christmas away from Jesus and onto some sort of political agenda. When I was a kid, in the 80s, it was the height of the cold war, and this sentiment was expressed through hippie-like peace movements who were fighting against the defense industry. Which I always felt was kinda like fighting against doctors and medicines because you dislike diseases. I guess they imagined some sort of communist utopia like Lennon’s “Imagine” but we all know how those utopias end up – dystopias where religion is outlawed and Christians persecuted.

So I have always disliked the phrase “peace on earth.” Not because I dislike peace, but because the whole premise is childish and unrealistic at best, and dangerous at worst. But even if we get weird associations with this phrase, we have to admit – this phrase actually does appear in the Bible. What exactly does it say, and when will it happen? It’s one of the most famous Christmas-verses, and we read about it when the angels say “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14). We see this connection between Jesus and peace again in the famous Christmas-verse Isaiah 9:6. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This peace on earth that the Bible describes is very different from the secular utopia of Lennon. It’s a peace on God’s terms, not ours. It’s a peace where God rules. Will it ever happen? Yes, in the Millennial kingdom, when Jesus rules. That’s when Jesus will be the Prince of Peace. The angels, I believe, are not even speaking about peace on earth. They speak of peace to those on whom his favor rests. We can have eternal inner peace wherever we go, no matter how many wars and mess we see around us. This is the peace the early Christians had when they were beaten, crucified, thrown to lions, and persecuted. Peace in the midst of war.

Besides these two types of peace on earth – eventual actual global peace in the millennial kingdom, and inner peace, there is a third type of peace we are called to work for – peace between one another. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18).

As much as we are to live in the light of these three types of peace every day, maybe Christmas is the time to remember it even more. Both how the Prince of Peace was born in Bethlehem and he will eventually rule the world. How we can have inner eternal peace through him. And finally, a calling to keep peaceful relations with one another within families, in churches, among believers, and with non-believers, especially during this time when we often meet family. In this way we can have pace on earth already now, not just in some unknown future.

But if you think about world peace – actual world peace – where do you imagine it will start? Almost anyone would say the Middle East, right? And during Christmas, you sing about the Prince of Peace, king of Israel, born in Bethlehem. Will there ever be peace here? Only when the people here bow their knee to the prince of peace. Good news – there are Jews and Arabs who do exactly that!

This is why I love how my friends at the “One for Israel” ministry started adding worship songs, including Christmas carols, in Hebrew and Arabic, of Messianic Jews and Christian Arabs singing together. This really shows how Jesus brings us together and how he is the true Prince of Peace. Can you imagine Jews and Arabs together praying in a synagogue or in a mosque? Nope! When there will be true peace in the Middle East one day, this is what it will look like – Jews and Arabs together who worship Jesus. And that will indeed expand to become peace on Earth.

So for this Christmas I would want to challenge you – instead of the regular carols you’re used to, listen to these carols in English, Hebrew, and Arabic and spend some time to pray for actual and real peace on earth – peace among Jews and Arabs in Israel under the Prince of Peace. This is the actual sound of peace on earth, and it comes from the land of Bethlehem. What can be more Christmas than that?

I will leave you with one of my favorite Christmas hymns – “O Holy Night” – in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Sung by Joshua Aaron (English), Nizar Francis (Arabic) and Shiri Regev (Hebrew).