Luke tells us here about the first event that took place that
night after the birth of the Lord Jesus in Bethlehem. First, an angel, in a
burst of the light of “the glory of the Lord”, appeared to the shepherds
with a message of “good tidings of great joy which will be for all people.” Next,
this angel was joined with a multitude of the heavenly host of angels, and they
also had a message for the shepherds and for the world! Their proclamation was short
and very encouraging!
Their first focus was on giving glory to God in heaven! "Glory
to God in the highest!” Scripture teaches us that our great Creator God is
the Most High God and He sits on His throne in the highest of heavens! John
sums up God’s purpose and plan for His creation best in Revelation 4:8-11: “Whenever the living
creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who
lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him... worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns
before the throne, saying: "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and
honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and
were created."
Then the focus of their message turned to the earth and mankind.
“And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" The first angel
spoke about great joy for all people. These angels spoke about peace for mankind!
When you study Scripture, you will find after sin entered the human race in the
Garden of Eden, everything that is the opposite of peace also entered it. Hatred,
conflict, strife, contention, war, malice, animosity, violence, murder and so
on! The first two brothers born into the human race, Cain and Abel, displayed this
lack of peace when Cain out of jealousness, killed his brother Abel and tried
to cover up his crime.
History over the past six-thousand years reveals that
nothing has changed. Look at the four world empires up to the time of Christ. The
Babylonians, the Medes and Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans, all conquered
the world by war. Even in this past century between 1914 to 1918, World War 1 takes
place and over 16 million soldiers and civilians are killed. Then the world
leaders, led by President Woodrow Wilson, proclaimed a lasting peace by
starting the League of Nations. But less than 21 years later, World War 2
breaks out between 1939 to 1945, and it is estimated that 60 to 80 million
soldiers and civilians are killed. Today, the wars continue with people being
killed every day!
Even under the Roman rule in the time of Christ there was
no peace! Life was difficult at that time just as it is today. Taxes were high,
unemployment was high, morals were slipping lower, and the military state was
in control. Roman law, Greek philosophy, and even Jewish religion could not
meet the needs of men's hearts. There can be no peace in the world or in our
hearts without a Savior, without the Lord Jesus Christ!
The Jewish word shalom (peace) means much more than a truce
in the battles of life. It means well-being, health, prosperity, security,
soundness, and completeness. It has to do more with character than
circumstances. We can only find peace with God through Jesus Christ! Romans 5:1,
assures us: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. This peace with God is only possible “through
the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20).
The world, or any individual for that matter, will never experience
peace until Jesus Christ is believed on and received into our hearts and lives.
And thank God, we have that great promise that one day soon Jesus Christ will come
back to this earth as the Prince of Peace! Only then will the whole world know and
experience this peace that the angels proclaimed two-thousand years ago!
Today, are you experiencing the goodwill and peace of God
through Jesus Christ in your life?
God bless!
