BiblicalInsights.net

Peace on earth is a lofty goal.  Will it ever happen?  God has made peace possible through the Prince of Peace.  However, not everyone believes in Jesus Christ (John 8:24).  Consequently, sin reigns in many of the hearts of men.  From whence comes war?  James 4:1, “From whence come wars and fightings among you?  come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”  James reveals the key to war.  It is the lusts of the flesh.  Until the lusts of the flesh are conquered, there will be war and fightings among us.
The real question is this:  Do you have peace?  God has brought to light the covenant of peace through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Peace is possible.  Peace with God, others and self is obtainable.
The prophet Isaiah foretells a time when there would be peace (Isa. 26:1-4).  It is the age of the Messiah.  Do you know that we are living in the Messianic Age?  Christ has come!  Salvation, joy, hope and yes, peace is in Him.
Isaiah wrote, “In that day…” When we read these words in the Old Testament, they refer to the Messianic Age.  Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.  When Jesus was born, angels announced, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).  A child would be born who would be able to conquer Satan, destroy His works, and bring peace between God and man.  Jesus said, “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 world without Christ cannnot secure peace.  In the world there will be:  tribulation, anxiety, fear, violence, war, hatred, and strife.  The hearts of men must change in order for peace to prevail.  Peace results when we put to death the works of the flesh and live life in the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Peace is a fruit of the Spirit.
Isaiah mentions “the kingdom of Zion.”  The kingdom of Zion is a spiritual city.  Salvation constitutes its walls and ramparts.  Salvation characterizes the city and is its strength (Isa. 25:4).  Yahweh is its strength (Isa. 25:4).  The city is impregnable.  The inhabitants of the city are the righteous people of God.  Into the holy city of God, nothing enters that will defile–all defillement has been removed by the power of the blood of Christ (the Messiah).  These people are the custodians of faithfulness.  Their faith connects them to the King of the city.
The mind of the righteous is fixed on Yahweh.  When the mind is fixed in God and the heart fully trusts in Him–there is peace.  Trust is confidence and reliance upon God.  God isn’t going anywhere!  He is everlasting!  Psa. 90:2.
Trust in God leads to perfect peace (peace, peace is the actual Hebrew construction).  This is the superlative of peace.  What is perfect peace?
-Wholeness and fullness of well-being of the soul before God.
-True repose in the sunshine of God’s grace.
-Complete sense of safety.
-Tranquility of the soul that rests in God’s strength.
-Absence of fear.
-Absence of conflict with God because of union with Him.
Perfect peace rests upon a perfect God.  He is our Rock.  He is our Refuge.  He is eternal, unchanging, impregnable, and undefeatable.  We are trusting in Him!  The peace we have can only fail if He fails.  But, God cannnot fail!  Hence, this peace is everlasting.  It is perfect peace.
“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Eph. 2:13-16).  Peace is in Christ (Gal. 3:26-27).