3. Prince of Peace

Prince of Peace-Part 3.pdf

NKJV (Isaiah 9: 6) 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called:
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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In the previous article, we spoke about the unique teachings of Jesus about inner peace and about the age of the Prince of Peace on the new earth. And about Jesus teachings to love in peace even our enemies and to pray for them. We also have talked about the Sprout, the Prince of Peace, who will hold peace talks with his Father on the new earth. (Zechariah 6:13)

In what period did Isaiah get the vision of the Prince of Peace?
A brief historical overview;

The vision of the Prince of Peace

The book of Isaiah was written around 750-700 before Christ.
After the death of King Solomon, the Jewish nation was divided and two kingdoms emerged, the southern two-tribe kingdom of Judah (or Judea) and the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel.

The northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, with its wicked kings, was taken by Assyria:

NKJV (2 Kings 17: 6-8,12) 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 7 For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had feared other gods, 8 and had walked in the statutes of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made….. 12 for they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

The theme of this article is; Building now peace and forgiveness into our heart.

Isaiah wrote his vision about Judah in a time of rebellion and idolatry of Judah and of Jerusalem, the city where God’s temple of worship stood:

NKJV (Isaiah 1: 1-2) 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: ” I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;
NKJV (2 Chronicles 28: 2-4) 2 For he (Ahaz) walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made molded images for the Baals. 3 He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

In particular is Ahaz, king of Judah, in Scripture described as a bad king, following the example of the bad kings of Israel. He let his sons go through the fire, which means he sacrificed them to Molech. (See also: 2 Kings 16: 2-4, 10-11) By enlisting the help of Assyria for a war with neighboring countries, Judah became dependent on Assyria and with that a vassal state of Assyria. (2 Kings 16: 5-8)

NKJV (Isaiah 1: 4) 4 Woe to the sinful people, people of grave iniquity, posterity of wrongdoers, children wreaking havoc! They have forsaken the LORD, rejected the Holy One of Israel, are alienated from behind him.

The apostasy and idolatry of the Jewish people was great in Isaiah’s days:

NKJV (Isaiah 2: 6) 6 For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, Because they are filled with eastern ways; They are soothsayers like the Philistines, And they are pleased with the children of foreigners.

Which parallel of the vision can we make  with the current time

Also now, God’s Christian people has become apostate:

NKJV (2 Thessalonians 2: 3) 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,…..

  • Compare: 2 Thessalonians 2: 3 with Isaiah 1: 4 and 2: 6

In the vision, the Jewish people with their leaders were compared with Sodom and Gomorrah:

NKJV (Isaiah 1:10) 10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:

Jerusalem had become an adulterous city in relation to their God (YHWH) and its inhabitants had very bad morals:

NKJV (Isaiah 1:21) 21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers.

And also now, there is great idolatry and wickedness among the people of God:

NKJV (Romans 1:25) 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,….

  • Compare: Romans 1:25 with Isaiah 1:10 and 1:21

Only a few residents in Jerusalem would be written in the Book of Life:

NKJV (Isaiah 4: 3) 3 And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy–everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.

That will also be the situation in the last days:

NKJV (Revelation 3: 5) 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

  • Compare: Revelation 3: 5 with Isaiah 4: 3

The apostasy among Christians is now so great, that God has already withdrawn his protective angel so that the Antichrist will appear on the world stage. (2 Thessalonians 2: 6-10)
It is now the highest time to arm ourselves for the attack of the Antichrist, to maintain peace and tranquility in our hearts.
We will further elaborate on this in the next article.

According to the vision, godlessness will come to an end during the day of God (YHWH):

Rev. (Isaiah 2: 11-12) 11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. 12 For the day of the Lord of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up– And it shall be brought low–

In the vision, Isaiah also received information about the birth of the Sprout (Jesus):

NKJV (Isaiah 7:14) 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.  (See also: Matthew 1:23;  Immanuel translated means – God with us)

The people would see – according to the vision of Isaiah – a great light:

NKJV (Isaiah 9: 2) 2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. (See also: Matthew 4:16)

On that day of the LORD (YHWH), the SPROUT (Jesus) will be beautiful and glorious:

NKJV (Isaiah 4: 2) 2 In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.

In the last days, Jerusalem will be exalted as an image of a high mountain, for the law will go out from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2: 1-3).
In those days, the Israelites had already been announced by Isaiah that there would come a Prince of Peace, as quoted in the heading of the article (Isaiah 9: 5) :

NKJV (Acts 10:36) 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ–He is Lord of all—

After Jesus’ birth, the angels praised God; Peace among the people with whom God is satisfied:

HCSB (Luke 2: 13-14) 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!

Peace through atonement for our sins by Jesus’ blood

Through Jesus, the believers already get peace now, peace with God. It is God’s justice that by Jesus shed blood sinful Christians are reconciled to God. Those who believe in Jesus’ blood are considered righteous by God:

NKJV (Romans 5: 1) 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Those, who follow Jesus, sow justice in peace:

NKJV (James 3:18) 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
NKJV (Romans 12:18) 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

All people – without exception – can know about God through the extraordinary and inscrutable creation:

NKJV (Romans 1: 19-20) 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Or as Jesus once said:

NKJV (Luke 12:27) 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

The fools of this world, especially ‘people with authority’, believe they can scorn God with their lies (Romans 1:25).
God gave them up and handed them over to shameful sexual desires:

NKJV (Romans 1: 26-27) 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

These people, these apostates, have surrendered to a lifestyle of truly wicked behavior:

NKJV (Romans 1: 29-31) 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

However, these wicked people know deep in their hearts that they are deliberately do badly:

NKJV (Romans 1:32) 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Even people who have never been taught the Scriptures, know about God’s laws:

NKJV (Romans 2: 14-15) 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.

Building peace and forgiveness into our heart

Through Jesus there is not only peace with God, but also peace between all Christians, both Jews and Gentiles, who believe in Jesus:

NKJV (Ephesians 2: 14,18) 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, (between Gentiles and Jews) … 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
NKJV (John 10:16) 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Christians are urged to do their best to pursue peace in their lives:

NKJV (Hebrews 12:14) 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
NKJV (Romans 8: 6) 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Give a loving and just example to your brothers and sisters who are in need.
Have an eye for other people, your neighbor:

NKJV (James 2:15-16) 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

ALL people you know, family members, friends and acquaintances must know that you love Jesus and they must know, that Jesus really is the only way to peace:

NKJV (Romans 10:15) 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (See also: Isaiah 52: 7)
NKJV (John 14: 6) 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”.

Finally:

In the last days, worldly leaders will say there is peace:

NKJV (1 Thessalonians 5: 3) 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

Don’t be misled, only justice and peace in God’s Kingdom can bring real peace:

NKJV (Romans 14:17) 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
NKJV (Isaiah 11: 6-10) 6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. 10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”

In the coming tribulation of Christians, remain steadfast in faith in Jesus’ words, in God’s peace: (See: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14281/genocide-of-christians )

NKJV (Philippians 4: 7) 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In the next article, we will further elaborate on the struggle to be waged by Christians, to maintain peace in our hearts.

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