Prince of Peace

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given … and His name shall be called … Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

During His time on earth, Jesus restored peace everywhere He went. He calmed tumultuous storms; He brought healing to the sick; He raised the dead to life; He forgave sinners their sins.

Isaiah prophetically calls the coming Messiah the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and the angels announcing the birth of Jesus declare “on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (Luke 2:14).

Jesus came to restore not just peace in the sense of an ending of hostility, but a rich, full, abiding harmony of life. His second coming will bring wholeness as He intended His creation to be when He first set the universe in motion.

In contrast to human history filled with war, gloom, and despair, the reign of Jesus will be marked by peace, wholeness, and delight. Isaiah 9 describes the shift from gloom and darkness to the Messianic Age, and Malachi describes a time when “the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2). Jesus’ rule will restore well-being to individuals and to society as a whole when He brings worldwide peace in His future kingdom on the new earth.

But Jesus’ reign of peace is not reserved for His future kingdom; it begins here and now for all those who follow Him. The Prince of Peace brings us peace with God, the end of spiritual enmity and striving to secure God’s favor through our good works, as well as peace of mind and heart, a state of being at rest despite difficult circumstances because we know that God is in control. In fact, the very night Jesus was betrayed, in His last teaching moments with His disciples, Jesus promised them peace, not as the world offers it, but as only He can give (John 14:27). No matter what would happen, they could rest and enjoy sweet fellowship with God, which would then create ripple effects in their relationships with the world around them.

We live out the present reality of God’s kingdom, pushing back the kingdom of darkness and bringing to fruition the peace of Jesus. Just as He is the Prince of Peace, so He calls us to be makers of peace all around us (Matthew 5:9). Though the world may be caught up in anxiety and worry, we can rest securely in the knowledge that Jesus is making all things right, and we can participate with Him in bringing peace to a broken world as we look forward to the future kingdom of peace.

—Asheritah Ciuciu