“I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints.”—Ps. 85:8.
THE thrilling words at the head of this Bible Portion have been in the minds of myriads of people lately. We saw them in large type announcing the Proclamation—
Peace! Peace! Glorious Peace!!
Thus ran the message for everyone to read, and our hearts were gladdened to think that for a time at any rate the sword would be sheathed, and those who had been foes would endeavor hereafter to be friends. Then we read how the declaration was signed, and throughout the Empire the lovely tidings sped, eliciting such joy and unbounded enthusiasm as, perhaps, had never before been known. But the glad news about South Africa, welcome and wonderful as it was, only made us think earnestly of
Another Proclamation of Peace,
GOD’S ANNOUNCEMENT, which after all is of infinitely greater importance to the sons of men than any earthly compact. Man had sinned: he had rebelled against God. He was at enmity with God. The question was asked ages ago, “How should a man be just with God?” (Job 9:22I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (Job 9:2)), and the answer came, “Acquaint now thyself with Him, and BE AT PEACE: thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)): but man as a sinner refused the grace. The Scripture saith, “There is none that seeketh after God” (Rom. 3:1111There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (Romans 3:11)), “and THE WAY OF PEACE have they not known” (Rom. 3:1717And the way of peace have they not known: (Romans 3:17)). But thanks be unto God, in the fulness of time He “sent forth His SON,” JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, and it has pleased Him that by His Son peace should be effected. That peace was made through the blood of Christ’s cross (Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)), and now the proclamation can be sounded out over the wide world,
What a mighty blessing is this if men did but heed the word of the Eternal God. To the believer the word “peace” is full of blessed meaning in this world of sin and strife and sorrow. It tells him of the One who was foretold as “The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:66For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)), and how the angels sang at His birth, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace” (Luke 2:1414Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:14)). It reminds him also of the words of his Lord when He arose triumphant from the dead and appeared in the midst of His trembling disciples saying, PEACE BE UNTO YOU, AND WHEN HE HAD SO SAID HE SHOWED UNTO THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE (John 20:19-2019Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19‑20)). Blessed Christ of God, thou hast conquered! and now all who love Thy Name know what it is to “triumph in Thy triumphs,” and as a result of Thy glorious victory they enjoy—
PEACE with a holy God,
PEACE from the fear of death,
PEACE through Thy precious, precious blood,
Sweet PEACE the fruit of faith;
and, further, a day is surely coming when over the broad earth the results of the work of Christ on the Cross will be fully known. “The GOD OF PEACE shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:2020And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20)), and then for Israel, as well as for the Gentile peoples of the world, we shall understand aright the meaning of Isaiah’s lovely prophecy, which tells of the hurrying, shining feet of the messengers hastening with the glad tidings of peace. No wonder that he says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace: that bringeth good tidings of good: that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, THY GOD Reigneth,” or as the Psalmist says, “In His days shall the righteous flourish, and
Abundance of Peace
so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”