Jesus Came to Be the Holy Prince of Peace (Advent 23, 2024)

One of the most beautiful and powerful prophecies of the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

I was thinking again about this as I prepared for Visitation Principle 23: Jesus Came to be the Holy Prince of Peace. His kingdom’s government is marked throughout by peace, justice, righteousness, and holiness. Truly set apart by the “zeal of the LORD Almighty.”

In a world known for anything but peace at present, the idea that someday there will be a world government established under God’s authority, not man’s, and ruled by a Holy Prince of Peace is a wonderful thought. In fact, Christ’s government will be the only hope for peace we can have.

Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Questions for further thought:

Think for a moment about anything good the government might try to do. If it is good, helpful, just, and right, how long does it take for someone to amplify any shortcomings?
If it is good, how long does it take for someone to add something bad into it?
If it isn’t good, how does the media portray it to sneak it by us?

Peace without holiness is fraudulent. How is that a true statement?

Prayer: Father, grant that we might be ministers of peace in a world of war. May we proclaim boldly that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and only in Him is peace possible importantly with You before we’ll ever see it with each other. Only holy peace will accomplish this. Our culture filled with distractions at Christmas, so set us apart, Lord, that we might find time to worship You in the stillness, to take in the beauty of that first Christmas when the angels sang because Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We praise You for this wondrous gift of love. In Christ’s Name we pray. Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“From the Jews for the World” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023, and explored how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too.
“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.