God’s completion of His ultimate peace, His shalom

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This post is the third in a series of three blog posts focusing on Isaiah, Chapter 9. The three are, in order: God’s grace through His peace, God’s justice through His peace, and God’s completion of His ultimate peace. 

Today we examine God’s completion of his ultimate peace, His shalom. 

Jesus came at Christmas and will come again

In the 9^th Chapter of Isaiah, the prophet foretells the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Specifically in verse 6, we see some of Jesus’ many titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (And as the "Prince of Peace", knowing Jesus brings inner peace. This is part of who we are in Christ.) 

But this chapter is not only about Jesus’ first coming; it is about His Second Coming, too. Let’s look at verses 5 through 7: 

5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult

    and every garment rolled in blood

    will be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon[a] his shoulder,

    and his name shall be called[b]

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace

    there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

    to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

    from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

 

The real war to end all wars

Verse 5 talks about the end of earthly warfare. After suffering through the horrors of World War 1, many people thought that this conflict would be the “war to end all wars.” Surely, after having experienced the unspeakable brutality of the Great War, people would be convinced that war is wrong and there would be no more war after that.

But they were wrong, as World War 2 followed shortly after, as has a series of major and minor conflicts, purges, genocides, and other atrocities worldwide. Man is incapable of stopping war, as his very human nature is rooted in war, from the very beginning:  the war against God.

No, what Isaiah is talking about in verse 5 is the time of Christ’s return. In the next verse, verse 6, we learn of Jesus’ first coming and a recognition that He is both God (Mighty God, Everlasting Father) and man (Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace), as these two are titles that have been attributed to earthly kings. (However, do note that the Hebrew word “shalom” which is translated here as “peace” extends far beyond an earthly peace, as I’ve explained in our first blog post of the series.)

 The ultimate peace and a just government

Now in verse 7, Isaiah pivots:

Of the increase of his government and of peace

    there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

    to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

    from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Here Isaiah is talking about a government and a peace without end, characterized by justice and righteousness forever. These are characteristics of God’s eternal government, Christ’s reign: peace, justice, and righteousness.

So within this chapter Isaiah is proclaiming both comings of Christ, further evidence of the Messiah Jesus’ divine nature.

The end of our search for inner peace

But why and how will God’s ultimate shalom beginning with Christ’s second coming be the end of our search for inner peace? 

Well, there is a lot to be said about this and too much for one blog post. So I will hit the highlights with the hope that this will begin to make sense to you. 

Jesus will come to earth a second time, this time as the conquering king

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. Revelation 1:7

Evil (Satan) will be defeated for all time

[Read the entire chapter, Revelation 20)

7 Now[a] when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive[b] the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,[c] to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.[d] 9 They[e] went up[f] on the broad plain of the earth[g] and encircled[h] the camp[i] of the saints and the beloved city, but[j] fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.[k]  Rev 20:7-9

This earth will cease to exist. A New Heaven and a New Earth will come in its place. A New Jerusalem will also arise. God will rule this new city. God will also dwell among His people in this new city and it will be such that there will be no need of light as God will be that light for the city.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  Rev 20:1-4

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev. 20:22-27

God will be worshipped.

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, 

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!” 

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 

14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Rev. 5:11-14

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Rev. 20:5-8

Once again, as at the initial Creation, God and humankind will be in right relationship, That right relationship (of God to humankind, of humankind to all creation) is expressed in the word shalom. Therefore, there will no longer be any need to seek inner peace.

Brothers and sisters, stay strong in who you are in Christ. And may the shalom of Christ rule in your hearts, from this day forward, until He comes again. Amen. 

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Copyright 2021. Sandra A. Eggers. Sharing is encouraged; however, please give credit where credit is due. Thank you.