The Prince of Peace
The season of Advent is characterized by a unique chronological tension. It is a period of reflection that looks simultaneously backward and forward, anchored by two distinct arrivals of Jesus Christ. The first Advent marks the arrival of the Savior as a child, culminating in the sacrifice of the cross. The second Advent looks toward the future return of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Humanity currently exists in the “in-between” time—a period marked by the reality of a fallen world yet sustained by the promise of a coming Kingdom. Central to both of these arrivals is the promise of peace, a concept often misunderstood in a world defined by conflict and internal anxiety.
The Messianic Expectation of Shalom
In the Old Testament, the expectation of the Messiah was inextricably linked to the restoration of peace. The prophets did not merely speak of a temporary cessation of hostilities but of a fundamental shift in the order of creation. The Messiah was described as the one upon whose shoulders the government would rest, acting as a counselor and a prince of peace.
Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB) For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of [His] government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
This prophetic vision extended to the natural world, suggesting a time when the inherent animosity between predator and prey would vanish. The imagery of a wolf dwelling with a lamb or a nursing child playing near a cobra’s den served to illustrate the total removal of hostility. For the Jewish people, this promised “Shalom” represented the way things ought to be—a state of flourishing, wholeness, and completeness across spiritual, physical, and emotional dimensions.
Isaiah 11:6-8 (NASB) And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
The Disruption of Peace and the Reality of Sin
To understand why the peace of Christ is necessary, one must recognize the depth of the disruption caused by the fall. True Shalom existed in the Garden of Eden, where humanity enjoyed unhindered fellowship with God. However, the entrance of sin shattered this wholeness. The biblical narrative describes sin not merely as a series of wrong actions but as an inherited disease that has infected every generation. This infection results in a state of alienation, where the human mind is naturally hostile toward God and engaged in deeds that reflect this separation.
Romans 5:12 (NASB) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned–
This universal condition means that no individual is exempt from the consequences of the fall. The brokenness observed in global conflicts and personal anxieties is symptomatic of a deeper spiritual estrangement. Apart from divine intervention, humanity remains in a state of enmity with its Creator.
Romans 3:23 (NASB) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Colossians 1:21 (NASB) And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, [engaged] in evil deeds,
The First Advent: Peace Through Sacrifice
When Jesus arrived in his first Advent, many expected a political deliverer who would conquer physical oppressors. However, the primary mission of Christ was to engage in battle on a far more significant front: the conquest of sin. The Gospel accounts clarify that his purpose was to save his people from their sins, addressing the root cause of the world’s lack of peace.
Matthew 1:20-21 (NASB) But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ’Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ‘She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’
This peace was not achieved through political decree but through the mechanism of reconciliation. To reconcile is to change something back to its intended state, restoring a relationship to the way it ought to be. This was accomplished through the death of Christ, which served as the instrument to bridge the chasm between a holy God and a fallen humanity. By bearing the “certificate of debt” that stood against mankind, Christ nailed the cause of hostility to the cross.
Colossians 2:13-14 (NASB) When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Colossians 1:20 (NASB) and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say], whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Through this finished work, the believer is no longer viewed as an enemy but is presented before God as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. The peace offered in the first Advent is a positional peace—a settled legal and spiritual standing before the Father.
Romans 5:10 (NASB) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Colossians 1:22 (NASB) yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach–
Living Between the Advents
While the first Advent secured positional peace with God, the second Advent promises the final, physical restoration of the world. In the current era, believers are called to live by the peace of Christ even as the world remains in chaos. This is not a peace the world gives, which is often dependent on circumstances or the absence of trouble; rather, it is a peace that surpasses comprehension because it is rooted in the victory of Christ over the world.
John 14:27 (NASB) ’Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
John 16:33 (NASB) ‘These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.’
Living in this peace requires a deliberate orientation of the heart. The New Testament admonishes the believer to let the peace of Christ rule as a king within their internal life. This involves a transition from the “hurry” and “distraction” of the present age to a state of rest in the finished work of the Savior. The assurance of the first Advent provides the confidence necessary to await the second, knowing that the King who once came as a lamb will surely return as the triumphant Lion.
Colossians 3:15 (NASB) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Conclusion: The Final Restoration
The theological core of the Advent season is the proclamation that God has not left humanity in its state of alienation. Through the person and work of Jesus Christ, the way things “ought to be” has been made possible once again. The peace of God is more than the absence of conflict; it is the presence of a restored relationship with the Creator. As humanity awaits the final consummation of all things, the believer can rest in the ancient blessing of divine favor and peace, grounded in the reality that the Prince of Peace has already won the most critical battle.
Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB) The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’