Luke records that, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem,

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (Luke 2:8-14, NIV)

The angel identifies the babe in the manger as "Christ," God's long-awaited Messiah. Like his ancestor David, the babe will grow up to be "Lord," a powerful King wielding the authority of God Himself (see Bare Roots 6.1 and 6.6).

A fallen world in rebellion against God could easily view the Messiah's arrival as a terrifying development. However, the angel invites us to receive Jesus' birth as "good news," rather than a message of doom. God wants to bring us "joy," rather than fear. He offers lost souls "peace" and "favor," rather than rejection and punishment. He sends the Messiah to "save," rather than condemn. And Jesus comes not just for one nation, but for "all the people."

The babe of Bethlehem will one day ride into Jerusalem on a donkey in order to fulfil Zechariah's prophecy:

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. (Zech 9:9-11; compare Matt 21:1-9)

Centuries later, in 1863, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow remembered the angels' song when he hear church bells ringing:

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

And yet the Christmas bells somehow ring hollow. Within days, the citizens of Jerusalem had rejected the "Prince of Peace" (see Isa 9:6), nailing him to a cross. In Longfellow's day, a long and bitter Civil War was devastating his country. And in our own day, the poet's words still capture our feelings very well:

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men."

This world has not yet realized all the hopeful promise of the Messiah's reign. But the final chapter has not yet been written. Jesus rose from the dead and promised his disciples that the "good news" of God's grace must first be proclaimed to all nations. Afterwards, King Jesus will return to establish, once and for all, God's peace and justice on the earth (see Matt 24:14, 29-31).

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, goodwill to men."

The Christmas story is not over. It's just beginning.

Reflect...

1. What does Zechariah's prophecy tell us about the nature of Christ's kingly reign?
   
   
2. What are some ways in which Christ has already brought God's "peace" and "goodwill" to the earth?
   
   
3. What keeps some from experiencing God's Christmas blessing?

Christopher A. Davis, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

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