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T h e B ib l e c o n t r a d ic t s itself, and therefore, cannot be the infallible Word of God.” This is the constant accusation of the skeptics and un believers hurled against the Scriptures, and the reason given for rejecting it. As an illustration of a “ Bible contradiction,” the announcement o f the angels at Jesus’ birth is given. The angels, in announcing the coming of the Lord Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and the King o f Israel, promised “ peace on earth” by the coming of Christ. In Luke 2:13-14 we read, “ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The critics of the Bible say that although this promise was uttered almost two thousand years ago, nothing of the kind has transpired in the world. Instead, the history of the nations these past nineteen hundred years has been one of al most uninterrupted war and distress. The past generation has seen the two greatest, most terri bly destructive wars in all history, and today the nations are madly trying to avert the next world war with its almost certain annihilation of civili zation in this atomic age. Where is this peace which the Prince of Peace was to bring? Thus do the skeptics challenge the Word of God. To make the situation still more perplexing, they refer us to the words of the Lord Jesus Him self, which seem flatly to contradict the angels’ announcement. Some thirty years after the angels announced, “ Peace on earth” as a result o f the coming of the Prince of Peace, we hear the Prince of Peace saying, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34-36). The angels an nounced peace on earth, but Jesus says, “No peace on earth.” Actually, this was in harmony with all the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. To ward the end of His ministry, He began to in struct His disciples concerning the course o f this age. They had confidently expected that when the Messiah came immediately He would deliver Is rael, and usher in the Kingdom Age of peace and prosperity, so vividly described by all the Old Testament prophets. Their expectation must have been greatly heightened as they recalled the prom ise of the angels, “Peace on earth.” Again and again they had asked Him, “Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” They ear nestly and confidently expected Him at any mo ment to set up this Kingdom of Peace. Then the Lord shatters all o f their hopes as He begins to reveal to them that at that time He would not establish the Kingdom of Peace at all, but instead He was going to the Cross, be rejected of men, and instead of peace, only war would re sult. So we hear Him saying to these bewildered followers, “ Take heed that no man deceive you.
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A KING IS BORN
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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