by J. Richard Chase
PRINCE OF PEACE
doms we enjoy today. Some were, in fact, disappointed when Christ did not overthrow the existing political forces. Yet Christ Himself is pres ent as the One who alone can bring peace. Consider the Apostle Paul who faced more than the average share of problems. What a confidence he had in the Lord Jesus Christ! Notice what he says in II Corinthians 4:8 and 9, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are per plexed, but not in despair; perse cuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” We can identify in our own way with these hardships. Still, we can rejoice in the provision our Saviour has made for inward peace. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, put it well, “We are troubled on every side.” He meant, as the original Greek suggests, we’re cramped or hemmed in. Have you ever been trapped on a busy free way, late for an appointment? The road was so jammed there was no way out. This is what he’s talking about. Many of our faithful Biola friends have been bed-ridden for days, months and even years. Physi cally there is little that you can do because of illness. You fit Paul’s de scription. Paul testified that he was hemmed in and yet not totally im mobilized. Several years ago I called on an individual who had appeared pre viously to be in good health. Then there was an exploratory operation and terminal cancer was discovered. In six weeks his physical life was gone. Being a Christian, he went to be with the Lord. He was trou bled, hemmed in, which was not ac cording to his experience or liking. But despite this, he wasn’t immo- 11
H ave you ever received a gift so unusual that at first you didn’t even know what it was? We’re grate ful for the thoughtfulness of friends and yet some things we have diffi culty using. How tragic that at this tremendous time of year, marking the coming to this world by our Lord Jesus Christ, many people have diffi culty in knowing what the Saviour can really mean to them. One of the beautiful descriptions of our Lord, found in Isaiah 9:6, is “The Prince of Peace.” That was a strange name for people in Old Tes tament days. They weren’t accus tomed to thinking of their leaders in terms of peace but as mighty men of valor. Moses literally wrenched the children of Israel out of the hands of Pharaoh. During the sub sequent course of their wanderings they experienced many difficult bat tles. What tremendous conflicts they had because of sin and unbelief! We know little of such unbelievable hard ships. Joshua doesn’t fit the picture of be ing a prince of peace. He was a pow erful leader moving ahead until the p r o m i s e d land was possessed. Thoughout the Old Testament, men are lauded for being strong. Yet, here was promised, 750 years before His coming, the Prince of Peace. Such an expression could not be a description of David of whom the women sang, “Saul hath slain his thousands but David his ten thou sands” (I Sam. 18:7). Even when we turn to the New Testament, it’s apparent that individ uals living then might look upon the phrase “Prince of Peace” as being a bit unusual. They were living un der the cruel and relentless thumb of Rome. They had none of the free
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