In Romans 10:15 we read of the beautiful feet that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings.

Concerning the gospel of peace and the benefits and blessings of that gospel, note Colossians 1:20 and Romans 5:1.

“HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS, BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF; BY HIM, I SAY, WHETHER THEY BE THINGS IN EARTH, OR THINGS IN HEAVEN.”

“THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”

The good news is, that Christ on the cross made peace by His shed blood. The good news is, that any sinner, who will believe that Christ actually accomplished this on the cross and will receive Christ, will realize the blessing of Romans 5:1, and be at peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1.

Note in Ephesians 2:14 that the Lord Jesus is the believer’s Peace. “And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” Ephesians 2:17.

After the Lord Jesus had made peace by the blood of His cross and had been raised from the dead, He appeared in His resurrection body to His disciples. “And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.” John 20:26.

Before the Saviour went to the cross He said to His disciples-” These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:6.

“For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Matthew 10:35 and 36.

Here we read, not of peace on earth but of tribulation, wars and divided households. In the midst of all of this sorrow and suffering they were to have peace.” “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27.

Then note the message of peace, in Philippians 4:4 to 7:

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. AND THE PEACE OF GOD, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.”

Believers in this period of grace are to rejoice, to be anxious for nothing, and the peace of God will garrison, or protect, their hearts and minds. But “all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.” II Timothy 3:12. God’s promise for believers; tribulation and peace, persecution and peace, peace in the midst of war.

PEACE ON EARTH

Now let us note Luke 2:11 and 14.

“FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.” “GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN.”

Hear this prophecy.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6 and 7.

The Prince of peace is to sit on David’s throne and bring peace to a troubled world. That “peace on earth” is to begin with Jerusalem. Jesus Christ was born in the City of David, in the house of David, of the seed of David, in fulfillment of God’s covenant with David, to establish peace on earth, Luke 1:29 to 33.

What did the rulers of God’s covenant people do with Jesus which is called the Christ? They said, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” Luke 19:14. Then what did Jesus do with them? “But those Mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me.” Luke 19:27.

“AND WHEN HE WAS COME NEAR, HE BEHELD THE CITY, AND WEPT OVER IT, SAYING, IF THOU HADST KNOWN, EVEN THOU, AT LEAST IN THIS THY DAY, THE THINGS WHICH BELONG UNTO THY PEACE, BUT NOW THEY ARE HID FROM THINE EYES.”

“For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee; and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” Luke 19:41 to 44.

A short while after this judgment, the rulers of Israel said to Pilate concerning Christ, “away with Him; crucify Him.” Pilate asked, “shall I crucify your King?” They answered, “we have no king but Caesar.” John 19:15.

“PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.”

What has been the condition of Jerusalem, and the predicament of Israel during the last nineteen centuries? Just what Christ predicted after Israel’s rulers had rejected Him.

“Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:23, 24 and 21:27.

When Christ saw the evil hearts of His people and their murderous attitude toward Him, He said,

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Matthew 10:34 to 36.

“I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.”

There is quite a difference between this message of Luke 12:49 to 52 and the proclamation of Luke 2:11 and 14. Read again Luke 2:11 and 14: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

“Peace on earth.” “No peace on earth.” Peace on earth will be a reality when the true King David is in Jerusalem on David’s throne. Jesus Christ is coming back to build again the tabernacle of David. Amos 9:11 to 15. The angel said to the shepherds, “behold I bring you goad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10. “Peace on earth.” That was the kingdom gospel. The kingdom gospel of peace. If Israel’s rulers had accepted their Messiah and King, the nation Israel would have been planted in their own land, delivered from Gentile domination. That kingdom has been postponed. It is yet to be established when the Son of man shall come to redeem Israel. Luke 21:27 to 32.

In the meantime we have “the gospel of peace” to proclaim in this period of grace.

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.” Romans 10:12. “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15. This “grace” gospel of peace is for any member of the human race, while the prophesied kingdom is in abeyance.

Between the moment that the Lord Jesus shall appear to take the members of His Body to appear with Him in glory, in accordance with Philippians 3:20 and 21 and Colossians 3:3 and 4, and the day that He shall come as the Son of man to redeem Israel and bring about the restitution of all things, there will be a time of sorrow, called, in the Bible, “the great tribulation.” Matthew 24:13 to 24.

The four horsemen, of Revelation 6:1 to 8, will usher in the tribulation. The fifth Horseman, of Revelation 19:11 to 20, will bring an end to this great tribulation.

Note the second horseman, of Revelation 6:4. This “red horse” symbolizes and speaks of some horrible wars that are yet to be so horrible that peace shall be taken from the earth. “He shall take peace from the earth.”

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” I Thessalonians 5:2 and 3.

Note Exodus 15:3 and Psalm 46:9.

“THE LORD IS A MAN OF WAR: THE LORD IS HIS NAME.” “HE MAKETH WAR’S TO CEASE UNTO THE END OF THE EARTH; HE BREAKETH THE BOW, AND CUTTETH THE SPEAR IN SUNDER; HE BURNETH THE CHARIOT IN THE FIRE.”

Jesus Christ is coming as Prince of Peace to inaugurate a reign of peace and righteousness on the earth. But He is coming as a man of war on the white horse. The government will be on His shoulder. At that time He will be in Jerusalem on the throne of David. Isaiah 9:6 and 7.

But note that Jesus Christ is coming as a man of war to bring peace after war.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.” “And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations; and He shall rule them with a rod of iron; and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” “And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” Revelation 19:11, 14, 15 and 21.

Note what is to take place. The political world ruler and the religious world ruler are to be sent to the lake of fire. The prince of this world (Satan) is to be made a prisoner in the bottomless pit.

Then the kingdom saints will be raised to reign with Christ for a thousand years. Read Revelation 20:1 to 9. Christ will come in wrath to establish peace.

When Christ came the first time He established peace for believers by receiving God’s wrath on the cross. “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20.

The result—“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1.

Now each justified believer is thus instructed—“Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4 to 7.

The peace of God shall “keep”. This word “keep” is an army or war word. It is “garrison”. The figure is an outpost of sentinels protecting.

Yes, thank God, in the midst of tribulation, persecution and war, temptations, trials and afflictions the redeemed of the Lord can be at peace with God, and conscious of the peace of God that passeth all understanding.

For more articles by Pastor J. C. O'Hair, visit the J. C. O'Hair Online Library.