And be in us our King of Peace

The hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" celebrates the arrival of God among us in the form of Jesus. The post highlights that God does not simply bring peace to the world; instead, he will ultimately judge and create a new, peaceful world. Those who have faith in God's promises will have inner peace amid the world's chaos and opposition.

Or, as John Neale’s original translation and English versification of the Latin hymn says:

Bid all our sad divisions cease 
And be Thyself our King of Peace. 

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Emmanuel–God with us. Actually, it can be sung any time of year–the core of our message is that God came as one of us. In Jesus, God is with us. And, since he rose from the dead and sent us His Spirit, he is not only with us, but also lives in us who will receive him. We can be like him, because he lives his life in and through us.

Many modern hymnals weaken this to a wish that God will “fill the whole world with Heaven’s peace,” as if God will simply dump His peace on a passive world. But that is not and never will be the way God works.

God will not dump peace on a passive world. In the end, he will judge the world that is at war, in rebellion against him, and make visible to all–even to his enemies, who will be excluded from it– “a new heaven and a new earth,” one in which “righteousness dwells.” Revelation 21:1-2; 2 Peter 3:13. And, at that time, it will be true that

God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV)

But before that must come judgment. God won’t just “dump” his peace on a rebellious world still in rebellion against him. No, instead, Jesus said “do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34 (NIV). He will put down the rebellion, judge the rebels, and inaugurate a whole new world for those who are striving to live at peace with him, those in whom he already now invisibly lives. Until this happens, the world will be divided, at war with God and itself, and will hate us. James 4:1-3; John 5:18-19 (NIV).

But, in the meantime, we who have God’s Spirit also have his promises of peace. These are not promises of peace for the rebellious world, or even that the world will be at peace with us. They are promises that we will have God’s peace–which is more real than the illusory world we see–in the midst of the world’s chaos and opposition.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27 (NIV).

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. .

John 16:33 (NIV)

“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

John 16:21-22 (NIV).

Or, as the Christmas angel said,

Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

Luke 6:14 (NIV).

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