A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR?

Sermon by Pastor Jeffrey Khoo at the Watchnight Service, 31 December 2023

When Jesus Christ was born the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14). But where is the peace? In another place, Jesus said, “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division” (Luke 12:51). Is there a contradiction? God forbid. It is a matter of the divine intention and the divine timetable.

Why No Peace?

The world wants peace but cannot find it. Why? It is because we live in a sin-cursed world. Man is born in sin and plagued by sin. That is why in the 6000 years of world history, there have been only 300 years of peace. Man is full of war and hatred and jealousy and greed. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom 3:10–18).

Yes, there is a lot of talk about peace, but Psalm 120:7 says, “I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” Peace might be in their lips, but there is war in their hearts. Peace, at least true and lasting peace, will never come in this life, at this time. Everyone is preparing for war. That is why we have our armed forces and our weapons, and keep on buying new and more weapons all the time.

World War I lasted for 4 years (1914–18) killing 11 million people, World War II lasted 6 years (1939–45) and took 59 million lives. After World War I, it took only 21 years for World War II to erupt. It has been 78 years since World War II. When will World War III come? It may come soon. Jesus said that the last days will be plagued by “wars and rumours of wars:… For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matt 24:6–7). World War III is shaping up. The October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas is a prelude to what is to come. You have seen what happened on TV or YouTube. It was shocking. There will be more shocks to come. Terrorism and antisemitism is on the rise. The terrorist and anti-Israeli nations deny that Israel has the right to exist. Free Palestine they say, “from the river to the sea”. Wipe Israel out; push them all into the sea. There is great hatred for Israel. In Zechariah 14:2, God said, “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”

Sadly, Israel today is still unbelieving, having rejected their Messiah and Saviour—the Lord Jesus Christ. On account of this, there is no peace in Jerusalem despite her namesake—“city of peace”. It has been one long war for Israel since its independence in 1948. Soldiers and weapons are everywhere. They need to maintain an Iron Dome to ward off the constant missile attacks from her enemies. Israel is not a safe or peaceful place. Singapore is not safe either. Because we condemn terrorism, we are also threatened and targeted.

When Will Peace Come?

Will peace ever come? Yes, one day peace will come. But before it comes, there will come a false peace. It is a false peace because it comes from man and as such it will only last for a short time. We see this again and again don’t we? Every call for peace or a truce or ceasefire is only temporary, to buy time to regroup and rearm for another fight. Eventually peace will come but a false one. This false peace will be brought by one man called the Antichrist. He is a prince of peace, but a false one. He will make peace with Israel and with others but will break that peace after 3½ years and persecute Israel. We read of this in Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

Then Jesus Christ will return to deliver Israel, “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Rom 11:26). There will be a final war called the war of Armageddon (Rev 16:16). It will be fought in Har Megiddo or the Plain of Jezreel, and the whole battlefield will be 200 miles long, from Har Megiddo in the north to the Gulf of Eilat in the south (Rev 14:16–20). The battle will be between the armies of heaven and the armies of earth, between Christ and the Antichrist. Christ will defeat the Antichrist by divine fiat, by His powerful Word, the Sword that proceedeth from His mouth (Rev 19:21).

True peace will come when the Antichrist and his world order is destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns to reign on earth as King of kings and Lord of lords together with His saints (Rev 20:6). Israel will be the first nation of the world, and Jerusalem will be the world’s capital, and Christ will sit on the throne of His father David according to prophecy (2 Sam 7:12–13). Then will the world experience peace like never before. The Prince of peace shall rule this world most wonderfully with His power and wisdom for a millennium. That is why He is called, “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” What do all His names mean? The Rev Dr Timothy Tow explained, “The people must worship Him who is arrayed with such Divine titles. He is wonderful because He is both God and Man. He is wonderful in His life, death and resurrection. Great was the mystery of godliness concerning Him. He is Counsellor because He is intimately acquainted with the counsels of God from eternity. He is God Almighty too because He is able to save to the uttermost. He is the Everlasting Father to the people He has saved, in tender care of all their needs. He is the Prince of Peace because He is the author of our reconciliation to God the Giver of peace, who commands His subjects to live in peace with each other and with all men. Under His rule, when His kingdom is fully established men shall learn war no more.”

At that time, “men shall learn war no more” for Isaiah 2:2–4 tells us, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” We long for this day. Global peace will come one day. Not the false peace of the Antichrist, but true peace from the Prince of peace Himself—the Lord Jesus Christ.

Where Is Peace Now?

Peace right now can only come when we first make peace with God. The only way to make peace with God is through the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only way to a restored relationship with God. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. … I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. … 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 14:1, 6, 27). You must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if you want to have peace. It is a matter of faith. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1).

“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.” (Isa 9:6, 7).

That was why when Jesus was born 2000 years ago the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today. Make peace with God right now, and you will be sure to enjoy this peace that the world will one day experience when Jesus Christ returns to rule a thousand years.

So, now that we have made peace with God, how do we cope with all the troubles that surround us today? Jesus said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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 14:26–27). The Holy Spirit is our Paraclete—one who comes alongside us to counsel and comfort us. He is our best psychiatrist (soul/mind healer).

In conclusion, here is the secret to peace of mind: “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. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Phil 4:5–9). Be prayerful, be filled with God’s Word and good thoughts and peace will come.