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What Did the Angels Mean by “Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward Men”?
“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” (Luke 2:13-14).
At this time of year, almost every Christmas card carries the above verse as a reminder of what the season is all about. The good news is these verses are filled with amazing truths that are often overlooked and misunderstood.
Many people believe the angels were speaking about how the birth of Christ would change the way we treat one another. While there is some truth to this in the sense that we are transformed by the love God has for us, this isn’t what the angels were declaring.
What the angels meant is quite different from how this verse is often explained on Christmas cards today. The angels knew and understood that Jesus would secure our peace with God through His sacrificial death on the cross. His resurrection would also guarantee that God’s will toward mankind would always be good because the new covenant is called a “Covenant of Peace” (Isaiah 53:10). This new covenant would reveal to the world that God’s will toward them is always good (Isaiah 53:9). This is what the angels were so excited to declare—that the birth of Jesus would bring peace between mankind and God and a revelation of God’s will, which is always good toward them, 24/7.
We should never forget that through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, He brought us the reality of knowing and experiencing the Peace of God, as well as living in His goodness.
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