The King James translation of the Bible says in John. 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
On Friday, December 25, 1863, during the USA Civil War, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem, “Christmas Bells”. It later became a beloved Christian hymn.
Following is the first three stanzas.
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on Earth, good will to men
And the bells are ringing (peace on Earth)
Like a choir they’re singing (peace on Earth)
In my heart I hear them (peace on Earth)
Peace on Earth, good will to men
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on Earth, ” I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on Earth, good will to men
It reminds me that the churches had much more influence on the culture then than now. There were no telephones, television, Internet, or smartphones. They, however, did have the telegraph and primitive black-and-white photographs. Information from the battlefields was current and supported by photographs for the first time in history. Trains could transport soldiers to the battle in a matter of days instead of endless marches. The war raged, and in 1963, the outcome was in doubt. During that war, over 600,000 men died, not to mention the permanently disabled. It was a time of massive bloodshed and divisions between families, states, and politics. Peace seemed impossible.
In the spring of 1863, Charles Appleton Longfellow joined the Union Army without his father’s permission. Charles was soon appointed lieutenant, but in November, he was severely wounded in the Battle of Mine Run. Charles eventually recovered, but his time as a soldier was finished. Source
Henry’s second wife had died two years earlier in an accidental fire. With the weight of her death still hanging over him, his son wounded in battle, and the outcome of the war in doubt, you might imagine the state of his emotions.
The poem expresses the dissonance he felt. Where was the peace promised by the coming of the Christ Child? He probably felt no peace; instead, he must have felt anguish, loneliness, and hopelessness.
As I write this article, I’m reminded that the state of peace in our world today is tenuous. We are engaged in a proxy war in Ukraine by supporting them against the Russian invasion. Israel is attempting to destroy Hamas in Gaza; Hezbollah is attacking Israel from the north; the US has ships in the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea; our ships in the Red Sea are defending Israel and themselves from attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen; China is threatening to take Taiwan by force if necessary; and Iran is behind the turmoil of most of the conflicts in the Middle East.
It reminds me of the words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 24:6-8,” You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
So little has changed since Longfellow wrote the poem destined to become a famous Christmas Carol. Some people are disturbed by all the turmoil in the world. It seems to happen more often, escalate quicker, and have more significant potential for disaster than ever. I get that. Our modern world has deadlier weapons, faster communication, and more reasons for hatred, a recipe for imminent outbreak of war.
If you devour the omnipresent news from a plethora of sources, you may be drowning in despair. I know of some people who refuse to listen to any news of any kind. They cannot tolerate the reports of killings, shootings, political haranguing, scams of the elderly, drug overdoses, child molestation, the southern border invasion, court case after court case, and news outlets siding with one political party or the other.
So, what did the angels mean by “Peace on earth.” It did not mean immediate peace worldwide. It did not mean the end of wars. It did not mean the end of stress and anxiety for the individual person.
A more modern translation may help. Luke 2:14 from the New International Version of the Bible says, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Jesus told his disciples, “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
Jesus was about to leave this world after his resurrection. It is understandable that his disciples would have been apprehensive about that. They were left to carry His message without His physical presence. By the way, that is our situation today. So, real peace is from God and with God. We can live in a world churning like the sea in a hurricane yet have peace in our minds and hearts because we know Him, He is with us, and He is in us and for us. Romans 8:28 is instructive, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.“ In the same chapter of Romans, v. 38-39, Paul tells us, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NIV
If you are Christian, you have this real promise today. If you are not a Christian, you have to figure things out on your own, and you are highly likely to come up empty, lonely, afraid, and filled with anxiety.
Know Jesus; know peace. No Jesus; no peace.