Reverend Edmund Sears, a Unitarian minister in Massachusetts, went through a trying period in his ministry. On one particularly dark night of his soul, he looked around at the state of his nation (also in a very trying period) and longed for peace on earth, goodwill to men — and peace in his soul.
That was in 1849, but given the current state of our world, we can all certainly understand the longing for “peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
Reverend Sears would go on to put pen to paper and pour his heart into a long poem of five stanzas. He described the “weary world” and its “sad and lowly plains” over which heavenly songs from angels were needed.
His poem became the beloved Christmas carol, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” an annual favorite of Christians around the world. He focused his hymn on that “midnight clear” when the angels announced to Bethlehem’s shepherds the birth of the Baby Jesus.
Seeing the Lord’s Peace in Scripture
It was the angels’ message of “peace on earth, goodwill to men” that Edmund Sears longed to experience both nationally and personally.
If 1849 motivated Edmund Sears to long for a more peaceful life and world, how much more has 2023 said the same to us? At the heart of human aspiration has been the longing for peace.
While some have destroyed peace willingly, many have simply been the victim and long for a return to peace for their families, their communities, their nation, and the world.
It was a longing in Israel as well: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” was the psalmist’s admonition (Psalm 122:6). Gradually, the Messiah was seen as the only One who could restore peace to Israel and Jerusalem. And sadly, we are there again today.
The prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Messiah speaks to the truth of this: He would be called “Prince of Peace,” and of His peace, “there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
The Advent Message of Peace Amidst the Unstable Nature of the World
Do you need peace this Christmas season? Have you felt unsettled and concerned this year? Let this Christmas season give us clarity about the only Person who can bring peace on earth and goodwill to men — including at the personal, family, national, and international levels.
When the angels appeared to the Bethlehem shepherds, glorifying God for the birth of the Savior, their announcement echoed the prophets’ desire: “On earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14).
The Savior whose birth they announced was the Prince of Peace foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Jesus came to bring peace to all who would receive Him — along with comfort, joy, and salvation. And He will bring peace to the whole world when He returns.
Peace I Give You
Jesus said, “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). Let’s make this moment, this season, a season of clarity in which we view our sometimes confusing and threatening world against the backdrop of God’s gift to us: The Prince of Peace who was announced by angels on that original “midnight clear.”
A portion of this article is an excerpt from Season of Joy by David Jeremiah.
For further reading:
Advent Candle of Hope: Here’s What Really Matters This Holiday Season
Advent Week 2 - the Candle of Peace
5 Things Christians Should Know about Advent
Advent Wreath and Candles: Meaning, Symbolism, Purpose Explained
What Do the Advent Candle Colors Purple, Pink, and White Mean?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Kara Gebhardt
