Isaiah 2:1-5, “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; 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 anymore. 5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.”
The hope is often expressed, especially at Christmastime, that there should be world peace. I suppose there are even many who view this as the real hope of Christmas. The Savior’s birth does bring peace, a peace brought about through teaching. This is what Isaiah is prophesying, that the world will have peace because it will hear the Word of the Lord. And that Word is only found in one place – Mt Zion, Jerusalem. Have you been to Jerusalem lately? It’s not exactly a place of peace. Seldom has it ever been. God is not talking about the earthly Jerusalem, the earthly Mt Zion. He is talking about His Church. The Church to which He gave birth through the birth of His Son. This is where His Word is found.
And that Word is a word of peace. For the teaching of God’s Church is always this – that Christ is born to bring peace for the whole world. And this peace is found in His life, death, and resurrection. It’s a peace in the forgiveness of sins. It’s a peace that is still peace midst the horrors of war in this world. A peace that spreads from one heart to another simply with a Word: a Word of peace: Your sins are forgiven.
In Christ
Pastor Ude