In Micah’s messianic prophecy in today’s lesson from the Hebrew scriptures, we hear that God’s anointed one “shall be the one of peace.” In the daily epistle reading on the morning I sat down to work on this meditation was this prayer: “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (I Thes.5:23)—a lovely prayer, especially appropriate for us during this Advent season.

“The One of Peace,” the “God of peace,” the theme of God’s peace echoes for me throughout scripture . In Isaiah 9:6 we see the promised messianic king named as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Then in Luke’s nativity narrative (2:1-51), with the shepherds we hear the angelic host announcing the birth of Jesus as the One of Peace, “praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, goodwill among people.’“ (2:14 NSRV note) Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he spoke of peace, calming the stormy sea by calling for peace (Mk.4:39), sending the healed on their way to “go in peace” (Mk.5:34, Lk.7:50, 8:48), enjoining the seventy to enter homes proclaiming peace (Lk.10:5). When his time on earth was short, in his farewell discourse to his disciples, John tells us that Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,”(14:25a) and in resurrection appearances to them in that same upper room, Jesus greets them saying, “Peace be with you.” (20:19, 26)

The apostle Paul, having experienced the One of Peace in his own life, picked up on the theme of peace in his epistles to the new Christian communities in his care, focusing on “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” (Phil.4:7) Elsewhere he points out that when we live in the Spirit of Christ, our lives will produce the fruit of peace, along with ”love, joy, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” (Gal.5:22) and prays that “the Lord of peace may give [us] peace at all times and in all ways.” (II Thes.3:16)

No doubt someone is remembering that Jesus also said, “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Mt.10:34) In context with what follows (vs.35-39), I take that to mean he comes to cut away all that we allow to separate us from God, to free us from the tangles of temptation, so that our hearts are prepared to receive the One of Peace in peace and love, ready for the advent of Christ.