Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.”
The entrance of Emmanuel into our world was first announced by an angel to some humble shepherds. “I bring you,” said the heavenly herald, “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For this day is born, in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord—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 towards men.”
Here we find the declaration of peace to mankind in a state of apostacy. They are represented as alienated, and enemies in their mind, without strength, children of disobedience, and consequently of wrath. They therefore need reconciliation to God, and to one another. The existence of the above alienation has been, and is manifest over all the earth. It is supposed in all those scriptures which speak of reconciliation for iniquity, and represent Jesus Christ as our peace, coming into the world, and enduring the cross to restore peace on earth.
The peace celebrated by angels, as in the text, denotes, peace with God. He is reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses. He proclaims peace through Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, and whom God has set forth to be a propitiation for it, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. It is to the glory of God’s grace, that he makes us accepted in the Beloved. He first loved us, or no mediator would have been provided. Here the ransom Jesus paid is the effect, not the cause of the love of God. In this greatest gift of the Father’s love, grace superabounds where sin abounded.
The sacrifice of Jesus was a voluntary one. The Messiah, having a body prepared for him, “gave himself an offering and sacrifice to God, and put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Lo, I come—I delight to do thy will, O my God. There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.” How wonderful is his friendship! “Though he was rich, for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. But “when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son.”
Consider how great he was who undertook our redemption, and you cannot doubt but he was able to heal the breach the apostacy had made. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders: And his name shall be called, WONDERFUL, COUNSELLER, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE.” He who was “set up from everlasting, by whom all things were made and consist,” whose “glory was that of the only begotten of the Father, he was made flesh. The word, who was God,” became incarnate: God was manifest in the flesh—this is a plain declaration of his divinity and humanity. In this way the prophet who foretold his miraculous conception: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name EMMANUEL.” If such is the character of our Redeemer, who will question but he is mighty to save?
The adoration and gratitude of the heavenly host at the nativity of Christ was this: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men, on whom his favor rests. Let earth join with heaven in this acclamation. Join in it this day, all you who believe that Christ came to save. So illustrious a personage was never born into our world — one so worthy to be remembered — one whom all men are commanded to honor, even as they honor the Father.
Contemplations:
- Shall heaven be full of joy and praise, that God has sent his Son for my redemption? Will rebels and apostates be indifferent to the proclamation of pardon, peace and glory? Are the glad tidings published to us? What shall I say? “Bless the Lord, O our souls! and all that is within us, bless his holy name.”
- Lord, help to have redemption imprinted on my heart, as well as celebrated with my tongue. “How beautiful, then, upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that faith upon Zion, thy God reigneth.”
- Joy to the world that Jesus reigns! May my heart be his throne!
- Almighty God, I joy in you as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. With the host of heaven I give glory to the most high God, that you have raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of your servant David. Great is the mystery of godliness! God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. These are glad tidings of great joy to me, proclaimed at the Savior’s birth, and have reached my ears, through the tender mercy of our God. Blessed are the people who know that joyful sound!
Further References for Luke 2:14:
Luke 1:79; Col. 1:20; Psalm 148:2; Eph. 2:14.
