I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day

When Christ was born, a host of angels announced his birth to a group of shepherds near Bethlehem.

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch
over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:8-14)

That promise and prophecy of peace on earth has not come true.  Not yet.  The Greek philosopher, Plato, stated that "only the dead have seen the end of war".  So far, he's proven 100% accurate.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of war.  One of my first memories is of the civil war in Nicaragua, when the Communists defeated the Somoza regime.  I've deployed to combat three times now - once to Iraq, twice to Afghanistan - and although I still recognize that in this fallen world it's often necessary to fight to protect the decent from evil, I long for that promised peace on earth and good will toward men.

Fanny Longfellow

It's easy for us to despair as that promise goes unfulfilled, and the best expression I've read of that despair was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  He was a school teacher who saw many of his male students go to the American Civil War and never return.  His son went to war and returned seriously wounded.  To top it all off, his wife died in a fire.  In his despair, he wrote "Christmas Bells" in 1863.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!  

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!  

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime

Charles Longfellow

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!  

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!  

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of 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!" 

But the poem doesn't end there, because Mr Longfellow's faith broke through even that unfathomably deep despair.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

Each Christmas we remind each other of God's promise of peace on earth, good-will to men, and in doing so, we remind each other that since the fall of man, peace on earth has been but a dream.

How do we keep from losing hope?  We immerse ourselves in God's promises about the Messiah.

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:30-33)

6 "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."
7 "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.' " (Psalm 2:6-9)

25 But hold fast what you have till I come.
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations--
27 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'-- as I also have received from My Father; (Revelation 2:25-27)

God's promises are often like the stars.  From Earth, they all appear to be the same distance away, but in fact some are much farther away than others.  Just as God promised the arrival of the Messiah, and kept that promise, He will keep His promise concerning the return of the Messiah.

There will be peace on earth, good will to men, but only when the Messiah returns to rule with a rod of iron.

Merry Christmas.  Remember, "God is not dead, nor does he sleep.  The wrong will fail, the right prevail."  There will be peace on earth, good will to men.

20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21)