Peace On Earth: The Second Week Of Advent

Discover the true meaning of peace on earth this Advent season as we explore the message of the angels at Shepherd’s Field and God’s extraordinary gift of Shalom through Jesus Christ.

Before I visited Israel, I imagined Shepherd’s Field, where angels announced the birth of Jesus to a humble shepherd, as a vast, open grassy plain, something straight out of a Christmas card. I pictured beauty, serenity, and wide-open spaces.

The reality, however, is quite different.

Shepherd’s Field today is rocky and sun-bleached, dotted with scraggly brush and a few hardy, weather-worn trees. It is made of two sloping hillsides that meet in a narrow ravine. It reminds us that much of what is true in the Bible doesn’t always align with what we imagine.

The Ordinary Transformed

Here, on an ordinary evening, in a humble, rugged field in Israel, were ordinary men of lowly status doing their ordinary jobs. They were probably like many of us, going to work and maybe not loving it. They had real-life problems and real-life wants and needs. It was just another ordinary evening on the outskirts of Bethlehem two thousand years ago. These ordinary, lowly men became the first to receive the greatest news humanity has ever heard!

It was there and then that God stepped into their lives! He had an announcement. Like a proud Abba ( Hebrew for Daddy) he told of the birth of His Son.  This is where the ordinary stopped and the incredible and extraordinary began!

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

These simple, lowly men were the first to hear God’s message that the long-awaited Savior had come!

To fully grasp the magnitude of this announcement, we must view it through the lens of ancient Jewish culture. The angel’s words held profound meaning:

• “City of David” – Bethlehem, meaning House of Bread, prophesied as the birthplace of the Messiah.
• “A Savior” – The One foretold by prophets, who would save His people.
• “Christ” – The Greek equivalent of Messiah, meaning the Anointed One, signifying kingship and divine purpose.
• “The Lord” – Meaning owner and creator. A declaration of Jesus’ divinity.

This wasn’t just good news—it was the best news. After centuries of waiting and oppression, the Savior had come, not only for the Jewish people but for all of humanity.

Peace On Earth

The angelic chorus proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among men with whom He is well pleased” (Luke 2:14).

This verse is often abbreviated on Christmas cards to simply say “peace on earth,” but the full meaning is even richer. The peace proclaimed here is not merely the absence of conflict. It is shalom, a Hebrew word encompassing wholeness, completeness, and restoration.

This peace is not a superficial harmony but a profound reconciliation between God and humanity. It is peace made possible through Jesus Christ, the Savior who would repair the relationship between a holy God and sinful people.

And here’s the best part: this peace doesn’t depend on what we do. It is freely given to those who believe. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God offers eternal peace and restoration to all who seek Him.

An Invitation To Seek

The shepherds were the first to hear the angel’s message and acted on it immediately. They sought the Savior and found Him—a tiny baby lying in a manger, lowly and humble, just like them.

Are you seeking peace this Advent season? Jesus promises that if you seek Him, you will find Him.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 7:7-8)

Ask for God’s peace in your life. Seek Him with all your heart. Knock on the door of a relationship with the Savior of the world, and it will be opened to you.

Shalom This Advent

As I reflect on my time in Shepherd’s Field, I am reminded of how God steps into ordinary places and moments and makes them extraordinary. This Advent season, I wish you shalom—God’s peace that brings wholeness and joy.

Let’s carry these words in our hearts this week:
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among men with whom He is well pleased.” (Luke 2:14)

May this season of Advent bring you deep peace and joy as we prepare our hearts for the Savior.

Merry Christmas!