Jesus Proclaims Peace

"When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. ¹¹ And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you."

Deuteronomy 20:10-11

God commanded His people to proclaim peace to distant cities, thus providing an opportunity for lives to be spared.  Those who responded to the offer of peace from Israel and chose to open their doors to them would be spared.  Cities who refused to accept the offer of peace would be beseiged and every male would be slain.  The choice of life and death was placed before the enemies of Israel according to God's grace, and this reminds me how God is not willing any should perish.  In light of God's warning that judgment will someday come to this world, 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

About 2,000 years ago, shepherds who kept watch over their flocks by night experienced an angelic proclamation of peace God provided to all the world by sending Jesus Christ.  Luke 2:13-14 reads, "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!"  To a world languishing under judgment and death as a consequence for sin, the Light of the World Jesus Christ came to save.  There was no room for newborn Jesus in the inn, yet we are given the opportunity to open ours hearts to Him in faith and surrender our lives to Him.  The well-known carol exhorts all people:  "Joy to the world! The Lord is come.  Let earth receive her King!  Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing."

When you move into a new house or renovate rooms, there is an opportunity to arrange furniture.  Rooms can be set up to serve as a bedroom, office or theatre.  The pool table can be sold to make room for a lounge, and the cars can be parked outside to convert the garage into a workspace.  It is important we understand that opening our hearts to Jesus at one time does not guarantee He has the place of honour in our lives today.  Like hoarders acquire vast quantities of goods which restrict their movement and access, our hearts and lives can be cluttered with thoughts, ambitions and desires which crowd out Jesus.  In the Song of Solomon his wife couldn't be bothered to rise from bed to let him in!  They shared a bed together, yet his wife was more concerned about the inconvenience of rising to open the door and having to wash her feet again.

This is similar to what happened with the church of Laodicea Jesus addressed in Revelation 3.  They had become self-confident and self-reliant and believed they had need of nothing--yet Jesus revealed to them spiritually they were wretched, poor, blind, miserable and naked.  Jesus Christ said to them in Revelation 3:19-20, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."  Jesus stood at the door and called out to the church to open to Him with the promise of renewed fellowship.  We can open the door of our heart and affections to many things:  have we opened up to Jesus, having made room for Him?  He stands at the door of all our hearts and proclaims peace today, and may we open to Him as humble subjects who serve Him joyfully.