Peace Now!

Uplook – March 2014 — Grace & Truth Magazine

Peace Now!

“I wish I had peace!” That is the universal cry of the whole earth and the individual heart. Where is peace to be found? Some have inner peace, but how? Let’s take a look at an important event in Israel’s history and make some comparisons.

God’s Command – Pharaoh’s Choice
“Let my people go” (Ex. 8:1 NKJV). This message was spoken by God through Moses to Pharaoh who had enslaved Israel. Pharaoh refused and said “no” to God. He made his choice. As a result, judgment was announced upon the entire land. “Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD, “About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die”’” (Ex. 11:4-5).

God’s Command – Israel’s Choice
Israel was precious in God’s sight and dear to Him. He had a plan and a purpose for them. God spoke to Moses and Aaron and told them of the only way of escape for the people of Israel from this judgment of the death of the firstborn which was upon all the land of Egypt.

• Instruction: Each family was to take a lamb, a perfect lamb, “and kill the Passover” (Ex. 12:21). The lamb was the Passover. The blood of the lamb must be applied to the top and the two side posts of each home, and “none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning” (Ex. 12:22).
• Promise: Acceptance of God’s way brought peace! “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt” (Ex. 12:13). The blood on the door, applied by the head of the home, brought peace and assurance to the family and to the firstborn that they were safe.
• Individual Choice: The people heard God’s Word as it was given to Moses. The choice was theirs to obey or to disobey, to apply the blood of the lamb or not to apply it. Though there was a lamb for each family at the Passover, with the blood of the lamb on the door, yet each individual member of the family had a choice to make. Each had the responsibility to accept or to reject God’s provision of protection and acceptance.

All were safe under the shelter of the blood on the door. But if some member of the family rejected God’s instruction, thinking there was no need for the blood of the sacrifice for his own individual protection, and went out of the house, that one would be rejecting God’s way of safety. Each one was responsible to make his own choice whether to accept or to reject God’s protection.

To apply the blood was to “pass from death into life” (Jn. 5:24) physically, for the decree of death was upon all the land, and upon every home where there was no blood applied, and upon any individual who did not obey and stay inside under the shelter of the blood. The blood applied brought physical life instead of death.

God’s Provision
Now let’s compare this with what came much later in Israel’s history.

The prophet Isaiah foretold: “He is despised and rejected by men ... He was oppressed and He was afflicted ... He was led as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isa. 53:3,7). The prophet John the Baptist proclaimed: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). Another has written: “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). The perfect Lamb of God was provided as our Passover Sacrifice. His sacrifice was sufficient for the whole world!

Scripture teaches that because of sin no one has peace with God. “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt: there is none who does good, no, not one” (Ps. 14:3). All are included in this, both Jew and Gentile, “for all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). But whoever desires may come to Jesus Christ for cleansing from sin, and find forgiveness and peace. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “He who hears My word, and believes in Him who sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but has passed from death into life” (Jn. 5:24). By faith we move from spiritual death (separation from God) to spiritual life, that is eternal life with God forever!

Man’s Choice
Every person has a choice: to apply the blood of atonement by receiving the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God, into their heart and life, and so pass from spiritual death to spiritual life; or to ignore the blood of God’s Son Jesus Christ, and remain spiritually dead, headed for eternal separation from God.

Many have not yet heard and do not know the way of peace. Some have heard and have not heeded, but continue to go their own way. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isa. 53:6).

You have just had the wonderful privilege of hearing God’s way to peace explained. Jesus Christ shed His blood for you for the forgiveness of your sins. If you have believed, you have entered personal peace and can be assured that your sins are forgiven through your trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Great joy and an eternal home in heaven are yours. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; ... I go and prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:1-2).

By faith you have received the gift of peace through the assurance of sins forgiven. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

By L. Arnold