These verses from Isaiah are a powerful reminder of the peace we long for—swords turned into plows, spears turned into pruning hooks, weapons turned into farm equipment, war turned into abundance. Isaiah promises us, if we walk in the light, the darkness of war will be behind us.
I love Isaiah and his optimism, but it’s really hard to imagine the world he promises. In fact, it seems down right absurd that all of the weapons of the world would be turned into agricultural equipment and peace would follow. Have you watched the news lately? Where are those plows and pruning hooks, Isaiah? We really need those!
Despite the turmoil of the world around us, we still enter the Advent season. We are given a chance to walk in the light of advent, despite the darkness of the world around us, and I think that this is what Isaiah is actually calling us to do. To find peace in the midst of chaos—in the midst of war. To find peace, even when the world is shouting at us and we are afraid for the future.
Advent calls to us to find this peace, to find this light in the darkness, to listen to the promises of peace to come
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!
It’s a beautiful thought isn’t it? Getting lost in all of the familiar carols we love so much? The ones we just sang tonight? The ones we will be singing for the next few weeks? There is so much peace and joy and hope in those treasured melodies—each one reminding us that God is good, peace is possible, and telling the story of the child that changed everything. It’s comforting. It’s something to cling to.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow originally wrote these words in response to both national and personal tragedies suffered during the American Civil War. He is initially comforted by the Christmas hymns pealing from the belltower, but that comfort soon slips into reality.
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!"
The despair in these words is very real right now. I feel like we are living in a world where hate mocks the very values I hold most dear. Even if we are assured that God will win in the end, and that things will all be ok, it is hard to figure out how to find peace when the world seems to mock the notions of love, and charity, and equality.
I know this is a chaotic time of the year. At least it feels that way- there’s so much to do. There are parties and church services and so many obligations. And the noise of it all is loud enough that the idea of finding peace may seem impossible.
But there are ways to get through it. For me, one of the ways is focusing on my favorite parts of the holidays. It’s about getting my trees and nativities up early enough to actually enjoy them. Nothing feels more peaceful to me than sitting in the glow of Christmas lights. I also listen to my favorite Christmas songs- many of which have peace as a theme.
Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men
Isaiah says we have to walk in the light anyway…and we must continue to long for and work for peace in the world. The prophet reminds us that eventually peace will come, the wrong in the world will fail, the right in the world will win out.
The most comforting thing that anyone has said to me, is that things will be ok- even if things don’t end up the way they should or the way we want them to, they will be ok- or we will find a way to make things ok. And I think that’s what Isaiah is really talking about here—that eventually it will work out—some way or another, we will find a way to be at peace with ourselves and with each other. It’s easy to think that this can only happen in small ways- in the microcosm of a small town, for example. But, I have hope that once we find peace within ourselves, we can start to work toward the things the world needs so that goodness and righteousness will prevail.
Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men
Maybe we will never get to a world where all the weapons have been turned into farm equipment. This is our hope—that through our faith, through our prayers, through our continuous work for peace—that the world will turn—the darkness will turn to light and we will be able to walk in that light as Isaiah promised.