SABBATH THOUGHT 2026-10-17—PEACE, THE FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM

May God bless you on His Sabbath day!

When Jesus Christ was born of flesh, He had a ministry to preach the Gospel of His Father:

ISAIAH 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me [Jesus Christ], because the LORD [God the Father] has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

The Gospel is a message about eternal citizens and a Kingdom but the key attraction of it is not often emphasized—peace[1]:

ROMANS 10:15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

What makes the Kingdom unique above all others is the absolute peace. Peace has been offered by God throughout the Bible and it has been at the core of all His interactions with all living beings. Without peace, the Kingdom of God would have continual war and conflict. Without peace, eternal life would be a miserable existence.

From the moment that God began creating life, He published a code of conduct that that would, if adhered to, establish peace among all living beings—it is called the Law of God:

PSALM 119:165 Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble [be offended].

Ironically, peace on earth is usually the result of resorting to violence and war to forcibly prevent conflict among nations. But even that does nothing to end the continual contention and conflict between individuals. Peace has always been fleeting when it exists at all, whether on earth or in heaven. This is in spite of the fact that God created all life to live in peace:

1 CORINTHIANS 14:33 For God is not [the God] of [disorder] but of peace, as in all the [ekklesia] of the saints.

The pursuit of peace is not just an idealistic endeavor; it is the very desire, will, and purpose of God. Establishing true peace among all living beings is surely the greatest of all achievements but it will only exist if everyone strives for it:

PSALM 34:14 Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

ROMANS 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

Unsurprisingly, fallen angels and mankind will never achieve peace because they would rather be enemies of God than accept His Law as the framework for peace:

ROMANS 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Knowing how crucial the Law is for establishing peace, God determined that mankind will only submit to it if the Law is becomes a part of their very being:

JEREMIAH 31:33 “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

The Law of God, when followed, produces peace; however, peace through the Law is a fragile state that is easily overwhelmed by carnal lust and pride[2]. Even someone with the Holy Spirit of God will break the peace when their carnal nature takes over. Satan proved that. This fact did not escape God who said He will only dwell with those who have a humble heart and mind:

ISAIAH 57:15-16, 19 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would fail before Me, and the souls which I have made. [God would destroy all life rather than enduring continual rebellion] … 19 “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “And I will heal him.”

The peace of God is not the absence of conflict; it is a state in which everyone is appreciated and valued. In order to deal with the carnal minds of people, God did something almost unthinkable—He subjected His Son to the same temptations of the carnal mind that have characterized mankind’s existence from the beginning:

HEBREWS 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Through the flesh and blood life of His Son, God proved it is possible to overcome the enemies of peace—lust and pride—and put on humility:

PHILIPPIANS 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus Christ] humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

To say that learning humility is a struggle is an understatement. The war against lust and pride takes place in the heart, mind, and soul[3]. But God now has proven that the existential struggle of flesh and blood can be won because of the victory of His Son over the great Tempter[4]. Knowing it is a war that no ordinary human can win, God now gives mankind the help they so desperately need to defeat this Enemy:

HEBREWS 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly [confidently] to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

But there was still a problem. How could carnal minds come into the presence of God to even ask for His help? This, too, was solved by His Son:

EPHESIANS 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Now at last, the prospect for peace is real. The blood of Christ allows mankind to have peace with God:

ROMANS 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

God appointed His Son an Advocate and Intercessor[5] on behalf of people because Jesus personally experienced the weaknesses that afflict all mankind. Through His Son, God intimately knows how to help us even before we ask[6]. The fact remains, however, that only one Human had the strength of will to overcome the temptations of lust and pride. But that also made Him the solution. The rest of mankind would also succeed if they could have that same mind:

ROMANS 8:3, 6 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, … 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

The problem is that a carnal mind is an impossible stumbling block to humility and peace. But the solution is now evident—Jesus is the antidote for lust and pride so God need only give people the mind of Christ. With the mind of His Son, it is now possible to overcome lust and pride and achieve peace with God through humility:

GALATIANS 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

The result of slaying the carnal mind is peace with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and all who likewise pursue peace. As one might expect, this peace comes from the One who made peace possible with God—the King of Peace Himself:

JOHN 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me [Jesus Christ] you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

But then, Peacemaker was always the role of Jesus Christ:

HEBREWS 7:1-2 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of [justice],” and then also King of Salem, meaning “King of peace,”

LUKE 1:76, 79 [The prophecy of Zacharias:] “And you, Child, will be called the Prophet of the Highest; for You [Jesus Christ] will go before the face of the Lord [God the Father] to prepare His ways, … 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

If all the stories and prophecies in the Bible are set aside, there in its pages is the singular purpose of God—a Kingdom of peace. It is a place where peace will reign throughout. But it does not yet exist. In the beginning when He created the angels, a third of them threw away their peace. Likewise, mankind chose to reject the peace of the Tree of Life. God then offered peace to the small nation of ancient Israel but they, too, despised it. In the end, God chose a few who would treasure the peace that was ransomed from lust and pride by the life of His Son. They are worthy of the incredible gift of peace from Jesus Christ[7]:

JOHN 14:27 “Peace I [Jesus Christ] 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.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peace does not come easily. It must be pursued. It must be the purpose of living. It must be sought with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Peace requires striving against a world of enemies both spiritual and physical. Simply put, to have the peace of God requires MAKING peace with all[8]:

MATTHEW 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called [children] of God.

Only those who dedicate their lives to peace will be chosen to be citizens of the only Kingdom ever founded upon true and universal peace:

HEBREWS 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

Peace is a gift and blessed inheritance of God from Christ. Eventually, all mankind will dwell in peace with God the Father and Jesus Christ:

PSALMS 37:11, 27, 37 But the meek [humble] shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. … 27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore [in peace]. … 37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace.

But the first citizens of the Kingdom are unique because they were chosen to have peace with God without ever setting eyes upon Him or hearing His voice:

1 PETER 2:9-11 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

These have warred against the evil of a world that is in darkness as they pursue peace with God. They are being killed by the world[9] as they follow after the example of the true sacrificial Lamb of peace[10]:

ROMANS 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, [well-pleasing] to God, which is your reasonable service.

The sacrifices of these Firstfruits of the Kingdom sets them apart. On the Festival of the Harvest of Firstfruits (Pentecost) there is a Peace Offering sacrifice of two male lambs and the firstfruits Grain Offering made into two loaves of bread that are combined into a Wave Offering. The two Wave Loaves portray the Firstfruits of His Kingdom whom God finds well-pleasing:

LEVITICUS 23:15-17, 19-20 ‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 ‘Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. 17 ‘You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD. … 19 ‘Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. 20 ‘The priest shall wave them [the two lambs of the Peace Offering] with the bread [the two waveloaves] of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs [of the Peace Offering]. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.

Peace is, and always has been, the objective for all of the works of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Peace underpins the coming Kingdom:

ISAIAH 9:7 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.

Did you notice that there is only one attribute of the Kingdom that continues without bounds? There is no end to the increase of PEACE. Every year that passes is more peaceful than the year before. How is that possible? Who knows? What matters, however, is that the Kingdom is founded upon true peace because from it springs the never-ending fullness of love, joy, and abundance of life!

May God’s grace and peace be upon you!

Steven Greene

https://sabbathreflections.org

sabbathreflections@gmail.com