Christmas is a Declaration of War

I thought it was a strange statement when I first heard it. Isn’t there enough war going on with the current spin of peace deals and ceasefires and radicalized violence? Do we really need to turn Christmas into a battle? The world is collectively waging war on itself and there can be no winner. There will be no victor. Right?

In truth, victory is sure. But not without Christmas.

So, what does it mean that Christmas is a declaration of war? Didn’t the Baby come to bring peace on earth, goodwill to men? The angels declared it. The message of Christmas is peace. The miracle birth was humble, unimpressive, accomplished through everyday people and announced to a bunch of lowlifes on a hillside taking care of dirty animals. There was no grand proclamation of the King’s arrival to upend the hopeless fate of humanity. And yet, that’s what happened.

Christmas is more about death than birth. The prophesized King arrived exactly as predicted, only some were expecting a warrior, not a baby. “And it shall be a sign unto you” was not the sign desired by most. What was expected was a long-awaited triumph over mortal oppressors. But make no mistake, this was war. From the moment of the Fall, a war had to be fought. The Baby came to wage a battle against sin, death, and hell. The infant was an immediate threat to Satan. He was the absolute redeemer of the rebel creation. He was God. And man. He was the only One who could declare a war that no one else could win.

He grew up perfectly perfect. Sinless. If His birth had not been the result of a miraculous conception, He would have carried the sin nature in His humanity. But He was free of it. He was the Warrior King who would win the battle and set His people free. As He hung dying, He proclaimed IT IS FINISHED. No more needed to be done to defeat the enemy. Death was conquered. When Jesus stepped out the grave, He won the ultimate victory.

The birth is nothing without the death. Peace on earth is impossible without a declaration of war. Has peace come? To a follower like me, peace is real and constant, even when it’s not. It’s inexplicable. It can’t be explained, only experienced. To the world at large, there is no peace, no matter who declares it so. But it’s coming. It was promised, and so it will be. Only the King, born in a manger, killed on a cross, and raised from a grave can bring true peace. Even if you can’t see it now, even if you don’t believe it, the war was, and is, and will be over. Merry Christmas.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

Isaiah 9:6