Fourth Sunday of Advent: Peace

The fourth candle represents “the peace of God, which passeth allunderstanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Isaiah 9:6 identified the Christ as the Prince of Peace, and elsewhere Isaiah’s messianic prophecies look forward to the peace that Christ will establish during his millennial reign. Nevertheless, we know that even now we can, through Jesus Christ, have “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59:23).

Often the fourth candle is associated with the covenant that the Lord made with David, namely that in his line there would always be a king in Israel, a promise which received its glorious and final fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is King of kings and Lord of lords.

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick

understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither

reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove

with equity for the meek of the earth . . .

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf

and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the

bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on

the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall

be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall

be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his

rest shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:1–10)

 “And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of

him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed

his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people; For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished. But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Son reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.” (Mosiah 15:18–20)

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not

your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

CAROL: “IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR”

Emphasis on the second half of verse three, “ . . . When the new heavn’n and earth shall own the Prince of Peace their King.”

The Visit to Elisabeth and the Magnificat:

“And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:  And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were  told her from the Lord.’

“And Mary said, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty  from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.’

“And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.” (Luke 1:39–56)