"And suddenly..."

"And suddenly there with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased."
                                                                                                                 Luke 2: 13 -14 (ESV)
The word "host" in the Greek is "stratia". One of the meanings of the word is an assembled, strategic, army.... when God's army invaded earth on the first Christmas they declared peace. But only peace with whom He was pleased. Peace on earth is fine and dandy and we should pursue peace as much as it is possible. But the peace God is talking about isn't the absence of conflict among humans. It is a peace between God and man and with the ones with whom He is pleased. Ephesians 2:3 reminds us that we are by nature children of God's wrath. Romans 3 quotes the Psalms and reminds us that no one is good and no one seeks after God. It must be God who draws us near (John 6:44). It is God who brings us back to life and makes us at peace with Himself and makes us fit for His use in His kingdom. (Ephesians 2:1-10) ... This Christmas season, let's all remember that without the baby born in Bethlehem we would have no one to make peace between a holy, righteous God and ourselves. -- O Come Let us Adore Him..... Christ the Lord!