“and his name shall be called… Prince of Peace.”

This final title in Isaiah 9 is again a combination of an earthly aspect (Prince) and a heavenly or supernatural aspect (Peace). Let’s begin with the title Prince. We can grasp this title in our day, for the most part. Princes were leaders, chieftains, or military commanders in Isaiah’s time. The Prince was one who led the people in some way. For example, Abner was the “captain of the host” of Israel under King Saul (1 Samuel 17:55).

We also see God referred to in this way as well in an encounter with Joshua. “And he said, ‘No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, ‘What does my lord say to his servant?’ And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:14–15).

Jesus is our Prince, our leader and commander par excellence. Even though he is our leader and the commander of the army of the Lord, he is called the Prince of Peace. He will bring, as we saw in the preceding title, Peace forever. His nature and rule will be peace.

Isaiah writes of the peace that he will bring. He will extend his peace like a river (Isaiah 66:12). Isaiah 11:6-9 shows the result of his reign, with wild animals living together in peace. The effect of his righteousness will be peace (Isaiah 32:17). Isaiah 53:5 states that his wounds will bring peace with people. He will remove the cause of war and lack of peace by dealing with the root cause – sin.

Finally, Jesus came and brought us peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Christians have objective peace with God. We are not at war with him anymore because our sins have been paid for, and we have been made right with God by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. The courtroom of God has found the Christian not guilty, and so we are free from the wrath of God. The Prince of Peace has brought the ultimate peace to us!