The Wonder Of Christmas

World World 1 broke out 100 years ago. Called “The War To End All Wars”,  it unfortunately didn’t but was so named because witnesses were dumbfounded by its unprecedented scale of carnage. Countless men were bayoneted, shot, gassed and bombed with some battlefields becoming soft underfoot from the layers of corpses. Men fought, died and buried on top of men. The machine of war had grown to an industrial scale.

While incidents like Gallipoli and The Australian Light Horsemen’s retaking of Beersheba are well known, lesser known but greater yet was when this war was interrupted by a Prince. The Prince. The Prince of Peace.

With the opposing armies unable to make any further advances on each other, the war had solidified into fronts. Fronts defined by continuous lines of trenches separated by a killing zone known as no-man’s land. Whilst separated in their trenches, the opposing soldiers were often close enough to hear each other. Close enough, to hear the sounds of Christmas.

Christmas, 1914

In the days leading up to Christmas, the sounds of war faded beneath the sounds of German, British and French soldiers singing Christmas carols to each other. At multiple locations on the Western Front, songs of love, joy, peace, hope, glory and salvation graced the air above no-man’s land.

As the first light of Christmas Day broke, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines calling out “Merry Christmas” in English.

Fearing a trick, the Allied soldiers watched on. They soon realised the Germans did have good intentions upon seeing they were unarmed. Soon, they too climbed out of their trenches into no-man’s land. Enemies were now shaking hands, exchanging presents and singing carols. They were holding joint burial ceremonies for their fallen comrades and having prisoner swaps. There were even reports of friendly soccer games.

Be Still And Know That I Am God

All this, just five months after the outbreak of war. At least for a day, “The War To End All Wars” ended. The full extent of this unofficial trunce was not to be repeated again as the opposing generals issued official threats to any soldiers who would repeat any such instances of goodwill in the future. The same tongues which issued these threats will one day confess that Jesus is Lord when He returns with His Kingdom of Peace.
Until then, let us remember this: Christmas. It’s more than family, positive feelings, clichés and presents. It’s what all of humanity, all of creation groans for – the final end of the eternal war.
Love, Joy, Peace, Good will and Salvation – Celebrate and pass on these most magnificent of Divine Gifts.

“He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.”
Isaiah 2:4

Image©Kevin Tam

Illustration from The Illustrated London News of January 9, 1915: “British and German Soldiers Arm-in-Arm Exchanging Headgear: A Christmas Truce between Opposing Trenches”