So much focus lately in the news and media is on peace in the Middle East. As we continue to look at the names of God, this week is about peace. But unlike what’s going on in the Middle East, God offers a peace that will last…for all eternity. His peace goes much deeper and will not be broken. He is the God of Peace, Yahweh Shalom.
Judges 6:22-24
Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD [Malak Yahweh]. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD [Adonai Yahweh]! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD [Malak Yahweh] face to face.” Then the LORD [Yahweh] said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD [Yahweh], and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace [Yahweh Shalom]. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gideon saw the Lord face to face. He saw The Angel of the Lord; many believe (as do I) that this is the incarnate Christ. God often came down to speak to His people. Jesus Christ is God the Son, who came into this world to dwell among us and to provide salvation through His death and resurrection. As He said when He was alive on this earth, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:38) “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Gideon recognized this and was afraid he would die, but the Lord gave him comfort and assurance that he would not die. Jesus did the same, with the same phrase when He first encountered all the disciples in the upper room after He rose from the dead (see John 20:19). So, Gideon built an altar to recognize this and to give glory to God and called the place, “Yahweh Shalom,”, “The Lord Is Peace.”
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
God is peace. Jesus Christ came to this earth to provide salvation to the world and through Him we can have real peace. If we allow Him to work in our lives we can have that peace. We can have abundant life. We can have salvation if we believe and trust in Him.
John 14:23-29
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.
The peace that Christ gives us is within. Society will tell us if we do this or do that we will have peace. Or someone will declare peace for a given people or country. Don’t buy into it. That is a false hope. Real peace comes through our savior.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-10
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
One day Christ will return. And when He does, there will be peace on earth. But before He does, there will be rough times. But even through the rough times we can have peace through Him who has given us the Holy Spirit. God will give us peace in ways we can’t even imagine.
Psalms 85:7-13
Show us Your mercy, LORD [Yahweh], and grant us Your salvation. I will hear what God the LORD [Yahweh] will speak, for He will speak peace [Shalom] to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace [Shalom] have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the LORD [Yahweh] will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.
What a beautiful Psalm that describes God’s character. He gives us mercy and truth. He provides salvation. He is righteous and He will give us peace as we follow His ways.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD [Yahweh] make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD [Yahweh] lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace [Shalom].” ‘
My Daily Scriptures 