Day 12

Jehovah Shalom - The Lord Is Peace

If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.
— Corrie Ten Boom

Audio readingJehovah Shalom - The Lord Is PeaceAudio in preparation

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Shalom is a covenant word, an expression of God’s faithful relationship with his people.

Ann Spangler

Today, in our series on the names of God, we turn to yet another popular identity of God that has become a warm salutation in Christian circles: Jehovah Shalom, the Lord is Peace. As Ann Spangler aptly comments, "This Hebrew word is so much richer in its range of meanings than the English word “peace,” which usually refers to the absence of outward conflict or to a state of inner calm. The concept of shalom includes these ideas but goes beyond them, meaning “wholeness,” “completeness,” “finished word,” “perfection,” “safety,” or “wellness.

The first mention of this term was in Judges 6 in Gideon's encounter with the Angel of the Lord. In a season when the Israelites were under the severe oppression of the Midianites, the Lord appeared to Gideon and commissioned him to save his people from the hand of their oppressors. Considering his personal insignificance in Israel and even his own small tribe, Gideon challenged this assignment and asked the Lord for a sign that it was Him. So, the Angel of the Lord asked him to lay an offering of goat meat and unleavened bread on a rock and pour out the broth. Then at the touch of the Angel's staff, the offering caught fire and was consumed, and the Angel of the Lord disappeared.

22 Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace [YHWH Shalom]. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Judges 6:22-24, NKJV

Contrary to his belief that an encounter with God would kill him, Gideon found that encountering God and being in His presence results in peace. This establishes a principle that the Peace of God issues from the Presence of God with His people. Without Him, we can know no peace. Is it surprising then that on the birth of Emmanuel (God with Us), the angels heralded that there shall be peace and goodwill towards humanity? God's presence with mankind is the sure token of His peace. No wonder "

the Angel of the Lord appeared to him [Gideon], and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”... And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:12 & 16).

Peace is the most precious commodity on earth. Without it nothing meaningful can be achieved. It's also the one thing under attack daily as we face life's challenges and fears throng our minds. We see from news about suicides that neither money nor fame guarantee peace. Korean-pop star, Jonghyun in sensation SHINee ended his life with the note; “I am broken from inside... The depression that had been slowly eating me up finally devoured me and I couldn’t defeat it.” And he's not alone in this experience.

Many are beset with battles on every side to the point that it has been accepted as norm. But over the past few years, I have come to understand that a life of constant warfare is not God's best for us. As He revealed in the kingdom of Israel, His ultimate goal is for His people to transition from war into peace so that they can truly prosper. David, the warrior king of Israel, spent his life on warfronts taking and securing territories from their enemies. But his heart's greatest desire to build a temple for the Lord could not be an attained in this era of warfare. It would take the next generation that knew peace and rest to build the Temple of the Lord and expand the kingdom.

2 Then Solomon sent this message back to Hiram: 3 “You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. 5 So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father, David.

1 Kings 5:2-5a, NLT

Solomon spent the first half of his 40-year reign building the Temple and the palace. With uncommon wisdom, he used the remaining period to establish strong systems that paved way for uncommon growth and prosperity in Israel. These included religious systems, governmental systems, security systems, storage systems, transportation systems, strategic alliances and trade systems as well as an organized workforce and administrative system. The evidence and fruit of shalom abounded in Israel. The people of Israel flourished in their own land and this brought honour to the Lord.

In our time too, God is calling us to arise and build our lives, our homes and our families with wisdom for His glory. To do that we must experience His peace and rest. How can we find and keep our peace in a world full of troubles and cares? Peace is a state of the heart and mind. It takes one who embodies peace to know peace. We find this in relationship with the Prince of Peace. It is in fellowship with Christ that we trade the heavy burdens for the peace and rest of God (Matthew 11:28-29).

As Nicky Gumbel remarked, "Shalom is not just the absence of war or hostility but the presence of God and His reign". Our Lord Jesus Himself mentioned that on this side of eternity there will be trials and sorrows, but he assures that He has overcome the world and that we can find peace in Him (John 16:33). In spite of our challenges, if we will cast our burdens unto Him through prayer in a spirit of thankfulness and set our minds on Him, we will find peace to prosper. He will keep us in perfect peace and guard (protect, garrison, preserve, fortify) our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

Isaiah 26:3, AMPC

Jesus demonstrated to His disciples that it is possible to find peace and rest in the midst of the life's storms. When a fierce storm struck the lake on which they were travelling and tossed their boat, the Lord could still sleep. Unlike the disciples who were in a frenzy, He did not react in fear. He responded in faith and rebuked the wind and waves (see Matthew 8:23-26). This is the One who invites us to come learn of Him so we can find rest and peace for our souls.

Apostle Paul often opened his letters with the statement: "Grace and peace be multiplied to you". Meaning, there are things we do to multiply the peace of God in our lives and the converse is also true. In our homes, workplaces and close communities, we desire to enjoy peace but environments don’t automatically afford peace. Situations that can disturb or steal our peace and joy may arise: dealings with difficult family members, colleagues or bosses, bad news, even little things. How do we respond to such situations and still keep our peace? We must create this condition of peace and strive to keep it. Why lose your peace over something you cannot control? Why risk a key ingredient for success over something that saps your energy? Be intentional to protect your peace.

Prioritize your harmony with God at all times. Do not allow unforgiveness, bitterness and regrets to displace His peace from your life. When disputes and fall-outs happen in relationships, ask God to empower you to walk in His love. Set your mind on what is right and choose to brood on His truth instead of the lies and projections of fear that will seek to play repeatedly in your mind. Why? As Spangler writes, "Shalom comes from living in harmony with God. The fruit of that harmony is harmony with others, prosperity, health, satisfaction, soundness, wholeness, and well-being.

14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:14-16

Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It results from the inward work of the Spirit and this is one reason the Father and the Son sent Him to us. But we must allow Him to bear this fruit in us: we must let God's peace rule in our hearts.

What are you filling your heart and mind with? What do you need to cut out of your life in order to experience peace? Too many social media reviews that plunge you into comparison and depression? Incessant bad news about impending economic hardships?

Jesus paid a great price to secure your peace: "the chastisement of our peace was laid on him". He left you a gift of peace that this world cannot offer. Have you received it? Are you guarding it? I pray that you will truly know the presence of God in all situations and enjoy His peace at all times.

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.

John 14:27

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 3:16