The Lord is Peace

Jehovah Shalom

It is hard to watch the news these days. It is hard to listen to it since I don’t own a television.
There is always something happening in the world. People dying or being killed, car accidents, kidnappings, pandemics, wars, bombing, and the list goes on.

There is never any peace.

Turmoil, suffering, and pain. That is what we see in the world today.

When you look at the book of Judges, the Israelites experienced turmoil and pain. But as a result of their own making.

“And the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.
After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord.” Judges 2:7,10-12 NLT

This rebellion against God happened generation after generation. God would punish them for their rebellion, and Israel would cry out to the Lord for mercy. God took pity on them and sent a judge to rescue them.

This cycle happened continuously. There was chaos and turmoil in the land of Israel because they were living wickedly.

This is the time in which Gideon lived.

It was a difficult time. Israel felt like they had been abandoned by God even though they had moved away from God in their wicked chaotic living.

In the midst of turmoil, there can be peace.

Gideon experienced this after his encounter with the angel of the Lord. (see Judged 6:1-23)

“And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means “the Lord is peace”).” Judges 6:24a NLT

We can also experience peace. Peace that can only come from God.

“The fundamental idea expressed by shalom is wholeness in one’s relationship with God. It defines a harmony of relationship based on the completion of a transaction, the giving of satisfaction” (Hemphill, 2014).

God initiates the peace that we can have through the coming of the Prince of Peace to save us from our sins. And before Jesus left the earth, He promised peace to his followers (see John 14:27).

We can find peace in our relationship with God, the giver of peace. God can be trusted, and because of what we know, He can and will take care of us no matter what is happening in the world around us.


Reference: Hemphill, K (2014) The Names of God Revealing the Character of God