Hi Everyone,

Hope all is going well. Today I’ll jump right to it….

Consider another name of God; JEHOVAH SHALOM. This name means, ‘The Lord Our Peace’ and was apparently coined by Gideon, one of the judges of Ancient Israel…

Recall Israel finally entered into the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Once there, they had to “convince” (in rather certain and deadly terms) the locals to get out of Dodge.  And they had pretty good success. But they never finished the work of cleaning out the locals. After some time they got comfortable. And then the locals would regroup and fight them. Then Israel would gather together and fight them back and win. Such was the cycle.

This goes on and on (even currently, huh?) and eventually God calls on Gideon to fight the Midianites, a combative group of nasties. Gideon regarded himself as of no account. But God would use him anyway! Gideon needed some reassurance about all this, so he asked for a sign. The Angel of the Lord (who was really pre-incarnate Jesus) met with Gideon and gave him a sign. Gideon got his confirmation straight from God Himself!

Gideon, knowing his history, knew no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20). Why? God is holy and man is not. Gideon must have been freaking out. And here’s what happened…

Judges 6:23-24

Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

‘The Lord Is Peace’ So, what about this word ‘Peace’?

Well, in Genesis 15:16, the word ‘complete’ is translated ‘Shalom’

Also in Deuteronomy 27:6, the word ‘whole’ is translated ‘Shalom’

So, if God calmed Gideon down by saying ‘Peace’ in the sense of being complete or being whole… then what is it about being complete and whole in relation to God that brings Peace to a troubled soul?

It is being made whole and complete (perfected) by having a right relationship with God. And this is true… a redeemed sinner’s conscience is cleansed of all ungodliness which fragments and scatters. All the missing and corrupt parts are restored and renewed. This results in a sense of well being (read:joy) towards God and one’s fellow man. All relationships are made right and an incredible sense of completeness (Peace) results.   I remember attending a wedding once where the groom said to the bride, “You complete me.” That came across to me as rather self-centeted, but when God completes us, it literally changes everything… right on through to eternity! Wow!

Knowing God cared for him and would help him fight the Midianites surely gave Gideon great cause for joy… and that joy (and thanksgiving) was expressed in a sacrifice (likely of everything, symbolically) on an aptly named altar.

God is a God of Peace. He longs to have a personal relationship with you. How silly for us to think He doesn’t because we are of no account or guilty of crimes worthy of death.

1. Have you known ‘Peace’ in the sense of wholeness and completeness?
2. If not, why? If yes, can you share?
3. So far… what name of God has meant most to you?

Peace,
Jim