The God of Reconciliation and Completeness
What exactly is peace and why do we seem to have so many different ideas about what it means? With so many different definitions of peace, is it any wonder that we struggle to find peace both in our personal lives and in our world at large?
In order for us to experience peace, we must first understand who God is and what His word says about peace.
The Hebrew word for peace—shalom—is repeated 237 times throughout the Old Testament, including in the book of Judges, where it is used as a title, or name, for God. (Strong’s)
“But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” So, Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace.” (Judges 6:23-24)
In this passage, we see the Lord speak peace, or shalom, over Gideon to calm Gideon’s fear. We also see Gideon respond to the Lord by building an altar to Him and giving Him the name Jehovah Shalom, or The Lord is Peace.
According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, shalom means “completeness, soundness, welfare, or peace.” I love that word “completeness.” It means that with shalom, nothing is lacking—it is whole, content, perfect. When Gideon named the Lord “Jehovah Shalom,” he was calling God the Lord of Completeness, Wholeness, Contentment, and Perfection.
Jehovah Shalom, the One who said: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).
Keep Your Love on Friends!
Love Always, Lindsay Rose 🌹
Day 6: Jehovah Shalom | Our Peace part 1