Jehovah-Shalom

“Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them. The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, ‘Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.’ The LORD said to him, ‘Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.’ Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Judges 6:19-24

Shalom - Peace, is and has been a much discussed commodity since the beginning of time. People devote their lives to peace movements. Yet among the most frustrated are those who have been so engaged. Many lack personal inner peace. The pursuit of personal peace has led many to seek political solutions. Others have sought to fill the lack-of-peace voice with better house, better cars, better everything. Having tried this, some have turned back to a simpler lifestyle and to solitude. Where is peace to be found?

Gideon, a servant of the Lord, faced most difficult times. Israel was repeatedly raided by the Midianites and other bedouin tribes. The land was laid waste with all livestock and food supplies confiscated. Then the Angel of the Lord visited Gideon and promised him peace for his nation and peace for himself. The Angel of the Lord who appeared throughout the Old Testament is regarded to be the preincarnate Messiah. This was the Prince of Peace, Himself, offering Gideon peace. “Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace (Jehovah-shalom)...(Judges 6:24).

Jehovah-shalom - The Lord is our peace. Jehovah-shalom is your God, your Savior. Claim the peace that is already yours in Christ, moment by moment. Praise Him.