The Lord of Peace

Most people are familiar with the Hebrew word "shalom", which means peace. In Israel, "shalom" is such a highly valued word it is used both to say hello and goodbye. But biblically speaking, "shalom" refers to much more than a pleasant greeting or even the absence of conflict. It means complete wholeness, restoration, and fullness—spirit, soul, mind, and body. When Father God revealed Himself as Yahweh Shalom, this is what He was promising His people—to bring us into a state where we are whole and complete in Him.

We see how completely God is committed to blessing us with His shalom in the Aaronic Blessing: “The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace [shalom]” (Numbers 6:24–26).

We never have to doubt whether Father God wants us to walk in His peace. Not only does He make this known through the Aaronic Blessing; it is evident in His very name, Yahweh Shalom, “the Lord our Peace.”

The Lord declared Himself Yahweh Shalom in only one place in Scripture: Judges 6. At this point in their history the Israelites were in a vicious cycle of trusting Yahweh, then turning their hearts to false gods, then returning to the Lord, only to abandon Him again. Because of their rebellion, the Lord allowed them to be severely oppressed by the Midianites for seven years.

Whenever the people of Israel sowed grain, the Midianites would swoop in and destroy their produce, leaving them neither wheat nor livestock. The Scriptures say these adversaries “would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it” (Judges 6:5)

Then one day the angel of the Lord appeared to a man named Gideon as he was beating wheat in a wine press. Take that in for a moment. In an attempt to hide his grain, Gideon was threshing wheat in a place designed for wine-making. That’s how desperate he was.

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 [Yahweh Shalom]. —Judges 6:23–24

Beloved, God is still silencing doubt and confusion and raising up men and women to do mighty exploits for His kingdom. If you trust Him, Yahweh Shalom will fill your heart with courage, just as He did for Gideon. It often takes time and experience, but as we persevere with Yahweh Shalom, we will absolutely grow in stability and freedom through His supernatural peace.