Kingdom Pictures: 5 Ways to See the Kingdom of GodSample

The Kingdom of God Is Like a Life of Shalom

The Hebrew word for peace is Shalom. We understand peace to be the absence of conflict for many of us, but the Hebraic understanding of shalom is far more than just the absence of conflict. Shalom is the presence of the goodness of God. It’s the presence of wholeness and completeness in our lives and this world.

Steve Chalk, in his book‚ “The Lost Message of Jesus,” writes the following about the biblical concept of Shalom:

“Shalom, a word that appears over 250 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, is a vision of what life is like when lived in line with God’s agenda. Shalom is about comprehensive well-being and flourishing at every level of life — socially, economically, spiritually and politically. It incorporates contentment, health, justice, liberation, fulfillment, freedom and hope.”

Salvation in the Old Testament is linked to Shalom. It is not just about the idea that God wants to save us. Yes, he wants to save us, but to what? To a life of Shalom. Shalom includes a multidimensional understanding of peace. Salvation is living in harmony (having peace/shalom) with God. We can have forgiveness and a relationship with God. It is deeply personal. It is not just peace with God; it also includes peace with oneself. You can accept yourself the way you are because God has accepted you. Then there is peace with your neighbor. If there is conflict and brokenness with your neighbor, peace is broken, and a piece of salvation is missing. Jesus even links the relationship with your brother to the relationship with your heavenly father and says if you don’t forgive your brother, your heavenly Father will not forgive you as well. God wants salvation not just vertically but also horizontally. Peace also includes peace with creation and with the earth.

God wants to save us to a holistic and multidimensional life of shalom. Shalom is the harmony the Creator desires for all Creation. Peace with God, your neighbor, yourself, and creation! It does not get more holistic than this.

Where do you need more shalom in your life?