Lesson 8What is Christ Like? |
The next name of God that we will study is Jehovah-Shalom (Je-ho′ - vah Shal-lom′) which means Jehovah is peace or Jehovah sends peace. You would think by this name that God is revealing Himself in a time of great joy. However, this is not true for this name Jehovah Shalom.
The name occurs after Israel entered into the promise land and after the death of Joshua. Israel appears to think they have reached their destiny and then begins to focus on material things (land, food, life). With this change in thinking and in focus, there arose a generation that did not know God as Adonai, nor Jehovah-Jireh, nor Jehovah-Nissi nor Jehovah-M’Kaddesh. They did not know their history. In this state of ignorance, not knowing God as they should, they started worshiping other gods and making these false gods their gods.
This ignorance of God becomes a two-fold problem. They did not remember their past as they were commanded or they thought it was something that the old people told them in order to scare them into acting right. The second part of the problem is that the elders were not teaching the young people, or they were teaching them without conviction. In this time period they saw themselves as it is stated in Judges 21:25.
Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.What is the difference in their behavior then and the behavior of some Christians today?
How is Jehovah–Shalom being used in Judges 6:22-24?
Judges 6:22-24
22. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.23. And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24. Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gideon has seen the “angel of the Lord,” who is the Old Testament manifestation of the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. Gideon knows that he is in the Divine presence of the LORD. The LORD gives Gideon a special assurance of peace to address the fear that he experienced. It is important for you to know and understand this name, because this is the peace that Jesus brings and assures us of in John 14:27. What does the word peace mean to you? How do you get this peace?
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.Peace or “shalom” in Hebrew never means the absence of war or the absence of trouble and turmoil. Peace from God never means avoidance of trouble or refusing to face challenges. It means everything that God gives to us for our highest good and for our salvation. Our Father has given to us His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus has given us victory over sin, forgiveness of our sins, and salvation for our completion, our highest good. No challenges or difficulties, no suffering, no dangers can ever diminish the peace that Jesus gives to us. We are reconciled to God in a harmonious and peaceful relationship through the blood of Jesus Christ.
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