God “is” “Peace”. “Is” meaning ; “existing in this moment of time“, and “the substance, characteristics, and/or character of a thing”. God “is” a “right now”, “in this moment” God; alive, active and available to us. His “substance”, “characteristics”, and “character” is “Peace”.But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,…..” Hebrews 11:6
Judges 6:24 (NASB)
“Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace….”
The LORD (Jehovah) is Peace (Shalom).
One of the meanings of “shalom” (peace) is “tranquility”, HOWEVER, the fullness of “shalom” (peace) is so much more than merely the “absence of trouble”.
Shalom: “peace; completeness; welfare; health.” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words)
“Shālôm. Peace, prosperity, well, health, completeness, safety… shālôm, and its related words shālēm, shelem and their derivatives, are among the most important theological words in the OT….shālôm means “absence of strife” in approximately fifty to sixty usages;….”Peace,” in this case, means much more than mere absence of war. Rather, the root meaning of the verb shālēm better expresses the true concept of shālôm. Completeness, wholeness, harmony, fulfillment, are closer to the meaning. Implicit in shālôm is the idea of unimpaired relationships with others and fulfillment in one’s undertakings….shālôm is the result of God’s activity in covenant, and is the result of righteousness. In nearly two-thirds of its occurrences, shālôm describes the state of fulfillment which is the result of God’s presence. (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament).
“Peace,” in this case, means much more than mere absence of war…. Completeness, wholeness, harmony, fulfillment, are closer to the meaning.”
“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].” Isaiah 26:3-4 (Amplified Bible)
In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is called the “Prince of Peace”. During Jesus’ talk with His disciples at the Last Supper, the night before His crucifixion, He said:
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 (NKJV)
The Greek word translated “peace” is “eirēnē” (i-ray’-nay), and its definition is very closely associated with “Shālôm” in that it too goes far beyond simple “absence of trouble” and relates to “wholeness” in every area of our lives.
“4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8-9 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9 (NKJV)
Our concept of His “isness”; the manner in which we define His nature, substance, characteristics, and character, and the way we “receive” His “isness” into our life and depend on (have faith in) it, will be the role that we “anticipate/expect” or “will allow” God to play in our lives.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,…..” God “is” “Peace”.
“Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” Romans 15:33 (NASB)
*** Fred Wilson *** is an author, former coach, teacher and Life and Liberty News Contributor.
