The Lord is Peace – Jehovah Shalom

Have you ever heard the story of Gideon? He is an unsuspecting character in the Bible who teaches us that God is peace. His story is told in Judges Chapter 6 (and we encourage you to open your Bibles and read the whole chapter…it’s not very long).

For today, we want to give you the backdrop to Gideon’s story, starting in verse one:

“The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord handed them over to Midian seven years, and they oppressed Israel. Because of Midian, the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the east came and attacked them. They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were without number, and they entered the land to lay waste to it. So Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord” (Judges 6:1–6).

Once Gideon accepted the words of God and believed God—once he focused his mind on God—everything internally changed. Gideon suddenly had peace.

Oppression, destruction, fear, and poverty are what Gideon’s life was full of for years. He even had to hide in a winepress as he threshed wheat so the Amalakites didn’t find him and steal his produce. He had to hide just so he could feed his family. But then, in verses 12 and 13, “the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘The Lord is with you, valiant warrior.’” And Gideon did what many of us would do: he questioned, ”my lord, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t the Lord brought us out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.”

Then the Lord said He was sending Gideon to deliver Israel, but Gideon did another typically human thing. He claimed he wasn’t good enough; he explained that he came from an unimportant and weak family and he was the youngest of them.

But despite all that, the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you” (v. 16).

And “the Lord said to him, “Peace to you. Don’t be afraid….” (v. 23).

So Gideon listened to God and believed Him. Then he worshiped God. He built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace (v. 24).

What had changed from 10 verses ago? Nothing. At least not externally—Gideon’s circumstances were the same, and the Midianites were still a problem. His people were still hiding and impoverished.

But once Gideon accepted the words of God and believed God—once he focused his mind on God—everything internally changed. Gideon suddenly had peace that didn’t make sense given his circumstances. He was now at a point where God could work in him and through him, which God did. The Israelites, led by Gideon (trusting in God), defeated their enemies.

Today, you may not be surrounded by Midiantites, but we all have difficult circumstances we face. And when we focus our mind on God, believe Him, and obey Him, we can experience Jehovah Shalom—the Lord is Peace—and draw closer to Him.

These are two valuable verses for those who need reminding today of God’s peace:

“You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

“Rejoice in the Lord always… Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4–7).

If you have any questions about how to grow in a relationship with God, feel free to reach out to us on our website at experiencecc.com. See you next week.