As we have seen through this series, God reveals Himself to us through His names. God is not only our Creator, but He is also our Victory, Shepherd, Righteousness, Healer, Holiness, and Provider. Today’s name is Jehovah-Shalom, which means, “God Our Peace.”
Hostility
We live in a world of conflict. We see it globally and locally. There is tension, discord, disagreement, and disputing between governments and within governments. There is tension in families, at work, in schools, in communities, and in churches. God hates it! (See Prov. 6:16-19) God’s people are to be different. We are to be holy and set apart. Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
The first place Jehovah-Shalom is found is in Judges 6. The key to understanding Judges is the last verse of the book. Judges 21:25 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” There will never be peace in your marriage, home, workplace, church, or in the world if everyone does what is right in their own eyes.
Judges 6:1 says, “The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD handed them over to Midian seven years.” Sin separates us from God and builds a wall between us and others. If you are longing for peace, recognize that sin is the problem and Jesus is the answer! A person at war with themselves will be at war with everyone around them.
Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the presence of God in the middle of the chaos.
Humility
“So Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord” (Jud. 6:6). The ASV says Israel was “brought low” because of Midian. The Lord reminds them that it was Him who rescued them and set them free, but they did not obey Him (v. 9, 10).
Ron Dunn said, “You only learn to trust God by trusting God. You only trust God when you have to, and God will see to it that you have to.” The Israelites hit rock bottom. God humbled them. Either you can humble yourself before God or God will humble you. James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Gideon is in hiding just trying to survive (v. 11). Yet the angel of the Lord calls him a valiant warrior (v. 12). When you humble yourself before God, you are who God says you are—not what others say or even how you see yourself. Your situation does not define you. God has the final word!
Harmony
Gideon questioned the angel and felt unequipped (v. 13-14), but God assured him, “I will be with you… You will strike Midian down as if it were one man” (v. 16). Israel had lost its sense of purpose and unity. God said He would bring them together like one man to defeat the enemy.
In verse 22, Gideon realizes he has seen the angel of the Lord face to face and cries out. But God responds, “‘Peace to you. Don’t be afraid, for you will not die.’ So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The LORD Is Peace” (v. 23-24). This is Jehovah-Shalom.
When visiting the Holy Land, you’ll often hear “Shalom” used as a greeting and a blessing. It means peace, harmony, wholeness, and completeness—not just the absence of war. Because of Jehovah-Shalom, you can have peace on the inside even when the outside is in chaos.
Peace is not found in a place. It is found in a person. His name is Jesus.
People cannot bring you peace. Money cannot bring you peace. Government cannot bring you peace. Only God can bring you peace.
When our kids were younger, all of them were in band. Before the concert, each person would warm up with their instrument—it was nothing but noise. But when the conductor stepped up and everyone played the same song, the result was beautiful harmony. God is the conductor we need to follow so that our lives can move from noise to peace.
Plan a Visit and discover how you can find peace in Jesus today.