Jehovah-Shalom

So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. – Judges 6v24

I think most of us can identify with Gideon. Here he was minding his own business tending his father’s ship way out in the middle of nowhere. He seems happy enough to do that. Israel was subject to the Midianites, but chances are that his life was not greatly affected so he could just carry on.

But God stepped in. He knew that Gideon was the man for the task of delivering Israel from the Midianites. God sent the ‘Angel of the Lord,’ very possibly a pre-incarnate Jesus, to tell him the task that lay ahead.

Gideon was stunned. Surely he could not be the man for such a task. He was the least of the men in the least of the families in the least of the tribes of Israel. He tried to beg off of the task. He demanded signs from God before he proceeded, but when it was all said and done he was the man for the job.

The angel told him ‘Be at peace. God is with you. You will not die.’

It seems that Gideon was finally convinced. Right after that he built an alter and called it ‘Jehovah-Shalom’ meaning ‘The Lord is my peace.’

The work still had to be done. The battle still had to be fought. It was not going to be easy, but he had a promise. He had something to cling to. The Lord would be his peace.

Where do we find our peace today? Certainly it is not to be found in circumstances. The peace is that God will be with us in the circumstances.

Jehovah-Shalom does not promise that life will always be peaceful. He will be our Peace no matter what comes our way.