Post 7: Thankful for the Many Names of God!

But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Judges 6:23-24

Yahweh Shalom, pronounced [yah-way-shah-lohm], known also as Jehovah Shalom, is another of God’s names given while building an altar. Much like Yahweh-Nissi, the Lord is My Banner, only appears once in the Bible as Moses built an altar thanking God for victory in battle, Yah-weh Shalom is only featured once and was given by Gideon as he built an altar thanking God for the peaceful meeting he had with an angel of the Lord¹. To read the full story of Gideon’s meeting, his sacrifice later that night, and the beginning of his journey with God, visit Judges 6.

Throughout the Bible the word shalom appears 237 times meaning “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace”². It is used when Joseph speaks peace over his brothers in Genesis 43:23 and when the Messiah is named as the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6². It appears again when the prophet Isaiah states,

What does this name mean for us?

Sweet friends, those who trust in the Lord have peace because the Lord is peace.

In our everlasting God we:

• are made complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)
• can be completely sanctified (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
• are completely equipped for good work (2 Timothy 3:17)
• have been given sound judgement (2 Timothy 1:7)
• have a sound doctrine by which to live (Titus 2:1)
• can have sound speech (Titus 2:8)
• can rest in God’s plan for our welfare (Jeremiah 29:11)
• can have a peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7)
• can sleep peacefully (Psalms 4:8)
• can be at peace with God (Romans 5:1)

And so much more!

Dear heart, those who trust in the Lord can have peace because the Lord Is Peace!

I know what you’re thinking: If it’s that simple…umm why isn’t it that simple?

Beloved, it’s not that simple because we complicate it. We allow Satan’s lies to tell us that we are not complete, that we need more money, more popularity, more shoes (well, that might just be me). We allow the unsoundness of man’s traditions, politics, and philosophies to muddy our perspective. We exhaust ourselves looking after our own welfare instead of the welfare of God’s Kingdom. We allow our fear and anxiety, our need to control things, to rob us of God’s peace.

What if, instead of complicating things with our ways, we simply surrendered fully to His way? What if, instead of seeking completeness or peace or our welfare, our way, we simply sought the Lord who is complete, who is sound, who guards our welfare, who literally is the Lord Is Peace?

Yahweh-Shalom, the Lord Is Peace, forgive your Sons and Daughters for straining and striving for that which You so freely give. Wipe the lies of the enemy from our hearts and minds so we may fully realize how complete we are in You and stop seeking fulfillment in the world. Tear down the strongholds of control we have built and replace them with a complete peace in Your perfect control. You are faithful to remind us that You are looking after our welfare. May we be found faithful in seeking Your Kingdom and bringing You glory! Amen.

References:

1. Blue Letter Bible. 2022. The names of God in the Old Testament. https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/name_god.cfm
2. Bible Hub. 2022. 7965.shalom. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7965.htm