The LORD is Peace

Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to [the LORD] under the oak.

The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realised that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

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 6:19-24 (NIV)

Shalom is a Hebrew word, so much richer in its range of meanings than the English word "peace", which usually refers to the absence of outward conflict or to a state of inner calm. The concept of shalom includes these ideas but goes beyond them, meaning "wholeness", "completeness", "finished word", "perfection", "safety" or "wellness".

Shalom comes from living in harmony with God. The fruit of that harmony is harmony with others, prosperity, health, satisfaction, soundness, wholeness, and well-being. When you pray to Yahweh Shalom, you are praying to the source of all peace. No wonder his Son is called the Prince of Peace...

Yahweh Shalom is a title rather than a name of God. Shalom is a common term for greeting or farewell in modern Israel. When you say shalom, you are not simply saying "Hello" or "Have a Good Day". In its deepest meaning, it expresses the hope that the person you are greeting may be well in every sense of the word - fulfilled, satisfied, prosperous, healthy and in harmony with themselves, others and God.

Shalom is a covenant word, an expression of God's faithful relationship with his people.

- Ann Spangler, The Names of God

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." - John 14:27 (NIV)

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 5:1 (NIV)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)