Shalom literally means peace. We use this when saying hello or goodbye. It is a nice way of wishing peace onto the other person. If someone wants to wish you a happy Sabbath they would say Shabbat Shalom meaning Sabbath peace or Sabbath blessing.
When Gideon, a judge over Israel, was visited by the Angel of the LORD he thought he was going to die because he realized he was being visited by God himself. The Lord said peace be with you; do not fear. So Gideon built an alter to the Lord and called it Jehovah-shalom, which means the Lord is peace or the Lord of peace.
King David commands us to depart from evil, and do good; seek shalom, peace, and pursue it. He also tells us to mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace, shalom. In psalm 119 we are told "great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them".
Are you experiencing this great inner peace that is promised? Isaiah the Hebrew prophet tells us that the key to experiencing this peace is found in the promise that God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Him: because he trusts in God. But Isaiah also warns us that there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
The prophet Ezekiel cautions us not to be seduced by those who say peace when there is no peace. Fortunately the Lord-shalom says I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future. Because God’s thoughts for us are thoughts of peace He promised us the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, saying, "unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
The only way that the Prince of Shalom could give us His peace would be if He first suffered for our sins. The Prophet Isaiah declares He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement for our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
The MESSIAH Y’shua died that we might have His peace. May the Lord bless you, and keep you: the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Shalom.
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