22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) (RSV)
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
Peace [N] [T]
The Meaning of Peace. In English, the word "peace" conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root slm, which means "to be complete" or "to be sound." The verb conveys both a dynamic and a static meaning "to be complete or whole" or "to live well."
The noun had many nuances, but can be grouped into four categories:
(1) salom [l'v] as wholeness of life or body (i.e., health);
(2) salom [l'v] as right relationship or harmony between two parties or people, often established by a covenant (see "covenant of peace" in Num 25:12-13 ; Isa 54:10 ; Ezek 34:25-26 ) and, when related to Yahweh, the covenant was renewed or maintained with a "peace offering";
(3) salom [l'v] as prosperity, success, or fulfillment (see Lev 26:3-9 ); and
(4) salom [l'v] as victory over one's enemies or absence of war.
12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’” (Numbers 25:12-13) (NKJV)
9 9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 10 For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:9-10) (NKJV)
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 10 For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:9-10) (NKJV)
25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.26 I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. (Ezekiel 34:25-26) (NKJV)
Salom [l'v] was used in both greetings and farewells. It was meant to act as a blessing on the one to whom it was spoken: "May your life be filled with health, prosperity, and victory." As an adjective, it expressed completeness and safety.
In the New Testament, the Greek word eirene [eijrhvnh] is the word most often translated by the word "peace." Although there is some overlap in their meanings, the Hebrew word salom [l'v] is broader in its usage, and, in fact, has greatly influenced the New Testament's use of eirene [eijrhvnh].
God as the Source of Peace. God alone is the source of peace, for he is "Yahweh Shalom" (see Judges 6:24 ). The Lord came to sinful humankind, historically first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, desiring to enter into a relationship with them. He established with them a covenant of peace, which was sealed with his presence (see Num 6:24-26 ). Participants were given perfect peace (salom salom [l'vl'v]) so long as they maintained a right relationship with the Lord (see Isa 26:3; 2 Thess 3:16).
23 Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.”24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace.[c] To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:24-25) (NKJV)
3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3) (NKJV)
23 Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.”24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace.[c] To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:24-25) (NKJV)
22 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’ (Number 6:22-26) (NKJV)
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’ (Number 6:22-26) (NKJV)
3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3) (NKJV)
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16-18) (RSV)
6 6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7) (NKJV)
4 4 And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;5
5 And this One shall be peace. (Micah 5:4-5) (NKJV)
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2) (NKJV)
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is,the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:14-18) (NKJV)
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:19-20) (NKJV)
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you[d] what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21) (NKJV)
36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— (Acts 10:36) (NKJV)
The Relationship of Righteousness to Peace.. The Lord established a covenant, which resulted in the participants receiving his salom [l'v] in abundance, "like a river" (see Isa 48:18). However, peace could be disturbed if one did not live before the Lord and others in righteousness; in fact, peace is one of the fruits of righteousness (Isa 32:17-18). The psalmist poetically describes the relationship between the two as righteousness and peace kissing each other (Psalm 85:10). The God of peace and the peace of God sanctify the child of God (see 1 Thess 5:23).17 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
Who teaches you to profit,
Who leads you by the way you should go.
18 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:17-18) (NKJV)
The Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
Who teaches you to profit,
Who leads you by the way you should go.
18 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:17-18) (NKJV)
17 17 The work of righteousness will be peace,
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, (Isaiah 32:17-18) (NKJV)
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, (Isaiah 32:17-18) (NKJV)
17 17 The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
18 18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest. (Isaiah 32:17-18) (NIV)
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
18 18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest. (Isaiah 32:17-18) (NIV)
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever.
18 18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. (Isaiah 32:17-18) (RSV)
10 Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed. (Psalms 82:10) (NKJV)
Righteousness and peace have kissed. (Psalms 82:10) (NKJV)
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other. (Psalms 85:10) (NIV)
righteousness and peace kiss each other. (Psalms 85:10) (NIV)
Righteousness and peace is like a pair, like twin brothers. When a person is righteous, he will have peace. The righteous person will have peace in his life.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5;23) (NKJV)
On the other hand, Scripture specifically states that there can be no peace for the wicked (Isa 48:22; 57:21). Paul described the difference as follows: "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile" (Rom 2:9-10).
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22) (NKJV)
21 “There is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21) (NKJV)
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:9-10) (NKJV)
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22) (NKJV)
21 “There is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21) (NKJV)
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:9-10) (NKJV)
One of the key issues among the prophets was the doctrine of "peace." The false prophets proclaimed "peace, peace" and in that announcement hoped to create peace for their constituency. The true prophets argued that peace could never be achieved apart from righteousness and justice. In this light, one can better understand what Jesus meant when he declared, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt 10:34). And Paul wrote, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (Rom 16:20). Judgment on sin, historically and eschatologically, must come prior to peace.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. (Matthew 10:34) (NKJV)
Peace in the Age to Come. In the age to come the animal kingdom will be restored to its paradisiacal tranquility. The image in Isaiah 11:6-11 is among the most picturesque in Scripture. Animals are paired off in a strange and wonderful way: the wolf and the lamb, the leopard with the kid, the calf with the lion, the cow with the bear, the lion with the ox. They shall be led by a little child. The emphasis is on the harmony, the salom [l'v] between the animals and the animal kingdom with man. Children shall, in that day, be able to play with snakes and they will not be hurt.
6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.
10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”
11 It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-11) (NKJV)
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-11) (NKJV)
In addition, the curse of the ground will be removed and the land will again be characterized bysalom [l'v], which includes both harmony and productivity (see Amos 9:13-15). The desert will become a fertile field (Isa 32:15), while the cultivated lands will drip with "new wine" and the "ravines of Judah will run with water" (Joel 3:18).
13 13 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
14 14 I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
15 15 I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God. (Amos 9:13-15) (NKJV)
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
14 14 I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
15 15 I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God. (Amos 9:13-15) (NKJV)
18
From the passage above, peace is also the deliverance from captivity, deliverance from enemies, and restoration of God's presence and blessings.
15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. (Isaiah 32:15) (NKJV)
And it will come to pass in that day
That the mountains shall drip with new wine,
The hills shall flow with milk,
And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water;
A fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord
And water the Valley of Acacias. (Joel 3:18) (NKJV)
That the mountains shall drip with new wine,
The hills shall flow with milk,
And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water;
A fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord
And water the Valley of Acacias. (Joel 3:18) (NKJV)
The nations of the world will come under the dominion of the "Prince of Peace" and in so doing, "will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks" (Isa 2:4; Micah 4:3). Isaiah poetically characterizes it as a time when "You shall go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands" (Isa 55:12).
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4) (NKJV)
And rebuke strong nations afar off;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.[a] (Micah 4:3) (NKJV)
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12) (NKJV)
Joy and Peace go together. Second and third part of the Fruit of The Spirit are Joy and Peace respectively. When there is joy, there is also peace.
One cannot overlook the fact that this harmony will never happen until man has a right relationship (salom [l'v]) with Yahweh; it will be the result of the righteous rule of the "shoot from the stump of Jesse" who has upon him the Spirit of Yahweh; he is the "Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6; see Jer 33:8-9).
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) (NKJV)
8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’ (Jeremiah 33:8-9) (NKJV)
Thursday, Jan 30, 2014.
Michael Yeap.
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