Yahweh Shalom comes from Gideon’s response when he encountered the angel of the Lord.

 “When Gideon saw the angel of the Lord, he said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now, I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The LORD is Peace (Judges 6:22-23) or Yahweh Shalom.

Our humanistic response to an encounter with the Divine is fear and trembling. Yet, in this encounter the Lord revealed Himself as Shalom. Not only as one who gives peace or provides peace, but the One who is Peace. Christmas is a time to celebrate the Prince of Peace, Yahweh Shalom realized through Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6)

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6).  

“The peace that Christ brought is primarily spiritual peace from and with God, peace in the heart, peace as the disposition or spirit…This is represented as the ultimate result of the gospel and Spirit of Christ; universal and permanent peace can come only as that Spirit rules in men’s hearts.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). It is easy to allow the world to turn the peace in our hearts into worry, anxiety, and fear.  When we surrender our own hearts to the transformation process found in redemptive peace of Yahweh Shalom, we experience a peace beyond human understanding (Phil. 4:7). Then we can extend shalom to our colleagues. Remembering that “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.” (James 3:18).

Merry Christmas from NCFI