The Lord-Shalom
By Aaron Beard

God performed great wonders in the lives of many people throughout the Bible.  These events left man awestricken.  There are several occasions when this occurred that man would consecrate a place or altar and name it after the Lord and what He had done.

God had worked many great wonders for the children of Israel.  After describing some of the ways He had protected them, God said, "But you have not obeyed My voice" (Judges 6:10).  They had left God and turned to the gods of the lands around them.  Due to their spiritual adultery, God sent them into Midianite captivity wherein they were greatly impoverished.  Nothing they did prospered.

God came to Gideon and told him that he was chosen to deliver the people from bondage.  Gideon began to make excuses, appealing to his weaknesses.  But God said that he was the man.  Gideon still asked for a sign.  God, through an Angel, told him to put a sacrifice on a rock.  When he had done this, the Angel extended his staff and fire came from the rock and consumed the sacrifice.  Gideon was awestruck when he realized whose presence he was in.  God told him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die" (Judges 6:23).

Following these events, Gideon built an altar and named it, "The Lord-Shalom," or, "The Lord is Peace" (Judges 6:24).  He understood that the people of Israel would finally be delivered from the Midianite bondage.  Obeying the Lord, Gideon gathered together his army and fought the Mideonites.  God delivered the Israelites from that nation using Gideon and only three hundred men; there was finally peace throughout their land.  Gideon and the rest of the Israelites knew assuredly that, "The Lord-Shalom."

While we do not worry about Midianite bondage, we may still suffer the same type of thing.  If one is in bondage to sin, he is under the same conditions the Israelites were before Gideon delivered them.  While he may gain a little success on this earth, spiritually speaking, nothing he does will prosper.  He who carries with him the pain and guilt of sin.  He may seek to find peace by downsizing his sin, self-justification, comparative righteousness, or finding some human who will pronounce him "righteous" without dealing with his sin.  This is not true peace.  Jeremiah writes of such things and says, "They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace..." (Jeremiah 6:14).

The Lord is still "The Lord Shalom" today.  He stands waiting to provide us with peace.  We do not find true peace until we deal with our bondage by coming to the blood of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 3:21 says, "There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ".  God has already overthrown our oppressor, the devil, but we must come to Him in obedience in order to receive peace.  If we will, "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:7).  Praise be to "the Lord-Shalom!"  -- by Aaron Beard.