Do you have unrest in your life? Worries? Doubts? Undue concerns? Have you longed for and desired ‘Rest’ and ‘Peace’, the ability to live above daily turmoil? Look around. Do you only find frustrations, broken homes, dysfunctional families and estranged friendships? Possibly you have been trying to accomplish this ‘peace’ on your own.
In the 1960’s, there was a great rebellion among youth in America. They longed to establish a ‘Peace’ of their own. The results of this ‘rebellion’ are being felt by a nation that has gone astray from the moral foundation of its founders. This ‘peace’ is not the peace we long for.
Do you desire true peace? My prayer is for you to experience, and live the peace that comes only from the Great Creator God.
You may be surprised what Scripture has to say about peace. I encourage to read slowly - carefully - prayerfully what has been printed out for you and to follow up by reading the whole context in your own Bible. Consider how the Almighty desires to grant you the peace you need.
(For those interested there are additional scriptures at the end of this article and an abbreviated word study on the Scriptural usages of peace. Scriptures taken from the AV and the KJV)
Will you hear what the LORD (YHVH) speaks about Peace?
Psalms 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
Where does true Peace come from?
Psalms 29:11 …the LORD will bless his people with peace.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come…
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
Titus 1:4 …Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.(Paul’s prayer to those in his letters; also found in Philemon -- Thessalonians -- Timothy -- Philippians -- Ephesians – Corinthians)
What about the wicked – the deceivers – the world?
Isaiah 48:22 There is no peace, says the LORD, unto the wicked.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Jeremiah 16:5 …for I have taken away my peace from this people, says the LORD, even loving-kindness and mercies.
Luke 12:51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.
Are we commanded to pursue (practice) Peace?
1 Corinthians 7:15 …but God hath called us to peace.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men…
Ephesians 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Are we ruled by the spirit of Peace?
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:6 … but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
What is the result of YHVH ruling our lives?
Leviticus 26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.
Psalms 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…
Did you know the Good News is about Peace?
Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Ephesians 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Romans 10:15 …How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Nahum 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings good tidings (good news), that publishes peace!...
He (Yeshua) is our Peace!
Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, … to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Isaiah 9:6 For 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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end...
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
A covenant of Peace?
Malachi 2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace...
Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, says the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
Numbers 25:11 Phinehas, …Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
Do we pray for His Peace upon others?
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
Numbers 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. (The blessing to be given God’s people by the priest.)
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body...
The Messianic Age!
Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Look to YHVH with expectations as the only source of Peace.
Numbers 6:22-27
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His
countenance on you, And give you peace.’
Why pray for peace upon others?
27 "So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them."
The priests were to invoke YHVH’s blessings on the people.
Revelation 1:6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Here are some additional, interesting, scriptures about peace.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
2 John 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ...
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace (to establish harmony) through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself…
Ezekiel 13:10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace…
Isaiah 48:18 O that thou had hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11 …Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Isaiah 26:12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
Luke 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Jeremiah 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly...
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Judges 6:23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shall not die.
Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Psalms 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
A word study on the Greek and Hebrew words used in Scripture for ‘Peace’, with text(s) reference:
Hebrew
07965 shalowm shaw-lome’
AV-peace 175; out of 236
1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
1a) completeness (in number)
1b) safety, soundness (in body)
1c) welfare, health, prosperity
1d) peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment
1e) peace, friendship
1e1) of human relationships
1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship
1f) peace (from war)
1g) peace (as adjective)
Psalms 34:14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace <07965> and pursue it.
Proverbs 3:17 Her (wisdom) ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace <07965>.
Isaiah 48:22 "There is no peace <07965> for the wicked," says the LORD.
07999 shalam shaw-lam' ; v
AV-pay 19, peace 11, recompense 11, reward 10, render 9, restore 8, repay 7, perform 7, good 6, end 4, requite 4, restitution 4, finished; total usage 116
1) to be in a covenant of peace, be at peace
2) to be complete, be sound
2b) (Piel)
2b1) to complete, finish
2d) (Hiphil)
2d1) to complete, perform
Exodus 22:12 "But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution <07999> to its owner.
Joshua 11:19 There was not a city which made <07999> peace <07999> with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle.
08001 sh@lam (Aramaic) shel-awm' ; n m
AV-peace 4; welfare, prosperity, peace, well-being
Daniel 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: "May your peace <08001> abound!
08002 shelem sheh'- lem n m
AV-peace offerings 81, peace 6; (87)
1) peace offering, requital, sacrifice for alliance or friendship
1a) voluntary sacrifice of thanks
Leviticus 4:26 ‘All its fat he shall offer up in smoke on the altar as in the case of the fat of the sacrifice of peace <08002> offerings <08002>. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin, and he will be forgiven.
02013 hoh hacah haw-saw' a primitive root;
AV-keep silence 3, hold your peace 2, hold your tongue 1 still 1, silence 1; (8)
2a) (Hiphil) to command to be silent
Nehemiah 8:11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still <02013>, for the day is holy; do not be grieved."
02814 chashah khaw-shaw' - v
AV-hold...peace 9, still 4, silence 2, silent 1; (16)
1) to be silent, quiet, still, inactive
1a) (Qal) to be silent, be still
Nehemiah 8:11 So the Levites calmed <02814> all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved."
Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace <02814> day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
Isaiah 62:6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep <02814> silent <02814>. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;
Greek
1514 eireneuo i-rane-yoo'-o ; v AV-have peace ; (4)
1) to make peace
2) to cultivate or keep peace, harmony
3) to be at peace, live in peace
Mark 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace <1514> one with another.
Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably <1514> with all men.
1515 eirene i-ray'-nay ;n f AV-peace 89, one 1, rest 1, quietness 1; (92)
1) a state of national tranquility
2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord
3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)
4) of the Messiah's peace
4a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)
5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is
6) the blessed state of devout and upright men after death
Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace <1515> among men with whom He is pleased."
John 14:27 "Peace <1515> I leave with you; My peace <1515> I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
2270 hesuchazo hay-soo-khad'-zo ; v AV-hold (one's) peace 2, rest 1, cease 1, be quiet 1; (5)
1) to keep quiet
1a) to rest, cease from labor
1b) to lead a quiet life, said of those who are not running hither and thither, but stay at home and mind their business
1c) to be silent, i.e. to say nothing, hold one's peace
Luke 14:4 But they held their peace <2270>; and He took, and healed him, and let him go;
Luke 23:56 They returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested <2270> the Sabbath day according to the commandment.