DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- YAHWEH SHALOM

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – YAHWEH SHALOM

"Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD.  So Gideon said, 'Alas, O Lord GOD!  For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.' Then the LORD said to him, 'Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.'  So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The LORD is Peace."  (Judges, 6:22-24a)

Here was Gideon.  He was threshing wheat in a winepress because He was afraid of the Midianites when God appeared to him with a special calling to deliver the Israelites from the oppressors.  Gideon recognized his weakness since he was the least in his father's house which was the least in the tribe of Manasseh.  He was fearful of the job God had given him to do.  But God said to him, "Surely, I will be with you" (vss. 12 and 16).  

Now the fear of the Midianites was replaced by fear of the Angel of the LORD, which was undoubtedly a Christophany, and the task God was calling him to.   The Angel of the LORD allayed that fear by announcing peace to Gideon.  Gideon built an altar, naming it The LORD is Peace – Yahweh Shalom.  Yahweh Shalom – The LORD is Peace.  This is one of the most wonderful names that we have for our God.

We can have the same confidence.  When we face troubling situations, just to  know that God is with us brings us peace.  And as we present our needs to Him with thanksgiving, the Peace of God which passes all understanding keeps our hearts and our minds through Jesus Christ our Lord (Philippians 4:6-7).  As the song says, "If Jesus goes with me, I'll go anywhere.  Tis heaven to me wher'ere I may be if He is there."  

We can rest in His peace.  He is Yahweh Shalom and He is with us.

Love, Dad