The Power of Names Given by God
The name which God gives to
someone clearly identifies in fullness the character and nature of that person.
For instance the Patriarch Abram's name was changed by God to Abraham (Genesis
17:4). Abraham literally means "Father of many nations." Abraham continues to
this day fathering nations, not only literal people and nations but most
important spiritual nations unto God through the seed Jesus (Galatians 3:29).
Abraham is the father of many nations
from the moment God named him Abraham. Anyone who would desire to draw upon the
God given father nature in Abrahams identity could have drawn in fullness at
the instant God renamed him.
Power and Essence of the Name Jerusalem
Considering this understanding of
the power of names let us consider the City of Jerusalem. Jerusalem literally means
"a display of peace." As with the name Abraham, Jerusalem became eternally a
display of peace the instant God choose to name the city Jerusalem. One only
has to briefly look at the history of Jerusalem to see that there have been
thousands of years of struggle over ownership of the City of God. Despite those
conflicts and the present day "division" of the city Jerusalem eternally
remains a display of peace.
Praying for the Peace "that is" Jerusalem
The eternal availability of the
peace "that is" Jerusalem is the understanding of the Psalmist (thought to be
King David) who penned Psalm 122; the eternal availability of peace is verified
specifically by verse 6 which asks all to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Would the Holy Spirit ask believers to pray for the peace of Jerusalem if peace
were not totally available?
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May they prosper who love you. Psalm 122:6
In my understanding I am to pray
for the peace "that is" Jerusalem. Remember that if God calls Jerusalem a
display of peace then I may righteously pray for myself and others to have at
this moment the peace that is Jerusalem.
Again it is perfectly clear that
Psalm 122 at the time of its penning boldly declares that the peace "that is"
Jerusalem is eternally available.
Note: Psalm 122 is the third of
fifteen psalms called the "Psalms of Ascent," which together make up
one of the most precious and beautiful portions of the Bible. These psalms were
to be sung when the children of Israel came to Jerusalem and ascended to the
top of Mount Zion three times a year, where they would hold a feast before the
Lord. The physical ascent of the Israelites up Mount Zion is a type, or a
picture, of the spiritual ascent of Christian believers into God's peace.
Living in the Peace of "that is" Jerusalem
I was
glad when they said to me, "Let us go (walk in) to the house of the LORD
(Yahweh)." Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact (joined) together; To which
the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD-- an ordinance for Israel-- to
give thanks to the name of the LORD. (Psalm
122:1-4, NAS)
Psalm 122:1-4 declares that there
is great joy when an invite comes to our heart to walk into Jerusalem the house
of Yahweh. There is a declaration which bursts forth with surety and confidence
saying, "My feet are standing within your walls o' Jerusalem. Jerusalem you are
a city that is compact and united to which the tribes of Israel are ordained to
come and give thanks unto the name of the Lord (Yahweh)."
Who is to Ask for and Dispense the Peace of
Jerusalem?
For there
(in Jerusalem) thrones were set for judgment (choices), the thrones of the
house of David. (Psalm 122:5)
Jerusalem is a place from which
righteous choices are made by those who are enthroned there. As in the days of
King David there were those from the household of King David who were judges
assigned to dispense peace. These righteous ones were responsible for
dispensing justice and righteousness throughout King David's sphere of
authority.
To whom is the Peace of Jerusalem
Available?
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you."May peace be within your
walls, and prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brothers
and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you." For the
sake of the house of the LORD (Yahweh) our God (Eloheem) I will seek your good. (Psalm 122:6-9, NAS)
The peace "that is" Jerusalem is
available to all who will ask God. Those who love the peace of Jerusalem will
prosper; peace will be within your walls and prosperity within our palaces.
We personally ask desire and
obtain the peace "that is" Jerusalem not only for ourselves but also for the
purpose and benefit of imparting peace and the goodness of God into our friends
and brothers. All is done for the benefit of the house of the Lord (Yahweh) our
God (Eloheem).
How Important is the Understanding of
Peace?
Understanding peace is a matter
of life and death. God created every human being with eternity in the heart. As
in the first Adam God has breathed His breath of life eternal into every heart.
The perpetuity of God's life eternal is sealed in the person of the last Adam
Jesus the Christ. Jesus is our prince of peace. A prince is a son born to a
King. Our Father God is King of the universe and He has made Jesus King of
kings and Lord of lords.
The Apostle Paul clearly defines
peace as spirit, soul and body wholeness. Our awesome Jehovah Shalom (God of
peace) sets us apart into wholeness in the presence of Himself in the person of
Jesus the Christ.
Now may
the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul
and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming (in the presence) of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 5:23, NAS)
The Apostle Paul also wrote to
the church in Rome...
Everyone
has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to
be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace
will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. (Romans 16:19, 20, NIV)
True obedience is a token of love
for God. Paul was overjoyed over the obedience of the saints at Rome and
declared that because of their obedience Jehovah Shalom would crush Satan's
head under their feet. The outworking of true obedience always is fully
revealed in the walking out of the will of God.
Note: Food for thought! The
beautiful burnished brass feet of Jesus as depicted in imaginary
symbolizes Jesus' righteous choices to
walk out the will of our Father (Revelation 1:15, 2:18, 10:1). Brass is
symbolically associated with righteous choice or judgment...hence the brass alter
of sacrifice (Exodus 30:17-21) along with brass mirrors at the foot of the
laver (Exodus 38:8) in the wilderness tabernacle of Moses.
The First Biblical Appearance of Jehovah
Shalom
When
Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, "Ah,
Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!" But the
Lord said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to
die." So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord
(Jehovah) is Peace (peace). (Judges
6:22-24a, NIV)
God raised up several judges at
different intervals to rule the nation of Israel. One of those Judges was
Gideon. At a time when Israel was being challenged by the perennial "ites" of
Canaan (Deuteronomy 7:1) Gideon's heart was gripped by fear of death when God
sent him an angel to encourage him. When Gideon realized that his face to face
visitor was an angel of Yahweh Gideon said (paraphrasing), "For the purposes of
Yahweh I have seen an angel of the Lord!" But the Lord said to him,
"Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."
Gideon Builds an Alter Called Jehovah
Shalom, the Lord is Peace
So Gideon built an altar to the
Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace (Jehovah or Yahweh is Shalom).
Understanding that peace is
spirit, soul and body wholeness and the absence of death, who better than our
God of peace to show up and remove not the fear but the thing being feared
which was death. We all understand that the thing feared is the reason for the
fear; therefore it stands to reason that one cannot fear something that doesn't
exist. Our God of peace sent us His son as the son (prince) of peace abolishing
death. We do not need to ever again fear ...death is abolished (Hebrews 2:14, II
Timothy 1:10)
Peace...the First Message from Our
Resurrected Christ
On the day of his resurrection
Jesus came to his disciples declaring a one word message.
So when
it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were
shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in
their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." And when He had
said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then
rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be
with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." (John 20:19-21, NASU)
God has Winners....."Come on Man!"
There is a threshold to which
true Fathers of the church must call everyone to step over. One definition for
threshold is a boundary beyond which a radically different state of affairs
exists. On the righteous side of this threshold is the glory of God. In His
presence and glory there is life and peace forevermore.
God is always calling and
empowering believers to obtain the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus (Philippians 3). The prize of the high calling of God in Christ is
resurrection life and peace. This place of perfection is not solely some future
event but is now available to all who can believe. Since Jesus the Christ our
Prince of Peace has acquired our redemption we can now cross over the threshold
into His glory and peace.
"Come on man!"
Charge
Pray for the peace "that is"
Jerusalem
Gale Maiden
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