This is our greatest year yet as
we move into 2013. The Hebrew New Year has already begun! What a richness of
His presence I sense as we move into this civil (Geneva time) New Year.I'm reminded of my Christmas
message; Jesus came as the Prince of Peace or the Prince of Shalom. It is not
that I believe we are going to be free of trouble. In fact the obstacles we
face this coming year will seem at times to be more insurmountable than any
we've previously faced. Yet it is both our opportunity and God's invitation to
come into deeper unity with Christ, with Who He is. He is our Shalom. He is our
wholeness, integrity, and sea of glass in the midst of the storm, prosperity,
completeness, our place of rest.
Most consider the absence of war
or conflict to be peace. If people are not fighting, then there is peace. But
this is not the meaning of the biblical term shalom. It is this but it is far
more.
Health and Prosperity
Shalom means "Well-being and
health, to be well, content and in a friendly state. It speaks of health and
prosperity. It is from the root word shalam, which means to be safe in mind,
body or estate. It speaks of completeness, fullness, or a type of wholeness
that encourages you to give back-to generously repay something is some way.
True biblical shalom refers to an
inward sense of wholeness or completeness. Although it can describe the absence
of war, a majority of biblical references refer to an inner completeness or
tranquility. It is this kind of peace that you make with your enemies. Then
they are no longer your enemies but your friends whom you desire to prosper.
Numbers 6:23-26: "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the
Israelites. 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 turn his face toward you and give you peace.'"
The ironic thing about this
passage is that God told Aaron to bless Israel with peace when they were
getting ready for war, they were going in to conquer the Promised Land. This
meant they would soon be destroying cities.
Today, Jesus, the Son of God, the
Prince of Peace lives in and among us. In Luke 19:38, Jesus is welcomed into
Jerusalem with praises of "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" When the
angels proclaim this in Luke 2:13, there can be no mistake to whom they are
speaking. Not just glory to God, but glory to God in the highest.
There is None Who Compares
To the God who is in the very
highest place above all things everywhere: there is none who compares to You.
You are the sole recipient of all glory and praise for what you have done!
That is what the angels are
proclaiming.
They are proclaiming this because
of the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Jesus is the ultimate Prince of fullness,
safety and wholeness, whom the angels have known and worshipped in heaven,
since the beginning of time. May you find and bask in that inner peace,
wholeness and completeness independent of external circumstances. The God of
peace will soon crush Satan underneath your feet.
Adapted from The Christian's Biblical Guide To Understanding Israel (Chapter
3)
Barbara Yoder
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