God’s Peace -- It’s Biblical Importance:

How important do you think peace is in your own life? How important is it in the world at large? One of the great themes of the millennial rule of Christ will be PEACE. He is called the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end…"(v.7). All the pictures of the millennium – the lion and the lamb together, the child playing at the den of the cobra, the phrase "they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain" (Isa. 11:6-9) – are all symbols of peace!

With this letter we offer a series of sermons made in 1994 on the subject of peace. Some might think this subject is boring, or not in the main stream of Biblical teaching. But I assure you that you will be pleasantly surprised by how much the Bible has to say on this subject and how pertinent it is to your life today! This series took fully 5 sermons to complete. No doubt there is much more that could be said about it.

Perhaps the clearest statement of peace is the phrase "and they shall beat their swords into plow shares and the spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isa. 2:4).

The annual festival called the Feast of Ingathering or Feast of Tents (tabernacles) is just around the corner as of this date. The main theme is one of peace: "Every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid" (Micah 4:4).

You might be surprised to know that peace is even a higher value in the Bible than marriage! "It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop (alone) than with a brawling woman in a wide house"(Prov. 21:9;25:24). The same could be applied to a brawling or contentious man. "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred therewith"(Prov. 15:17). Love goes with peace. Hatred with strife and war. The valued proverbs tell us what is better. They tell us that peace is a highly valued.

In Proverbs 3:2, 17 we find that peace is a benefit that comes from obeying instruction and from finding wisdom. True wisdom and true knowledge should lead us to more peace. The wisdom of this world often leads to the opposite.

The Hebrew word for "peace" that is used most is the word "shalom." It actually means more than peace. It means well-being, health and healing. When one is wished "shalom" it is a complete wish for total well-being as well as peace of mind and outward peace from fears and conflicts.