23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”
24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old.[a] Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole[b] beside it. 26 Then build a proper kind of[c] altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second[d] bull as a burnt offering.”
27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
28 In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
29 They asked each other, “Who did this?”
When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
30 The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 32 So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal[e] that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”
33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
34 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.
Judges 6:23-34
Highlight: “Peace! Do not be afraid.” When Gideon was hiding in fear because of their enemies, he encountered the Lord. The word “peace” in this passage comes from the Hebrew word “Shalom,” meaning completeness, soundness, health, safety, and prosperity, carrying with the implication of permanence. It means more than just the absence of conflict or problem. Shalom is the presence of God that brings assurance and wholeness.
(Read more at www.cornerstonephilippines.com/blog)
Article:
“Peace! Do not be afraid.” When Gideon was hiding in fear because of their enemies, he encountered the Lord. The word “peace” in this passage comes from the Hebrew word “Shalom,” meaning completeness, soundness, health, safety, and prosperity, carrying with the implication of permanence. It means more than just the absence of conflict or problem. Shalom is the presence of God that brings assurance and wholeness.
Rabbi Robert I. Kahn differentiates peace and Hebrew Shalom:
“One can dictate a peace; shalom is a mutual agreement.”
“Peace is a temporary pact; shalom is a permanent agreement.”
“One can make a peace treaty; shalom is the condition of peace.”
“Peace can be negative, the absence of commotion. Shalom is positive, the presence of serenity.”
“Peace can be partial; shalom is whole.”
“Peace can be piecemeal; shalom is complete.”
Judges 6:24 says, “So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” As we encounter God, let our hearts rest with the truth that the Lord is our peace.