| During the last decade in Israel the word “peace” has been on everyone’s tongue. The subject has been mentioned almost daily in virtually every newscast and in every newspaper. People have heard “peace” and “peace process” so often that many are probably sick to death of hearing them. This is especially the case since there is so little evidence that any sincere peace process has been underway. It seems that all these expressions of peace have little to do with real peace in the biblical sense. In fact, their constant usage reminds us of those leaders in biblical times who cried “peace, peace” when there was no peace (Jer. 6:14).
True peace is a highly desirable thing. However, false peace can be a costly illusion. In the last decade since the peace process was kicked off, Israel has paid dearly with hundreds of lives plus an unknown financial, emotional and even spiritual toll. Just since the most recent intifada began in September, 2000, over 800 Israelis and foreign visitors have been killed by Palestinian terror. Well over 5,000 have been wounded. In this short period alone there have been close to 20,000 attacks by Palestinians, including over 100 deadly suicide attacks. We can see that there is a terror attack of some type almost every hour of the day in Israel. Obviously, the nation’s sense of personal security has been greatly shattered. We see in the Bible that there is a true peace and that it is the goal of both Judaism and Christianity. Yet, we also see that the coming godless world dictator, the Beast or Antichrist, will deceive many through the ideas of peace and security (Dan. 8:25). Let us look at the biblical understanding of peace, particularly the ideas expressed in the Hebrew scriptures. PEACE – BEING COMPLETE OR WHOLE The biblical idea of peace is expressed very well in the most common greeting heard in Israel. It is the word shalom! (peace). It means much more than merely “hi” or “bye.” The word shalom means to “be complete, sound, or whole.” The Hebrew root, shalam, is also the root of some very common words in Hebrew and other Semitic languages. The word has to do with friendship, calmness of heart, contentment, quiet from war, unity, safety, success, well-being, and health. The root word also expresses such complex themes as wholeness, restoration, and perfection. With these concepts in mind we can see at once how far removed the present “peace process” is from biblical peace. The current Middle East peace process has provided none of the above, and ultimately means division, incompleteness, compromise, hatred, disunity, destruction and war. In Ezekiel 13:10-11, the prophet describes a false peace process in this way: “Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth.” CAN THERE BE TRUE PEACE? When we understand what is involved in peace, we may wonder if there can be any real peace in the individual heart or in the whole world? The Bible does declare, “‘There is no peace,’ says the LORD, ‘for the wicked’” (Isa. 48:22). The Hebrew scriptures constantly seek to turn people from the way of wickedness into the way of righteousness, which is also the way of true peace. In Psalm 34:14 we read, “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” In Psalm 37:37 it is also said: “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.” The saints of old knew well that it was God’s word and obedience to that word that brought peace to their lives. The Psalmist said, “Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble” (Psa. 119:165). The Hebrew scriptures make it clear that “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:7). We see by this that peace is a very complex matter, involving the state of the heart before the Lord God. By this we know that many who are clamoring for peace today will never have it. They do not know the way of peace. It is far from them. The Christian faith has much to say about peace. Christianity was born into the world with angelic voices proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). Christians believe that Jesus was and is the “Prince of Peace,” as revealed in Isaiah 9:6. Jesus came to reconcile a rebellious and warring world to God. He came to reconcile heaven and earth, and he reconciled them through the sacrifice of himself as an offering to God (Isa. 53:5; Col. 1:20). By believing in him we have real peace (Rom. 5:1). There is one thing though that we Christians do not seem to understand. Christ’s atoning death also brought peace between us and the Jewish people. In Ephesians 2:14, Paul says, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility….” I grew up on a farm and remember how we used to pasture the cattle by stringing up an electric fence around different fields to contain them. When they touched the fence, they sure didn’t touch it twice. Interestingly, when we took the fence down, the cattle would scarcely venture over the place where the fence once stood. It is like that today with Jews and Christians. The fence has been down almost two thousand years, and we are still standing there where the fence was once erected, afraid to cross that spot. What a difference it would make for Israel, for us and for our world if Christians understood their spiritual connection to Israel. Historically, the church has never truly crossed over the fence to appreciate the richness of being grafted into the olive tree of Israel, as described by Paul in Romans 11:11-17. Instead of partaking of the fatness of the root (Rom. 11:17), the church initiated numerous persecutions of the Jewish people throughout history. Consequently, cut off from that root, the church often wandered off on its spiritual tangents that could not bring sustenance or life. Fortunately, it is not too late to reconnect to the olive tree, study the Hebraic roots of our faith and show God’s love to Israel and the Jewish people (Rom. 11:28, 31). However, our walk with Israel has not been a walk of peace so far. Jesus came to make peace on earth. He left us with his peace, which is quite a different peace from the peace of this world (Jn. 14:27). Unlike this world’s peace it gives us comfort, consolation, and great security. It fills our hearts and minds and surpasses all our understanding (Phil. 4:7). Jesus blessed the peacemakers, those who go around making this kind of peace and bringing wholeness in the world PEACE, THE MESSIANIC IDEAL We have already seen in Isaiah how the prophets pictured the Messiah as being the initiator of true peace. There are many occasions in scripture where this idea is developed. For instance, there is Psalms 72:7, where the Lord says of the Messiah, “In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is We see this idea reflected in the New Testament, where Zechariah speaks of the Messiah as one who would, “…guide our feet into the path of peace” (Lk. 1:79). Again with the Messianic ideal we see the great importance of righteousness and holiness in connection with peace. The Psalmist states it beautifully with these words: “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other” (Psa. 85:10). In another place Isaiah says, “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.” (Isa. 32:17). Clearly, there is no true peace process in the individual or in the world unless there is righteousness connected with it. The effects of peace in the Messianic ideal are lovely indeed. The Lord speaks of a beautiful harmony between his people and in the natural world (Isa. 55:12). The Lord even speaks of a covenant of peace that will rid the land of wild beasts; and where people “…may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety” (Ezek. 34:25). When the sin problem is dealt with, then the righteous, who will inherit God’s peace, will dwell calmly: “‘In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 3:10). As for Jerusalem, that troubled “City of Peace,” the Lord says of her in Isaiah 66:12-13: “…I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” With these thoughts in mind, and in the deepest biblical sense possible, I wish for the world, for Israel, for Jerusalem and for you my readers – “Shalom!” – Jim Gerrish This updated article is presented courtesy of Bridges For Peace, Jerusalem. Original publication date, 1995. |