Peace The bibical meaning

by admin on September 16, 2017

It was​ meant​ to​ act​ as​ a​ blessing​ on​ the​ one​ to​ whom​ it​ was​ spoken: “May​ your​ life​ be​ filled​ with​ health,​ prosperity,​ and​ victory.”

Peace Peace​ ​[N]​ ​[T] The​ ​Meaning​ ​of​ ​Peace.​ ​In​ ​English,​ ​the​ ​word​ ​”peace”​ ​conjures​ ​up​ ​a​ ​passive picture,​ ​one​ ​showing​ ​an​ ​absence​ ​of​ ​civil​ ​disturbance​ ​or​ ​hostilities,​ ​or​ ​a personality​ ​free​ ​from​ ​internal​ ​and​ ​external​ ​strife.​ ​The​ ​biblical​ ​concept​ ​of peace​ ​is​ ​larger​ ​than​ ​that​ ​and​ ​rests​ ​heavily​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Hebrew​ ​root​ ​slm,​ ​which means​ ​”to​ ​be​ ​complete”​ ​or​ ​”to​ ​be​ ​sound.”​ ​The​ ​verb​ ​conveys​ ​both​ ​a​ ​dynamic and​ ​a​ ​static​ ​meaning”to​ ​be​ ​complete​ ​or​ ​whole”​ ​or​ ​”to​ ​live​ ​well.”​ ​The​ ​noun had​ ​many​ ​nuances,​ ​but​ ​can​ ​be​ ​grouped​ ​into​ ​four​ ​categories:​ ​(1)​ ​salom​ ​[l’v] as​ ​wholeness​ ​of​ ​life​ ​or​ ​body​ ​(i.e.,​ ​health);​ ​(2)​ ​salom​ ​[l’v]​ ​as​ ​right​ ​relationship or​ ​harmony​ ​between​ ​two​ ​parties​ ​or​ ​people,​ ​often​ ​established​ ​by​ ​a​ ​covenant (see​ ​”covenant​ ​of​ ​peace”​ ​in​ ​Num​ ​25:12-13​ ​;​ ​Isa​ ​54:10​ ​;​ ​Ezek​ ​34:25-26​ ​) and,​ ​when​ ​related​ ​to​ ​Yahweh,​ ​the​ ​covenant​ ​was​ ​renewed​ ​or​ ​maintained with​ ​a​ ​”peace​ ​offering”;​ ​(3)​ ​salom​ ​[l’v]​ ​as​ ​prosperity,​ ​success,​ ​or​ ​fulfillment (see​ ​Lev​ ​26:3-9​ ​);​ ​and​ ​(4)​ ​salom​ ​[l’v]​ ​as​ ​victory​ ​over​ ​one’s​ ​enemies​ ​or absence​ ​of​ ​war.​ ​​Salom [l’v] was​ used​ in​ both​ greetings​ and​ farewells.
​ It was​ meant​ to​ act​ as​ a​ blessing​ on​ the​ one​ to​ whom​ it​ was​ spoken: “May​ your​ life​ be​ filled​ with​ health,​ prosperity,​ and​ victory.”
​ ​ ​As​ ​an adjective,​ ​it​ ​expressed​ ​completeness​ ​and​ ​safety.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Testament, the​ ​Greek​ ​word​ ​eirene​ ​[eijrhvnh]​ ​is​ ​the​ ​word​ ​most​ ​often​ ​translated​ ​by​ ​the word​ ​”peace.”​ ​Although​ ​there​ ​is​ ​some​ ​overlap​ ​in​ ​their​ ​meanings,​ ​the Hebrew​ ​word​ ​salom​ ​[l’v]​ ​is​ ​broader​ ​in​ ​its​ ​usage,​ ​and,​ ​in​ ​fact,​ ​has​ ​greatly influenced​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Testament’s​ ​use​ ​of​ ​​eirene
​ ​ ​[eijrhvnh].
God​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Source​ ​of​ ​Peace.​ ​God​ ​alone​ ​is​ ​the​ ​source​ ​of​ ​peace,​ ​for​ ​he​ ​is “Yahweh​ ​Shalom”​ ​(see​ ​Judges​ ​6:24​ ​).​ ​The​ ​Lord​ ​came​ ​to​ ​sinful​ ​humankind, historically​ ​first​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Jews​ ​and​ ​then​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Gentiles,​ ​desiring​ ​to​ ​enter​ ​into​ ​a relationship​ ​with​ ​them.​ ​He​ ​established​ ​with​ ​them​ ​a​ ​covenant​ ​of​ ​peace, which​ ​was​ ​sealed​ ​with​ ​his​ ​presence​ ​(see​ ​Num​ ​6:24-26​ ​).​ ​Participants​ ​were given​ ​perfect​ ​peace​ ​(salom​ ​salom​ ​[l’vl’v])​ ​so​ ​long​ ​as​ ​they​ ​maintained​ ​a​ ​right relationship​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​(see​ ​Isa​ ​26:3;​ ​2​ ​Thess​ ​3:16).
The​ ​Old​ ​Testament​ ​anticipated,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Testament​ ​confirmed,​ ​that
God’s​ ​peace​ ​would​ ​be​ ​mediated​ ​through​ ​a​ ​messiah​ ​(see​ ​Isa​ ​9:6-7;​ ​Micah 5:4-5).​ ​Peace​ ​with​ ​God​ ​came​ ​through​ ​the​ ​death​ ​and​ ​resurrection​ ​of​ ​Jesus Christ​ ​(Rom​ ​5:1;​ ​Eph​ ​2:14-17;​ ​Col​ ​1:19-20;​ ​see​ ​Heb​ ​13:20).​ ​Peter​ ​declared to​ ​Cornelius:​ ​”You​ ​now​ ​the​ ​message​ ​God​ ​sent​ ​to​ ​the​ ​people​ ​of​ ​Israel, telling​ ​the​ ​good​ ​news​ ​of​ ​peace​ ​through​ ​Jesus​ ​Christ,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​Lord​ ​of​ ​all” (Acts​ ​10:36).
The​ ​Relationship​ ​of​ ​Righteousness​ ​to​ ​Peace.​ ​The​ ​Lord​ ​established​ ​a covenant,​ ​which​ ​resulted​ ​in​ ​the​ ​participants​ ​receiving​ ​his​ ​salom​ ​[l’v]​ ​in abundance,​ ​”like​ ​a​ ​river”​ ​(see​ ​Isa​ ​48:18).​ ​However,​ ​peace​ ​could​ ​be disturbed​ ​if​ ​one​ ​did​ ​not​ ​live​ ​before​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​and​ ​others​ ​in​ ​righteousness;​ ​in fact,​ ​peace​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​fruits​ ​of​ ​righteousness​ ​(Isa​ ​32:17-18).​ ​The​ ​psalmist poetically​ ​describes​ ​the​ ​relationship​ ​between​ ​the​ ​two​ ​as​ ​righteousness​ ​and peace​ ​kissing​ ​each​ ​other​ ​(Psalm​ ​85:10).​ ​The​ ​God​ ​of​ ​peace​ ​and​ ​the​ ​peace of​ ​God​ ​sanctify​ ​the​ ​child​ ​of​ ​God​ ​(see​ ​1​ ​Thess​ ​5:23).​ ​On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand, Scripture​ ​specifically​ ​states​ ​that​ ​there​ ​can​ ​be​ ​no​ ​peace​ ​for​ ​the​ ​wicked​ ​(Isa 48:22;​ ​57:21).​ ​Paul​ ​described​ ​the​ ​difference​ ​as​ ​follows:​ ​”There​ ​will​ ​be trouble​ ​and​ ​distress​ ​for​ ​every​ ​human​ ​being​ ​who​ ​does​ ​evil:​ ​first​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Jew, then​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Gentile;​ ​but​ ​glory,​ ​honor​ ​and​ ​peace​ ​for​ ​everyone​ ​who​ ​does good:​ ​first​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Jew,​ ​then​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Gentile”​ ​(Rom​ ​2:9-10).
One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​key​ ​issues​ ​among​ ​the​ ​prophets​ ​was​ ​the​ ​doctrine​ ​of​ ​”peace.” The​ ​false​ ​prophets​ ​proclaimed​ ​”peace,​ ​peace”​ ​and​ ​in​ ​that​ ​announcement hoped​ ​to​ ​create​ ​peace​ ​for​ ​their​ ​constituency.​ ​The​ ​true​ ​prophets​ ​argued​ ​that peace​ ​could​ ​never​ ​be​ ​achieved​ ​apart​ ​from​ ​righteousness​ ​and​ ​justice.​ ​In this​ ​light,​ ​one​ ​can​ ​better​ ​understand​ ​what​ ​Jesus​ ​meant​ ​when​ ​he​ ​declared, “Do​ ​not​ ​suppose​ ​that​ ​I​ ​have​ ​come​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​peace​ ​to​ ​the​ ​earth.​ ​I​ ​did​ ​not come​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​peace,​ ​but​ ​a​ ​sword”​ ​(Matt​ ​10:34).​ ​And​ ​Paul​ ​wrote,​ ​”The​ ​God of​ ​peace​ ​will​ ​soon​ ​crush​ ​Satan​ ​under​ ​your​ ​feet”​ ​(Rom​ ​16:20).​ ​Judgment​ ​on sin,​ ​historically​ ​and​ ​eschatologically,​ ​must​ ​come​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​peace.

Good governance, transparency, accountability, human Rights and the rule of law

Peace​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Age​ ​to​ ​Come.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​age​ ​to​ ​come​ ​the​ ​animal​ ​kingdom​ ​will​ ​be restored​ ​to​ ​its​ ​paradisiacal​ ​tranquility.​ ​The​ ​image​ ​in​ ​Isaiah​ ​11:6-11​ ​is
among​ ​the​ ​most​ ​picturesque​ ​in​ ​Scripture.​ ​Animals​ ​are​ ​paired​ ​off​ ​in​ ​a strange​ ​and​ ​wonderful​ ​way:​ ​the​ ​wolf​ ​and​ ​the​ ​lamb,​ ​the​ ​leopard​ ​with​ ​the​ ​kid, the​ ​calf​ ​with​ ​the​ ​lion,​ ​the​ ​cow​ ​with​ ​the​ ​bear,​ ​the​ ​lion​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ox.​ ​They​ ​shall be​ ​led​ ​by​ ​a​ ​little​ ​child.​ ​The​ ​emphasis​ ​is​ ​on​ ​the​ ​harmony,​ ​the​ ​salom​ ​[l’v] between​ ​the​ ​animals​ ​and​ ​the​ ​animal​ ​kingdom​ ​with​ ​man.​ ​Children​ ​shall,​ ​in that​ ​day,​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​play​ ​with​ ​snakes​ ​and​ ​they​ ​will​ ​not​ ​be​ ​hurt.
In​ ​addition,​ ​the​ ​curse​ ​of​ ​the​ ​ground​ ​will​ ​be​ ​removed​ ​and​ ​the​ ​land​ ​will​ ​again be​ ​characterized​ ​by​ ​salom​ ​[l’v],​ ​which​ ​includes​ ​both​ ​harmony​ ​and productivity​ ​(see​ ​Amos​ ​9:13-15).​ ​The​ ​desert​ ​will​ ​become​ ​a​ ​fertile​ ​field​ ​(Isa 32:15),​ ​while​ ​the​ ​cultivated​ ​lands​ ​will​ ​drip​ ​with​ ​”new​ ​wine”​ ​and​ ​the​ ​”ravines of​ ​Judah​ ​will​ ​run​ ​with​ ​water”​ ​(Joel​ ​3:18).
The​ ​nations​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world​ ​will​ ​come​ ​under​ ​the​ ​dominion​ ​of​ ​the​ ​”Prince​ ​of Peace”​ ​and​ ​in​ ​so​ ​doing,​ ​”will​ ​beat​ ​their​ ​swords​ ​into​ ​plowshares​ ​and​ ​their spears​ ​into​ ​pruning​ ​hooks”​ ​(Isa​ ​2:4;​ ​Micah​ ​4:3).​ ​Isaiah​ ​poetically characterizes​ ​it​ ​as​ ​a​ ​time​ ​when​ ​”You​ ​shall​ ​go​ ​out​ ​with​ ​joy​ ​and​ ​be​ ​led​ ​forth​ ​in peace;​ ​the​ ​mountains​ ​and​ ​hills​ ​will​ ​burst​ ​into​ ​song​ ​before​ ​you,​ ​and​ ​all​ ​the trees​ ​of​ ​the​ ​field​ ​will​ ​clap​ ​their​ ​hands”​ ​(Isa​ ​55:12).
One​ ​cannot​ ​overlook​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​this​ ​harmony​ ​will​ ​never​ ​happen​ ​until​ ​man has​ ​a​ ​right​ ​relationship​ ​(salom​ ​[l’v])​ ​with​ ​Yahweh;​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​the​ ​result​ ​of​ ​the righteous​ ​rule​ ​of​ ​the​ ​”shoot​ ​from​ ​the​ ​stump​ ​of​ ​Jesse”​ ​who​ ​has​ ​upon​ ​him​ ​the Spirit​ ​of​ ​Yahweh;​ ​he​ ​is​ ​the​ ​”Prince​ ​of​ ​Peace”​ ​​(Isa​ ​9:6;​ ​see​ ​Jer​ ​33:8-9).

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Nemchinovvof November 29, 2017 at 11:32 pm

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