Date of message: 25 August 2002
Subject: The Names of God - YHVH Shalom

Shalom, Boker-tov ( good morning ),

I am sure most, if not all, of us had gone through an experience of facing a situation in life and feeling worried or scared because we do not know what would be the outcome of the situation. Or gone through a situation where the outcome seemed so hopeless that deep down inside we hoped that the end result would not be too damaging but that it would be to our advantage when the answers finally come.

The Israelites were, by 1400 BC, already settled into the Promised Land, the land that the LORD had told them would be flowing with milk and honey. They had managed to subdue and to drive out some of the inhabitants from the land but over time they were tempted and they succumbed to the religious practices of these inhabitants. Moses had passed away before the people entered the Promised Land and Joshua the mighty warrior had died and so had many others. The children of Israel forgot the LORD and started to worship Baal, the fertility god and Asherah the consort of Baal. They had abandoned the worship of YHVH Elohim Shaddai (the Lord God Almighty). Each man did what he deemed right before his own eyes. And when they took their eyes off the LORD, the enemies in the surrounding regions would attack and subordinate them. Heavy yoke would be placed on them in the form of taxes and slavery. When the people realized their sin, they cried out to the LORD and He would send them a savior in the form of a judge who would rescue them and govern over them. However, when the judge died, the people would revert to their idol worship and sin against the LORD. And so it became a cycle and this lasted for close to 500 years.

In the Book of Judges Chapter 6, we read of how the Midianites came and subjugated the Israelites for seven years and the people cried out to the LORD to deliver them from their bondage. The LORD heard their cries for help and He came and appeared before a man named Gideon of the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon was called to be the next judge over Israel and to lead the nation against the Midianites driving them out of the land. When Gideon first received the command to go forth and lead, he was skeptical and asked the Lord for a sign of confirmation. The Angel of the LORD sent fire to burn up all the sacrifice and when Gideon realized who He was, he became afraid for being so bold and not believing in Him.
The LORD reassured Gideon that He would not punish him for what he did and Gideon then worshipped the LORD and called Him YHVH Shalom, the LORD is Peace. (Judges 6: 24).
When Jesus walked this Earth, His favorite phrases were "do not be afraid", "peace" or "fear not". Throughout the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we have numerous records of Jesus reassuring His disciples of His faithfulness in His exhortations. Each time the phrases were spoken, they were spoken to His disciples and at no time were they directed at the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the scribes. To them He used harsh reprimands and admonished them for their hypocrisy.

After feeding the five thousand by the side of the mountain, Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum on the other side while He went up the mountain to pray by Himself. It was in the fourth watch ( between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM ) that He came to His disciples walking on the water. The disciples, struggling with the oars because of the storm, saw Him walking towards them and thinking that it was a ghost, became extremely frightened. When the Lord drew nearer to the boat, they cried out to Him and He replied to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." ( Matthew 14: 22 - 27 ).
In our daily lives, the Lord reminds us that He is with us and as a result, we will have peace or shalom. Interestingly enough, I checked the Bible Study Tools on the internet and found to my amazement that there are 369 occasions of the word "peace" appearing through the Bible in the New King James Version. Our Lord Jesus wants us to be reminded each day that He is our Shalom and with Him on our side, we have nothing to fear. Instead, we are to be people full of hope, hopeful because He had accomplished all for us when He died for our sins on the cross.

Recent medical research has indicated that most heart ailments are stress related. When a person experiences stress, he has no peace within himself and as the stress level increase, so does his blood pressure and soon his heart fails him - he suffers a heart attack. The apostle Paul, in Hebrews chapter 10, reminded us that Jesus came and offered Himself as the Sacrifice for our sins. And that our Lord Jesus is now seated on the right hand of God waiting for the right time to return to receive His own and take us back to be with Him in Heaven forever.

By His One Sacrifice on the cross, Jesus had accomplished what the annual sacrifices in the Old Testament could not achieve. Every year, the High Priest would go into the Temple on the Day of Atonement and offer up one sacrifice for the sins of the whole nation and if the sacrifice was accepted by God, they would be forgiven their sins for that year. However, their forgiveness lasted for one year until the next Day of Atonement. When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, He satisfied all the requirements of the law and conquered death. In Romans 10: 1 -2 we read: -

1. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
We have peace in our hearts knowing we are no more condemned; our Lord Jesus paid the price in full.

Have you appropriated the LORD of Peace into your heart? Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He did not die only for the Christians because there was none when He hung on the cross. Everyone was a sinner and desperately in need of a Savior. Jesus is that Savior and He can be yours today when you acknowledge Him and receive Him into your heart. Why not pray this simple prayer of faith.

Our Heavenly Father, thank you that You love us so much that You sent us Your best gift when Jesus came into this world to die for all our sins. Thank you that He rose from the dead on the third day and He is now reigning with You in Heaven and that He will return soon to receive us and we be with Him forever.

Lord Jesus, thank you that You love me and because You died, I am now forever forgiven of all my sins - past, present and future. Come into my life and live in my heart, Lord Jesus and grant me your Shalom Peace; peace in my heart knowing that I am Your child and that I am a joint-heir with You of all the riches in Heaven.

Thank you that I am greatly blessed highly favored and deeply loved because of what You have accomplished for us on the cross. I ask and pray all these in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Name that is above all names. Amen.

If you have said the prayer above for the first time, welcome to the Lord's family. Know for a certainty that your sins are completely forgiven and that He is the Author of Peace. As you grow in the Lord each day, spend time reading the Bible to help you understand the extent of His love for us. I encourage you to join a local church so that you can receive good teaching and grow in all spiritual things.

The Lord blesses you and keeps you,
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and all your loved ones,
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you His shalom peace.
Numbers 6: 24 - 26

Have a blessed week ahead, Shavrou-tov
Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee
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