What Does The Bible Say About Peace?

WHAT DOESTHE BIBLE SAYABOUT PEACE?

TThe Bible is a book of war.Moses, David, and evenJesus are remembered for

victories won at the expense oftheir enemies.

Yet, as RBC writer DeanOhlman shows in the followingpages, the Bible is also a historyof peace. By showing how the story of the Bible begins,climaxes, and ends, Dean showswhere conflict comes from andwhy the people of Christ haveevery reason to love peacerather than war.

May the following “biographyof peace” help us realize thatthe Bible doesn’t predict wars toencourage wars. May we growtogether in our love for theTeacher who said, “Blessed arethe peacemakers, for they shallbe called sons of God.”

Martin R. De Haan II

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Painting:“The Peaceable Kingdom” by Edward HicksUnless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version.Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.© 2007 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

CONTENTS

A Present-Day Garden Of Eden . . . . . . . 2

The Story Of Peace . . . . 3

The Peace We Had . . . . 3

The Peace We Lost . . . . . 4

The Peace That’s Coming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Portrait Of Peace . . 9

The Cost Of Peace. . . . 14

The Prince Of Peace . . 17

The Words For Peace. . 20

The Greeting Of Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Biblical Expressions Of Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Jesus’ Promise Of Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

God’s Offer Of Peace. . 31

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM

A PRESENT-DAYGARDEN OF EDEN

TThe Galapagos Islandsare like no other placeon earth. Lying on the

equator, 500 miles to thewest of Ecuador, theseexotic islands are known forhaving wild creatures thatshow little fear of humans.Visitors come back withphotos of sea lions layingtheir heads on their laps,iguanas sitting on rocksnext to them, and birdsfeeding from their hands.

The experience of getting so close to naturehas prompted thrilledtravelers to say that visiting the Galapagos wasa highlight of their life.

On their return, some have said that the experience of havinganimals trust them madethem feel almost like theywere transported back tothe Garden of Eden. It’s as

if something in the humansoul senses that the presentnatural order is not like it ought to be—thatsomething is painfullywrong with the law of tooth and claw.

We know that “survivalof the fittest” is indeed theway things presently workin nature’s economy. Thelaw of the jungle is not theexception but the rule. Iteven characterizes much ofwhat we experience in ourown personal interactions.

So why is lasting peacewhat we dream for butnever experience? Is thelonging for such peacemerely a repressed, butfalse, human hope? Or is ita smoldering desire basedon a reality that once was—and will be again somedayin the future?

The Bible offers its own answers to thesequestions in its eye-opening,unfolding story of humanwar and peace.

2

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM

© 2007 RBC MINISTRIES

THE STORY OF PEACE

TThe notion of peace, as we have it in the Bible, has

monumental significance.In fact, the concept ofpeace forms the bookendsof the Bible. The frontbookend is found in the Old Testament in thesecond chapter of the first book: Genesis. Herepeace is not defined, it’sillustrated. And the pictureis of the Garden of Eden.

THE PEACE WE HAD

The Lord God planted agarden eastward in Eden,and there He put the manwhom He had formed.And out of the ground theLord God made every treegrow that is pleasant tothe sight and good forfood (Gen. 2:8-9).One of the first things

to note about this Old

Testament paradise is that man recognized Eden’s beauty before hesaw its utility. As Adamawoke in the Garden, whathe observed delighted his

eyes. And what he noticedwere its trees—beautifultrees that would alsoprovide food.

From all the biblicalreferences to the Garden ofEden, we form a picture ofutopia. Here, surroundedby life-giving rivers, the first man and woman hadintimate communion withtheir Creator. They walkedand talked with God. All was beautiful. All was comfortable. All washarmonious. Life in all

3

The concept of peace forms the bookends of the Bible.

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


its richness, completeness,and goodness filled thelandscape of Eden. And inits center was a tree whosefruit guaranteed that manwould not die: the tree oflife. Here too, however, wasthe forbidden tree: the treeof the knowledge of goodand evil (Gen. 2:9).

In this paradise, Godgraciously protected ourfirst parents from toxicideas and experiences. Infact, He forbade Adam andEve to eat the fruit of thetree of the knowledge ofgood and evil (v.17). As a wise parent warns anunknowledgeable andinnocent child aboutdanger, so God sought toprotect naive and innocentAdam and Eve. To trustHim was to be safe.

If there were a movieabout the moral history ofmankind, this is the placein the story where thebackground music wouldtransition to a minor key.

THE PEACE WE LOSTWe know, all too well, thestory that followed. Adamand Eve were seduced bySatan to distrust theirCreator. Although theydidn’t realize it at the time,they were about to cross aline of no return. As a resultof their disobedience, ourfirst parents were banishedfrom the Garden and lostaccess to the tree of life.

Adam and Eve failed inwhat theologians now callthe “cultural mandate.” TheCreator’s intent was for Hisimage-bearers to build aculture where the peace of God could express itsunlimited potential forbeauty and wonder.

Instead of uninterruptedpeace and happiness, wefind in the fourth chapter ofGenesis the unfolding storyof rapid social disintegration.Here we read of the firstphysical death. We watch asCain, the murderer, becomes

4

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


a fugitive who builds a cityof rebels. From that pointonward, humanity was on a downhill slide.

This heartbreakingcollapse of the humanfamily is reflected in JohnSteinbeck’s classic East OfEden, a title that was takenfrom Genesis 4:16. Hisnovel, which takes place at the beginning of the 20th century, alludes to and parallels in many ways the self-destructive choicesmade by Cain in Genesis 4.

Steinbeck’s novel showsthat God did not demandcompliance to satisfy some

divine ego. Instead, our compliance with His requirements was for our own good.

By rejecting the lovingintent of their Maker, moralbeings became mortal.From their first moment of distrust, Adam and Evewere no longer at one withtheir Creator, themselves, or the ground beneath theirfeet (Gen. 3:17-19). Nowneither they nor theirchildren would experiencethe ultimate tranquility, thewholeness, the freedom fromhard labor, and the freedomfrom the fear of violence anddeath they had known inEden.

But God left the memoryof Eden etched upon thesouls of a rebel family. Tothis day, the human race isleft with a lingering desirefor what we lost.

What did we lose? Welost the peace. This was thetheme of English literature’smost comprehensive epic

5

By rejecting the loving

intent of theirMaker, moralbeings became

mortal.

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


poem on human moralhistory: John Milton’sParadise Lost. In it, mankind bemoans its fate:

Farewell, happy fields,where joy forever dwells: Hail horrors, hailinfernal world; and thou,profoundest hell, receivethy new possessor.

THE PEACE THAT’S COMINGJump ahead to the farbookend of the Bible—tothe final two chapters of the book of Revelation. TheNew Testament Greek wordfor peace does not appearhere. What does appear is a portrait of another idealhuman setting with echoesof Eden.

In the Bible’s finalchapter, we see ourparadise regained:

[The angel] showed me apure river of water of life,clear as crystal, proceedingfrom the throne of God

and of the Lamb. In themiddle of its street, and oneither side of the river, wasthe tree of life, which boretwelve fruits, each treeyielding its fruit everymonth. The leaves of thetree were for the healing of the nations. And thereshall be no more curse, butthe throne of God and ofthe Lamb shall be in it,and His servants shallserve Him (Rev. 22:1-3).The apostle John gives

us a glimpse of this place of everlastingly restoredbliss, with its river, clear as crystal, flowing from thethrone of God and of theLamb (Jesus). The life-givingriver streams through themedian of a boulevard that’s lined by fruit trees.

In the mind’s eye ofredeemed humanity risesthe image of Eden past andits beautiful trees, trees thatseem to bow before thegreat tree: the tree of life.

Remember, this is the 6

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


tree from which we werebanished, the tree God leftprotected by an angel with aflaming sword. But here inthis place there is no angelto forbid our approach. Toour great joy we discoverthat the tree that occupiesthis central spot in the holygarden paradise is indeedthe tree of life.

In Genesis we learn ofthe great potential withinpre-civilized humanity tolive in community with Godand the earth. In Revelationwe see the ideal of civilizedhuman culture—a placeoccupied not by two peoplein communion with God,but an unnumbered host of people communing withGod. This is the epitome of “community.” In thispeaceful paradise, as in the first, there is no death,sorrow, crying, nor pain.

John’s vision of eternalpeace represents theultimate bookend of theBible. He foresaw, at the

end of this age, a newheaven and earth withoutconflict, without death, and without end.

John’s revelation of the future sees beyond the anticipation of theprophets of Israel whoforesaw a messianic age that will have many but not all the characteristics of the eternal kingdom.

This age of peace will be marked by thecoming of an anointed King (Isa. 9:6) whose rulewill be characterized by agolden age of internationalpeace (Isa. 2:1-4).

7

Under the restored rule

of this MessiahKing, the natural

world will betransformed.

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


Under the restored rule of this Messiah King,the natural world will betransformed. The climatewill be ideal (Isa. 30:23-26),wild animals will be tame(Isa. 11:6-8), fishing will beabundant (Ezek. 47:9-10),people will have good health(Isa. 35:5-6), life will belengthened (Isa. 65:19-22),and trees will provide foodand medicine (Ezek. 47:12).

John Wesley tried toimagine what nature mightexperience in a transformedworld that, under God’srestored rule, would bemarked by peace ratherthan conflict:

The whole brute creationwill then, undoubtedly,be restored, not only tothe vigor, strength, andswiftness which they hadat their creation, but to afar higher degree of eachthan they ever enjoyed.They will be restored,not only to that measureof understanding which

they had in paradise, butto a degree of it as muchhigher than that, as theunderstanding of anelephant is beyond thatof a worm. And whateveraffections they had inthe garden of God willbe restored with vastincrease; being exaltedand refined in a mannerwhich we ourselves are not now able tocomprehend. The libertythey then had will becompletely restored, andthey will be free in alltheir motions. They willbe delivered from allirregular appetites, fromall unruly passions, fromevery disposition that iseither evil in itself, orhas any tendency to evil. No rage will befound in any creature,no fierceness, no cruelty,or thirst for blood.

8

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


THE PORTRAITOF PEACE

MMany are familiarwith a classicpainting by

Edward Hicks titled “ThePeaceable Kingdom.” It isAmerican art done in theprimitive genre common to the Revolutionary Warperiod. The paintingillustrates the Scripturepassage by the prophetIsaiah, in which he foretellsthe characteristics of thefuture messianic kingdomdescribed in chapter 11:

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, theleopard shall lie downwith the young goat, thecalf and the young lionand the fatling together;and a little child shalllead them. The cow andthe bear shall graze; theiryoung ones shall lie downtogether; and the lionshall eat straw like theox. The nursing child

shall play by the cobra’shole, and the weanedchild shall put his handin the viper’s den. Theyshall not hurt nor destroyin all My holy mountain,for the earth shall be fullof the knowledge of theLord as the waters coverthe sea (vv.6-9).People are puzzled

when they discover thatsome prints of Hicks’painting are different. So which is the real one?They all are. Hicks paintedat least 60 and as many as 100 versions of it! Thepopularity of this image—then and now—highlightsthe longing in the humanheart for peace.

In simplified versions of this prophetic vision ofpeace, Hicks surrounded theimage with poetic couplets: • The wolf did with

the lambkin dwell in peace/His grimcarnivorous nature there did cease.

9

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


• The leopard with the harmless kid laiddown/And not onesavage beast was seen to frown.

• The lion with the fatling on did move/A little child was leading them in love.When the artist painted

smiling lions, docile cattle,contented wolves, andleopards resting in thepresence of lambs and kids, he seems to haveunderstood the implicationof Paul’s picture of comingpeace for nature itself:

I consider that the

sufferings of this presenttime are not worthy to be compared with theglory which shall berevealed in us. For the

earnest expectation of thecreation eagerly waits forthe revealing of the sonsof God. For the creationwas subjected to futility,not willingly, but becauseof Him who subjected it in hope; because thecreation itself also will be delivered from thebondage of corruptioninto the glorious liberty of the children of God(Rom. 8:18-21).

10

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


The prospect of peace is a thrilling hope. But thereality of present conflict andsuffering continues to assaultthat hope with pain. Thispain is felt and expressed by a sort of universal groan.

Nature groans. People groan.Even God, in the Holy Spirit,groans. However, we mustnot overlook the promise inthe pain. In verse 22, Paulwent on to reveal that “thewhole creation groans andlabors with birth pangstogether until now.” So whilewe suffer from the lack of

peace and tranquility now, we can find comfort in realizing that creation’sagony and our agony are not permanent. Our sharedsuffering is giving birth toultimate peace, and weshould “eagerly wait for itwith perseverance” (v.25).

Hicks’ many illustrationsdepicted not only a futuremessianic kingdom of peace but also examples of human peacemaking thatare appropriate to thosewho share God’s love for aworld as it was meant to be.

In most of his works,Hicks, who was a Quaker,illustrates a significanthistorical event: WilliamPenn signing a peace treatywith the Delaware Indians—a treaty that this devoutman and his compatriotsnever broke. Penn alsoobtained land by paying thenative Americans a fair pricefor it, not taking it from themby force. (One wonders whatmight have happened in the

11

The prospect ofpeace is a thrilling

hope. But thereality of present

conflict andsuffering continues

to assault thathope with pain.

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


United States if all thecolonists of the New Worldhad followed Penn’sexample.)

Hicks’ inclusion of Pennand the Indians showed hisbelief that we have a presentresponsibility to work forpeace in our relationshipswith others—individuals,people groups, and entirenations. Each of hispaintings was a biblicalsermon on canvas—asermon about peacemaking.

Yearning for a peaceablefuture is incomplete unless

it’s accompanied by a present practicalcommitment to peace.Followers of Jesus have everyreason now to listen to theirTeacher who said, “Blessedare the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Mt. 5:9).

Early 19th-centuryMethodist theologian Adam Clarke eloquentlyreflected on the kind of man or woman he believedJesus was talking about:

A peacemaker is a manwho, being endowed witha generous public spirit,labors for the public goodand feels his own interestpromoted in promotingthat of others. Therefore,instead of fanning the fire of strife, he uses hisinfluence and wisdom toreconcile the contendingparties, adjust theirdifferences, and restorethem to a state of unity. As all men arerepresented to be in a

12

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


state of hostility to God and each other, the gospel is called thegospel of peace, becauseit tends to reconcile mento God and to each other.Hence, our Lord hereterms peacemakers thechildren of God: For asHe is the Father of peace,those who promote it are reputed [to be] Hischildren. But whosechildren are they whofoment divisions in thechurch, the state, oramong families? Surelythey are not of that God,who is the Father ofpeace, and lover ofconcord; nor of thatChrist, who is thesacrifice and mediator ofit; nor of that Spirit, whois the nourisher and bondof peace; nor of thatchurch of the Most High,which is the kingdom and family of peace.In contrast to such a love

for peace, history is one of

tragic, ongoing conflict thatconfirms over and over ourneed for a solution that Godalone can give. And so we,along with all creation, waitfor that promised kingdomof peace.

While Edward Hickspainted the peacemakingwork of William Penn intothe background of hisillustrated sermon, he oftenset the symbol of history’sgreatest Peacemaker in thecenter of it—in the glowingform of a snow-white lamblying quietly beside thefigure of a child or a wolf.

The observer of thesepaintings can see thatnature’s violent order oftooth and claw has beenaltered. No two animalscould be so opposed incharacter: the strong,aggressive, ravenous wolfand the docile, harmless,innocent lamb. But what isnot seen in the painting isthe inexpressible price thatwas paid for this peace.

13

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


THE COST OF PEACE

TThe vision of apeaceable messianickingdom in which all

creation is once again atone with its Creator is first revealed to us early in Isaiah 11 and shownagain in chapter 65. But inbetween, we find a strikingpicture of what it took forhumanity’s lost paradise tobe regained. It is Isaiah’sprophetic vision of theLamb of God, immortalizedmore than 200 years ago by George Frideric Handelin his magnificent oratorioMessiah.

He was wounded for ourtransgressions, He wasbruised for our iniquities;the chastisement for ourpeace was upon Him,and by His stripes we arehealed. All we like sheephave gone astray; wehave turned, every one, to his own way; and the

Lord has laid on Him theiniquity of us all. He wasoppressed and He wasafflicted, yet He openednot His mouth; He wasled as a lamb to theslaughter, and as a sheepbefore its shearers issilent, so He opened notHis mouth (Isa. 53:5-7).As the setting of peace

forms the bookends of theBible, so the sacrificiallamb—which suffers thatman may have peace—is a word picture and themethat extends from Genesis to Revelation. We see thefirst lamb sacrificed in thefallen first family: when Abel offered up the firstbornof his flock as a sacrifice for sin (Gen. 4:4). Next, the blood of a lamb wasswabbed on the door framesof the houses of the peopleof Israel as they prepared for their exodus from Egypt,protecting them from deathat the hands of the angel of God (Ex. 12).

14

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


Later, in the ceremonialrites of Israel established by God (see the book ofLeviticus), the sacrifice of a lamb becomes a peaceoffering that temporarilymade amends for their sins. In this national act ofredemption, a remorsefulpeople regularly saw peaceshattered by violence—theinnocent being sacrificed for the guilty.

These ceremonies ofsacrifice continued until the days when a ruggedprophet of the wildernesspointed to a rabbi fromNazareth and announced,“Behold! The Lamb of Godwho takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29).Fittingly, Jesus’ public life ended during thecelebration of Passoverwhen He offered Himself asthe ultimate sacrificial lambon the cross of Calvary.

In his Revelation of Jesus Christ, the apostleJohn saw a vision of the

future restoration of peacethat comes through the Onewho was sacrificed by Godon the cross. While he wasin exile on the Isle ofPatmos, John saw in thecourts of heaven the figureof “a Lamb as though it had been slain” (5:6). This Lambwould break the seven sealsof a scroll that would revealto the entire cosmos themeaning of that greatsacrifice: It assured thereturn of eternal peace. The breaking of the sealsbrought such joy that not only did the angelicresidents of glory sing their praises, but so did thecreatures of the earth—nodoubt in celebration of theend of the curse that hadbrought them constantsuffering:

Then I looked, and Iheard the voice of manyangels around the throne,the living creatures, andthe elders; and the numberof them was ten thousand

15

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


times ten thousand, andthousands of thousands,saying with a loud voice:“Worthy is the Lamb whowas slain to receive powerand riches and wisdom,and strength and honorand glory and blessing!”And every creature whichis in heaven and on theearth and under the earthand such as are in the sea,and all that are in them, Iheard saying: “Blessingand honor and glory andpower be to Him who sitson the throne, and to theLamb, forever and ever!”(Rev. 5:11-13).According to the New

Testament, this eternal hope comes with immediateimplications. The price paidby Christ’s death on thecross has purchased morethan our eternal hope andpeace. The immeasurablesuffering of Christ has alsoestablished a basis forpersonal peace with Godand with one another.

The Jewish apostle Paulwrote to readers who wereonce Gentile enemies:

Now in Christ Jesus youwho once were far offhave been brought nearby the blood of Christ.For He Himself is ourpeace, who has madeboth one, and has broken down the middlewall of separation, havingabolished in His flesh theenmity, that is, the law ofcommandments containedin ordinances, so as tocreate in Himself one newman from the two, thusmaking peace, and thatHe might reconcile themboth to God in one body through the cross,thereby putting to deaththe enmity. And He cameand preached peace toyou who were afar off and to those who werenear. For through Him we both have access byone Spirit to the Father(Eph. 2:13-18).

16

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


In Paul’s day, makingsuch a statement of peacebetween longstandingethnic enemies could onlybe attributed to the workthat Christ had done in hisheart—and in the hearts ofhis readers. Together, theyhad found a champion andhope for peace far greaterthan themselves.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE

AAlong with the apostle Paul’s

Ephesian readers, we are living in a waitingperiod between paradises.Our first parents lost their original paradise byviolating the one rule oftrust given to them.

Their loss prompted ourloving God to take the formof a man and offer Himselfas a sacrifice for our sin. Only because of Hisdeath and subsequentresurrection can those of

us who repent and acceptthis sacrifice as payment for our sin have assuranceof our soul’s entry intoparadise when we die, and our body’s entry to thepeaceable eternal kingdomat the end of days.

But do we have to justassume this without anyhistoric evidence? No. Wehave the testimony of theBible, which verifies fromcover to cover both thereliability and rationality of our hope.

As to our soul’s entryinto paradise, we have therecorded words of Jesus on the cross who told thepenitent thief on the crossbeside Him, “I say to you,today you will be with Mein Paradise” (Lk. 23:43).Furthermore, the letters ofthe apostle Paul and theapostle John’s Revelationare filled with promises ofour body’s entry into God’seternal kingdom.

The remarkable growth 17

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


of the church after Jesusbodily left this earth andreturned to the Father wasmotivated in large part bybelief in a coming materialkingdom. This faith of theearly Christians was tieddirectly to the real andtouchable person of JesusChrist, who both in His life and death providedirrefutable evidence foranticipation of a comingkingdom of peace. The mostcompelling case, of course,was Jesus’ resurrection. But even before His death,He demonstrated in His many miracles the reality of existence without thethreat of suffering, disease,and death.

THE POWER OF THE PRINCEWhen Jesus performed Hismiracles, He was revealingto us the significance of His prophetic title as thePrince of Peace and Hisangelically proclaimed task

of bringing peace to earth and goodwill to men (Isa. 9:6; Lk. 2:14).

By His supernaturalpower, Jesus showed that Heis the source of the peace ofthe ancient Garden and thepeace of the future Garden

City. His miracles of healingand restoration revealed to a suffering world whatultimate peace looks like. In calming the storm andmastering other natural

18

By His supernatural power, Jesus

showed that He is the source of the peace of theancient Garden and the peace of the futureGarden City.

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


forces, He gave us a glimpseof nature free from thecurse. In healing diseases,He showed us the perpetualtherapeutic properties of thetree of life that will reappearin the holy Garden City for“the healing of the nations”(Rev. 22:2). In exorcisingand commanding demons,He revealed His power overthe prince of demons whodeceived Adam and Eve inthe Garden and who will be absent from that eternalkingdom. And finally, in His ultimate miracle—Hisown resurrection—Hedemonstrated His powerover death, the dreadfulspecter that has haunted ussince our banishment fromEden but will be absent fromour eternal home (see theDiscovery Series booklet TheMiracles Of Jesus Q0212).

THE CROWN OF THE PRINCEWhile the Bible does notexplicitly state it, the crown

of thorns that Jesus wascompelled to wear at Hiscrucifixion may well haverepresented the curse andthe broken peace of thenatural world. In Genesis,thorns and thistles were the natural elements thatmarked the fall of man intosin (Gen. 3:18). In wearingthe mocking crown, Jesussuffered and bled from thepress of the thorns uponHis head. Yet that verysuffering and Hissubsequent deathguaranteed creation’sultimate blessing—aredeemed and peaceableearth free from effects ofboth the fall and the curse.

Stated simply, themiracles that marked thelife, death, and resurrectionof Jesus Christ give usdramatic evidence for the life of peace that Godintended for us in thebeginning—and will bringabout once again in thefinal eternal kingdom.

19

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


THE WORDS FOR PEACETHE PRIMARY TERMFOR PEACE IN THE OLD TESTAMENTThe Hebrew term thatencompasses the peace welost is the word shalom. It’sfound 208 times in the OldTestament. When all itsuses are considered, wefind that it’s a rich term that provides us a virtualdescription of Eden. Hereare many of its tones:completeness, soundness,welfare, safety, health,prosperity, quietness,tranquility, contentment,freedom from war, andfriendship with God and others. No wonder our hearts long for the shalom that characterizedmankind’s original home.

THE PRIMARY TERMFOR PEACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENTThe Greek term that

encompasses the Bible’sfinal vision of peace iseirene. Examining the 86occurrences of this word in the New Testament, we discover this broadmeaning: a state of nationaltranquility, exemption fromrage and war, harmony,concord, peace betweenindividuals, security, safety,prosperity, and the peaceMessiah will bring.

The term eirene also has ameaning that is exclusive toNew Testament Christianity:the tranquil state of a soulassured of its salvationthrough Christ, fearingnothing from God and beingcontent with its earthly lot,whatever that may be.

Finally, it relates to thestate of devout and faithfulfollowers of Christ afterdeath. So in the souls ofthose who trust in Christ,not only is there a memoryof our lost Garden, there’salso a yearning for thecoming Garden City.

20

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


OTHER BIBLICALTERMS FOR PEACE There are other biblicalterms for peace. In theHebrew, we find differentwords for peace that relateto our common humanexperience: keep yourpeace (as in “hush!”),peace that comes when weare astonished into silence,peace that simply meanssilence or deafness, peacethat comes because there is no war or violence, andthe peace that comes withprosperity. Still the primaryHebrew term is shalom.

From its broad meaning,we can see that shalombecomes a golden strandthat extends backward toEden, when there was nodeath for people, andstretches forward to thecoming eternal kingdom of God, when there will beno more death for people.Because the fear of deathaccompanies all of humanlife, we will not have such

perfect peace until death is vanquished.

In the Greek language,there are also a number of different terms for peace, and they too define the samecommon human experiencesexpressed by the Hebrew—chiefly about being silent orat rest. Yet the key word iseirene. It takes the batonfrom shalom in the last bookof the Old Testament andcarries it on to the last bookof the New Testament.

THE GREETINGOF PEACE

TThe sign says, “Peacebe with you.” Thewords appear in three

languages: English, Hebrew,and Arabic. It’s a fitting signbecause it’s posted at theentry point to Bethlehemfrom Jerusalem. Making iteven more significant is that the sign faces a hillyarea that’s been knownthroughout much of Middle

21

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


Eastern history as “theshepherds’ fields.” Traditionholds that these fields arethe ones mentioned in theChristmas account from the gospel of Luke—fieldsmarked by the ruins of rocktowers that had for centuriesbeen used by shepherds“keeping watch over theirflock by night” (2:8). Close to this spot, the coming ofthe long-promised Prince of Peace was announced by the heralding angels whoconcluded their message of joy and good news withthese immortal words:“Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace, goodwilltoward men!” (2:14).

The irony of thecontemporary peace sign,however, is that it’s postedbeneath a gun tower on ahuge concrete wall recentlyconstructed by the nation of Israel to help prevent theentrance of terrorists into its territory. This loomingstructure is just one segment

of a wall and fence barrierthat is planned to run formore than 400 miles aroundthe Palestinian West Bank.Israelis consider it to be a“peace fence.” Palestiniansuse an Arabic term thatcharacterizes the barrier asa “racist segregation wall”encircling their land andcreating what they see as a parallel to the infamousWarsaw Ghetto thatconfined Polish Jews during World War II.

A further irony is foundin the fact that the phrase“peace be with you” is atraditional greeting used inboth the Jewish and Arabcommunities. In modernHebrew, the expression is “sholom aleichem.” InArabic, it is “assalamualaikum.” This commonexpression of goodwillundoubtedly led the Israeliofficials to emblazon their“peace fence” with thissubliminal human desire—in spite of what seems to

22

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


be perpetual hatred andviolence in the region. Yet it is no surprise to find this salutation historicallyrooted in the Middle East.

“Peace be with you” isactually one of the oldestgreetings ever recorded—going back to the time ofJacob, whom God hadrenamed Israel. Its firstappearance in the Bible, in fact, indicates that thephrase was not initially acourtesy without conviction,which it has become. It wasliterally an expression ofgrace—of favor that wastotally unmerited by itsrecipients.

We hear it first in thelongest narrative in theScriptures: the story ofJoseph, which takes up thelast 14 chapters of the bookof Genesis. The story ofJoseph is so rich and so fullof dramatic twists and turnsthat it has been called anovella (a mini novel). Manywould affirm that few stories

in the Bible touch the heartlike this story. It is, in fact,the Bible’s Les Miserables—in which law demandspunishment and death butmercy offers pardon and life.

The occasion is Joseph’s second greeting of his brothers who hadsold him into slavery yearsearlier. If Joseph had been aman given to revenge, therewould have been no secondmeeting. As Pharaoh’ssteward in command overthe resources of Egypt, hecould have commandedthat they all be executed as soon as he discoveredwho these scoundrels were.That’s what justice wouldhave demanded. But mercyreigned in Joseph’s heart. So when the mercifulmagistrate orchestrated the certain return of hisbrothers into his presence,he met them with a greetingof grace: “Peace be withyou,” he said (Gen. 43:23).

It has not escaped Bible 23

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


students over the centuriesthat the story of Joseph has striking similarities to the story of Jesus. Books have been written on thecomparisons. A parallel that applies to the issue of peace is how Josephepitomizes a savior whoinstead of meting out justice offers grace. Andwith the acceptance of thatgrace, peace is granted tohis entire family.

As a youth, Joseph was at the mercy of his cruelbrothers, who tormentedhim, rejected him, andfinally sold him into slavery.He became dead to them.Years later, however, theywere stunned to learn thatthe one they thought wasdead was alive. Not onlythat, Joseph returned as theirjudge. And then he forgavethem. They expected to heara death sentence, but theygot a blessing instead!

How like Jesus! Hesuffered at the hands of

His Hebrew brothers and died because of theirhostility and cruelty. UnlikeJoseph, however, Jesusforgives His brothers evenbefore His return to ultimatepower and authority. This is to our great blessing,because that forgiveness is also offered to us.

Jesus has every right to use His divine authorityto condemn us to death for our rebellion anddisobedience. But He offers us grace. Think ofhow thrilling it must havebeen for His disciples, ourbrothers in sin, to be thefirst to hear from Jesus thevery same greeting Josephgave his fearful brothers.Behind a locked door infear of death at the handsof the angry religiousleaders who had demandedthe crucifixion of Jesus, thedisciples awaited their ownfate. Instead of the forces of the Jewish Sanhedrin,however, a solitary figure

24

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


quietly entered theirpresence in spite of thebarred door. It was the risenChrist! And the first wordsthey heard from Him afterHis resurrection addressedtheir fear: “Peace be withyou” (Jn. 20:19). Two moretimes in the ensuing hoursand days their Lord used acontraction of the greeting:“Peace to you!” (vv.21,26).

One wonders why there is no record of such a greeting from the lips ofJesus before the crucifixion,but accounts of it after Herose from the dead. Onepossible answer lies in thesignificance of His deathand resurrection. Mankindcould not truly have peacewith God until the Lamb of God was offered up as a sacrifice for our sin. AfterHis suffering, Jesus couldfinally offer the ultimategreeting of grace, saying in essence, “You were deadin trespasses and sin. Now,by satisfying the demands

of God’s justice, I havebecome your peace” (see Eph. 2:14).

In the days thatfollowed, Jesus met withmany of His disciples—explaining, at least to twoof them, how the ancientScriptures had foretold Hiscoming and His offer ofgrace to those who meritedjustice and death (Lk.24:25-27). Isaiah’s greatmessianic prophecy was no doubt one of thoseconnections Jesus made for His disciples:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and thegovernment will be uponHis shoulder. And Hisname will be calledWonderful Counselor,Mighty God, EverlastingFather, Prince of Peace.Of the increase of Hisgovernment and peacethere will be no end,upon the throne of Davidand over His kingdom, to

25

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


order it and establish itwith judgment and justicefrom that time forward,even forever. The zeal ofthe Lord of hosts willperform this (Isa. 9:6-7).After Jesus’ resurrection,

His disciples would morefully understand the wordsHe had spoken to themearlier:

Peace I leave with you,My peace I give to you;not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not yourheart be troubled, neitherlet it be afraid (Jn. 14:27).

BIBLICALEXPRESSIONS OF PEACE

IIfind great hope both inthe soul’s memory ofEden’s shalom and the

heart’s longing for the eireneof the coming kingdom.Bolstering that hope are therevelations of peace foundin the miracles of Jesus. Yetthese demonstrations of

ultimate peace can quicklyfade from my awarenesswhen I’m battling the realityof the less-than-peacefulpresent. Is this vestige andpromise of ultimate peacethe only hope we have, oris there hope for serenityand harmony now? TheScriptures are filled withpromises of a partial peacethat people can have in thepresent. Consider these:

THE BLESSING OF PEACEWhen the ceremoniesrelated to worship in thewilderness tabernacle werebeing given by God toMoses, the Creator offereda wonderful blessing thepriests were to give thepeople of Israel as theylived in obedience. Thisblessing of peace is stillperhaps the most commonbenediction in Christianchurches around the world:

The Lord bless you andkeep you; the Lord make

26

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift upHis countenance uponyou, and give you peace (Num. 6:24-26). There is a peace

we can expect when we live in accord with God’smandates.

THE POETRY OF PEACEThe Old Testament book of Psalms is filled withpoetry of peace. Here’s a sampling:• I will both lie down in

peace, and sleep; for Youalone, O Lord, make medwell in safety (4:8).

• The Lord will givestrength to His people;the Lord will bless Hispeople with peace(29:11).

• Mark the blameless man,and observe the upright;for the future of that manis peace (37:37).

• In His days the

righteous shall flourish,and abundance of peace,until the moon is no more (72:7).

• Mercy and truth have met together;righteousness and peacehave kissed (85:10).

• Great peace have thosewho love Your law, andnothing causes them tostumble (119:165). In these verses we see

realizations of both presentand future peace: now, aswe seek to live in harmonywith God’s will and Word,and ultimate peace that willmark the eternal estate ofthose who accept the peaceoffering of the Lamb of God,Jesus Christ.

THE PROVERBS OF PEACEFollowing the poetry, we have the wisdom ofSolomon’s proverbs of peace:• My son, . . . let your heart

keep my commands; for 27

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


length of days and longlife and peace they willadd to you (3:1-2).

• [Wisdom’s] ways areways of pleasantness, and all her paths arepeace (3:17).

• Deceit is in the heart ofthose who devise evil, butcounselors of peace havejoy (12:20).

• When a man’s waysplease the Lord, he makeseven his enemies to be atpeace with him (16:7).Again the message is

that when we are wise,honest, understanding, and walking in the ways ofGod, we will (as a generalrule) experience peace inour daily lives.

THE PROPHECIESOF PEACEAfter the poetry and theproverbs, we discover thewonderful prophecies ofpeace:• You will keep him in

perfect peace, whose

mind is stayed on You,because he trusts in You (Isa. 26:3).

• The work of righteousnesswill be peace, and theeffect of righteousness,quietness and assuranceforever (Isa. 32:17).

• “The mountains shalldepart and the hills beremoved, but Mykindness shall not departfrom you, nor shall Mycovenant of peace beremoved,” says the Lord,who has mercy on you(Isa. 54:10).

• I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlastingcovenant with them; Iwill establish them andmultiply them, and I willset My sanctuary in theirmidst forevermore (Ezek.37:26).

• “The glory of this lattertemple shall be greaterthan the former,” says the Lord of hosts. “And in this place I will give

28

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


peace,” says the Lord of hosts (Hag. 2:9).

• You, child [John theBaptist], will be called the prophet of theHighest; for you will go before the face of theLord to prepare His ways,to give knowledge ofsalvation to His people bythe remission of their sins,through the tender mercyof our God, with whichthe Dayspring from onhigh has visited us; togive light to those who sit in darkness and theshadow of death, to guideour feet into the way ofpeace (Lk. 1:76-79).Of course, the continued

theme here is that when weadhere to the values ofGod’s ultimate kingdomwhile we live in the presentkingdom of Satan, we willreceive a significant measureof peace—not the ultimatepeace, but a soul peace thatgives us a foretaste of thatwhich is to come.

JESUS’ PROMISEOF PEACE

PPerhaps no assuranceof peace is more

treasured than thatwhich we find in John14:27—Jesus’ great promiseof peace to His disciples.This promise is also to the disciples who wouldcontinue to grow in numberthroughout the ages untilHis second coming:

Peace I leave with you,My peace I give to you;not as the world gives doI give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.Biblical commentator

Adam Clarke paraphrasedJesus’ words like this:

Such tranquility of soul, such uninterruptedhappiness of mind, such everlastingfriendship with God as I enjoy, may you all enjoy! And suchblessedness I bequeath

29

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


unto you: it is My last,My best, My dyinglegacy.We realize, of course,

that the promise of peacedepends upon our faith inthe sacrifice of the Lamb ofGod through whom we aremade right with our Creator.The apostle Paul made thisclear in his letters to theyoung churches in Europein which he explained thepeace of justification:

It pleased the Father that in [Jesus Christ] allthe fullness should dwell,and by Him to reconcileall things to Himself, byHim, whether things onearth or things in heaven,having made peacethrough the blood of His cross (Col. 1:19-20).It’s thrilling to see in this

passage that all things inGod’s creation will one dayexperience the peace thatcomes through the sacrificeof the Lamb of God.

It was Jesus’ promise

of peace that soon became a message to the church. Before Jesusascended to the Father, He commissioned Hisfollowers, declaring thatthey must “go into all the world and preach thegospel to every creature”(Mk. 16:15). And theapostle Paul added, from the Old Testamentprophet Isaiah:

How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel ofpeace, who bring gladtidings of good things!(Rom. 10:15).It’s important to realize,

however, that this offer ofpeace was not made only in the months and yearsimmediately after theresurrection and ascensionof Christ. It continued to be the proclamation of the church from that timeuntil now. Paul wrote:

Having been justified by faith, we have peace

30

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,through whom also wehave access by faith intothis grace in which westand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:1-2). This means that

whoever puts his or herfaith in the sacrificial Lamb of God who died forour sins will receive God’sultimate salutation of grace:“Peace be unto you.”

In the following hymn,Frances Havergal gives abeautiful picture of God’speace:

Like a river gloriousis God’s perfect peace,

Over all victorious in its bright increase;Perfect, yet it floweth

fuller every day.Perfect, yet it groweth

deeper all the way.Stayed upon Jehovah,hearts are fully blest;

Finding, as He promised,perfect peace and rest.

GOD’S OFFER OF PEACE

AAs I pursued my studyof the concept of

peace in the Bibleover several months, I cameto the firm belief that theScriptures do not merelygive us a collection ofdivine thoughts aboutpeace; they are virtuallyGod’s biography of peace.

The first book of the Bible chronicles theaccount of humanity’s firstideal peaceable kingdom. Itgoes on from there to tell ofour tragic fall into sin andrebellion. Following that,we see the hand of Godcreating through Abraham apeople out of whom He willbless all the nations of theearth with the peace we allso desperately long for.

The remainder of the Old Testament follows the ups and downs of thechildren of Israel, who wereto be the world’s glowing

31

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


example of a nation atpeace with God.

The New Testamentbegins with four greatnarratives about the Onewho humanly descendedfrom Abraham to pay adreadful price—that of a sacrificial Lamb whowould die for the sins of the world.

From there, thebiography records the story of the new examplesof a people intended byGod to shed the light ofpeace upon the world—thechurch of Jesus Christ.

Finally, we come to the messianic kingdom of peace that is replacedultimately by the eternalkingdom that God wantsevery person to experience.The apostle Peter wrote:

The Lord is not slackconcerning His promise,as some count slackness,but is longsufferingtoward us, not willingthat any should perish

but that all should cometo repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).Because of this great

desire of His, the Bible ends with a final invitationto a world desperate toexperience ultimate peace.That peace can be oursbecause of the One who sits on the ultimate throneof peace:

There shall be no morecurse, but the throne ofGod and of the Lambshall be in it, and Hisservants shall serve Him.They shall see His face,and His name shall be on their foreheads. Thereshall be no night there:They need no lamp norlight of the sun, for theLord God gives themlight. And they shall reign forever and ever(Rev. 22:3-5). God desires for every

one of us the ultimatepeace that our bodies were made for and that our souls long for.

32

Q0728 Peace pp 4/2/07 10:43 AM


Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.

Discovery Series presents the truth of Jesus Christ to the world in balanced, engaging, and accessible resources that show the relevance of Scripture for all areas of life. All Discovery Series booklets are available at no cost and can be used in personal study, small groups, or ministry outreach.

To partner with us in sharing God’s Word, click this link to donate. Thank you for your support of Discovery Series resources and Our Daily Bread Ministries.

Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable Our Daily Bread Ministries to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. We are not funded or endowed by any group or denomination.

CLICK TO DONATE

http://ourdailybread.org/donate/

What Does The Bible Say About Peace?

Documents

Transcript of What Does The Bible Say About Peace?