THE PEACE WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING- Part 1

WHAT IS PEACE?

Peace is the wholeness and well-being in all areas of life. It is that tranquility that one finds and feels inside the heart. When we obey God’s commandments and trust in Him, He gives us all round rest. Peace, a Biblical greeting of hello or good-bye (1 Sam. 1:17) “Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him,” denotes not just the absence of conflict but safety, wholeness, completeness and well-being in all relationships of life. It is God’s blessings for His people and comes as a gift from Him, (Num. 6:26) “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace,” from Jesus and from the Holy Spirit. Peace was proclaimed at the birth of Jesus Christ and achieved at the cross (Isa.53:5-8) “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was laid as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before His shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who would declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.” We receive peace when we are justified through faith and develop a close relationship with God (Isa. 45:25) “In the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory,” a peace that the wicked do not experience. Christians have a special responsibility to live at peace and harmony with others (Ps. 133:1) “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” One day when Jesus Christ comes again, there will be perfect peace.

THE BASIC MEANING OF PEACE

1.    Peace(‘Shalom”) is a Basic Greetings

Hello: The angel spoke to Daniel strengthens him and speak peace unto him (Dan. 10:18-19) “Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthens me. And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”   Jesus spoke peace to His disciples when He appeared into the room where the disciples were assembled (John 20:19) “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Apostle Paul used this greeting several times in his epistles (Gal. 1:3) “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Good-bye: David bid Abigail good-bye after heeding her advice and receiving from her hand what she presented to David and his servants (1 Sam. 25:35) “So David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See I have heeded your voice and respected your person.”  David again spoke peace to his son Absalom when he requested his father that he was to go and sacrifice to the Lord (2 Sam. 15:7-9) “Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord. For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, “if the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” And the king said to him, go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.”  Peter the apostle ended his first epistle with a good-bye peace (1 Pet. 5:14) “Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”  John the apostle ended his epistle with a word of peace (3 John 14) “But I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”

2.    Peace in a Political Sense

On the International scene:  God restored to Israel all that the Philistines had taken from them and they had peace with the Amorites (1 Sam. 7:14) “Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and Amonites.” Solomon had peace on every side all around him all is days (1 Kings 4:24) “For he had dominion over the entire region on this side of the River from Tiphsah even to Gaza, namely over all the kings on this side of the River; and he had peace on every side all around him.” Tertullus began his accusation against Paul by honoring the noble Felix thus (Acts 24:2) “And when he was called upon, Tertullus, began his accusation, saying; “Seeing that through you, we enjoy great peace and prosperity is being brought to the nation by your foresight.”

On the national scene:  When Abner came to David, he made a feast for him and later sent him in peace (2 Sam.3:20-23) “So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made feast for Abner and the men who were with him. Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rein over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”

3.    Peace in Human Relationships

In relationships with others:  Paul’s plea was that all men live peaceably (Rom. 12:18) “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”  See also (Heb. 12:14) “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Apostle Peter added (1 Pet. 3:11) “Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”

Among the Israelites people: The psalmist admonishes we seek peace and pursue it (Ps. 34:14) “Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” See also (Ps. 122:6-7) “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper those who love you. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.”

In relationships in the church:  Peace edifies the church (Acts 9:31) “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” Again (Rom. 14:19) “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”  And Apostle Paul’s last words to the Corinthians were thus (2 Cor. 13:11) “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”  And to the Ephesians he wrote (Eph. 2:14-17) “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.”

In the relationships in the homes:  When Joseph addresses his brothers (Gen. 44:17) “But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”  The preacher wrote (Prov. 17:1) “Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.”  He added thus (Prov. 29:17) “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.” Paul adds this concerning marriage partners (1 Cor. 7:15) “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called s to peace.”

4.    Personal Sense of Peace

In relationship with oneself:  A peaceful sleep to those who delight in the Lord (Ps. 4:8) “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”  And the preacher added (Prov. 14:30) “A sound heart is light to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.”  Paul had anguish in his heart concerning Titus (2 Cor. 2:13) “I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.”

In relationship with God: Perfect peace to those who trust in the Lord (Isa. 26:3) “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Justified by faith, we had peace (Rom. 5:1) “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace made through the blood of Jesus (Col. 1:20) “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” The peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7-9) “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, and whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy- meditates on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

“Grace to you and Favor of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen and Amen and Amen.”