03/01/2026
โIf you listen to the greetings of those from Israel, you will usually hear the word โShalom.โ If you read the original words of the Old Testament, the word or form of the word โshalomโ is used many times, translated as different forms of โpeaceโ โ examples such as tranquility, being at ease or being amenable with one another, having a quietness of soul. In researching many of those different passages, Iโve seen it reasoned that there are three basic forms of โshalomโ โ social, heavenly, and personal peace. Thereโs been a lot written about this and Iโm going to try to broadly describe those three forms in more of a Cliff Note way.
Social peace has to do with ongoing relationships between people in families, work places, educational institutions, local and national governments, countries and continents.
Heavenly Peace is the Peace of God that God offers through the death of His Son Jesus, who died obediently and sacrificially on the Cross to take our sins upon Himself so we can receive His Peace and have the blessed assurance of Eternal Life with Him when we leave this world.
And, if we choose to accept Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord over our life, we are promised His personal Peace โ the spiritual knowledge of our Salvation and of our relationship with God, as weโre led by the Holy Spirit into a growing knowledge of the Lord God and His ways. We will also be guided by His Spirit to share with others what God has done for us, sharing His Gospel with our testimonies.
In a perfect world, that sounds like it should just be like a domino effect where it all just smoothly falls into place. But, my friend, we donโt live in a perfect world โ we live in a sinful, broken world โ a world Jesus came and died for. Godโs Word is meant to and will spill out to others if we are faithful to testify to others about Him, but itโs imperative to also hear this:
God never guarantees social peace this side of Heaven. Never. Weโre told by Jesus, โIn this world you will have trouble,โ so even if we have assurance of His Salvation, it doesnโt mean a smooth-sailing life. The people of Israel in the Old Testament found it hard to understand this as they waited for Godโs promised Messiah and they rumbled and grumbled often. If weโre honest, we continue to do that when weโre going through hard times, even though we have the knowledge of Jesus and what He did on the Cross for us and have the assurance of Godโs Promises in His Word to โtake heart, Heโs overcome the world.โ
The Israelites lived in difficult times with Godโs Prophecy and Promise of the Messiah to come (Jesus), and we should never forget that even though we also live in difficult times, we have Godโs Prophecy and His Promise of the return of Jesus, โwhen His Rule and Peace will have no end.โ
Hear and hold on to Godโs Promise to you: if you have placed your life totally in the scarred hands of Jesus, He IS and will be for all Eternity your lasting Peace.
Shalom, my friend. Godโs Peace be with you.
โ Carol DeUsanio