Shalom as Friendship

Shalom Human Relations 

On our journey through the seven nuances of meaning to Shalom.

Without shalom the harem will not find the right path. We will all be lead off onto a crooked one.

FYI: All the words in red are shalom in Hebrew, for translators often seek the meaning over the exact word.

This is the shalom that is the lack of conflict that the world craves so much but does nothing to achieve. This is the shalom that is between close friends where one knows that the other will only do them good and not evil. We all crave such friendships, we all want friends of shalom.

In the heart of every dreamer is the hope that they can make such friends with the whole world. Such absences of war will come according to the prophecies, however holding the nations in check and preventing them from making war, will require a Rod of Iron. [Psa. 2:9; Rev. 19:15] However that does not mean that we are not meant to try.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psa. 34:14

Peace between Isaac and Abimelech

26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army.  27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?”  28 They said, “We see plainly that the LORD is with you; so we say, let there be an oath between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you,  29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.”  30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.  31 In the morning they rose early and took oath with one another; and Isaac set them on their way, and they departed from him in peace.  32 That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”  33 He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba to this day. Gen. 26:26-31

Peace between David and the Philistines

So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 1 Sam. 29:7

Peace between David and the Priests

The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Look, go back to the city in peace, you and Abiathar, with your two sons, Ahima-az your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 2 Sam. 15:27

 

Deceitful Peace

Then there are those who are deceitful in their claims of seeking peace or close friendship.

Take me not off with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts. Psa. 28:3

For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they conceive words of deceit. Psa. 35:20 

Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peaceably to his neighbor, but in his heart he plans an ambush for him. Jer. 9:8

For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him.” Jer. 20:10

Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the princes of the king of Babylon and were saying, ‘Your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you; now that your feet are sunk in the mire, they turn away from you.’ Jer. 38:22

All your allies have deceived you, they have driven you to the border; your confederates have prevailed against you; your trusted friends have set a trap under you — there is no understanding of it. Obad. 1:7

 

Heels

Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me. Psa. 41:9 c.f. John 13:18

The paradigm for this manner of person is Judas Iscariot who betrayed our Lord while claiming to be his close or shalom friend. However he brought no shalom that night but rather lifted his heel.

The heel in ancient Hebrew culture, or anything to do with the foot really is to be deceptive, dishonest, or violent. Jacob grabbed Esau’s heel, trap seize people by their heels, [Job 18:9] armies march at their leader’s heal or turn heel and run. [Gen 49:17, 19; Judg 4:10,5:15] (See Also: Ruth 4 )

For the ultimate deceiver is said to bruise His heel.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Gen. 3:15

And when heel is a verb or adverb it means twist or crooked. Where there is no shalom, the roads are all crooked, and your feet or heel will not find the right way to go.

The way of peace they know not, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked, no one who goes in them knows peace. Is. 59:8

 

Peace that is Prosperity

However when the path is straight and the harem seeks such a straight path there is shalom in the mountains, and the hills are righteous.

Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! Psa. 72:3

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan good have joy. Prov. 12:20

 

When the harem is walking on the shalom path, the government has no conflict  with the faithful, as with King Zerubbabel and the High Priest Joshua.

It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD, and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule upon his throne. And there shall be a priest by his throne, and peaceful understanding shall be between them both.”’ Zech. 6:13

 

Peace with God

He gave us a covenant of shalom that we might live in a close relationship with Him. We in the Harem claim that we want this Peace with God, however for some reason the children of God seem to say one thing however we live our lives in such ways that this shalom cannot be obtained.

The Aaronic Benediction 

This is said by the Rabbi and in some churches at the end of every service. It becomes routine and the harem does not stop to think what they are being told.

22   The LORD said to Moses,  23 “Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,  

24 The LORD bless you and keep you:  25 The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:  26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. 

27   “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” Num. 6:22-27c.f. Psa. 29:11

The point of this benediction is to put YHWH’s name before the people. Few in the church have ever known that God has a name. (See Also: God’s name) The question is why have the leaders done this? Anyone reading the Hebrew Bible knows full well that God has a personal name. It’s everywhere.

 

Phinehas

Phinehas was a son of Aaron and therefore a priests. At Peor the people followed the teachings of Balaam. They married woman from Midian and the women brought with them the worship of Baal of Peor. While Moses, Aaron and the people were weeping about this great sin. A man and his Midianite woman began commiting a sex act inside the Tabernacle. Phinehas took a spear a pierced them through, stopping a plague of judgment that had come upon the people. For this violet and bloody act, the Lord blesses Phinehas.

Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace; Num. 25:12

Gideon

God took a self proclaimed nobody and told him he was a gever i.e. mighty man. He built the Lord a small altar and made a sacrifice, even though it was not the tabernacle and he was not a priest. He is a type of the people of the congregation who are to be our own prophets and priests. [1Pet. 2:9]

22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” 23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it, The LORD is peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites. Judg. 6:22-24

The Covenant of Peace

Although the covenant makes peace between us and our God, it is not based on flowers, candy, and empty oaths, but rather on the violent execution of our Lord.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. Is. 53:5

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Is. 54:10

A Fully Realized Future Peace

May you see your children’s children! Peace be upon Israel! Psa. 128:6 

All your sons shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the prosperity of your sons. Is. 54:13

“For you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Is. 55:12 

Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron. I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. Is. 60:17 

For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her hip, and dandled upon her knees. Is. 66:12 

“For thus says the LORD: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament, or bemoan them; for I have taken away my peace from this people, says the LORD, my steadfast love and mercy. Jer. 16:5 

For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11

The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.’” Hag. 2:9

The Nations in the Future

The beasts are the nations that opposed God. [Dan 2; 7; 8; Rev 12; 13]

But those who turn aside upon their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be in Israel! Psa. 125:5 

“I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. Ezek. 34:25 

I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will bless them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. Ezek. 37:26

That old serpent who gave his power to the nations will be defeated. [Rev. 12:3; 13:2]

1 In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. 

2 In that day: “A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! 3 I, the LORD, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest any one harm it, I guard it night and day; 4 I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would set out against them, I would burn them up together. 5 Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.” Is. 27:1-5

 

Messianic Prophecy

5 My covenant with him was a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might fear; and he feared me, he stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. Mal 2:5-6

Peace Like a River

The post modern church has left the commandments, and therefore has no shalom. We do not overflow like a river and we are not as endless as the waves of the seas.

O that you had hearkened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; Is. 48:18

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Psa. 85:8

One Day We will have Peace

Great peace have those who love thy law; nothing can make them stumble. Psa. 119:165

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Psa. 85:10