shalom

What is the Meaning of Shalom? Is it Just a Hebrew Greeting?

Shalom doesn’t only mean Peace. It’s way more than that. This is a peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s a peace that comes from God — only from a relationship with YOUR Creator. You can’t find it in the world — nowhere on this earth. No matter how much your try. It’s not found in chakras, meditations, or even a peaceful lake. It’s only found THROUGH JESUS.

What does Shalom mean?

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace, but it’s more than just peace. It’s perfect peace — wholeness and completion. It’s not peace like the opposite of war. You can be in the middle of chaos and still have shalom. How? I’ll let the scriptures explain…

Back in the days of Moses, when God was giving Him instructions regarding the proper worship in the tabernacle, his brother Aaron was to be the high priest. God told Moses the following…

23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:

24 ‘May the Lord bless you
    and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
    and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
    and give you his peace (shalom).’

Numbers 6:23-27 NLT

It’s known as the “Aaronic Blessing”. Notice it says “His Peace” — God’s Peace. It’s not just everyday peace.

The prophet Isaiah wrote…

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

This is a prophecy of Jesus, Yeshua Hamashiach – the Messiah — the Prince of Peace. Notice verse 7: “His government and its peace will never end.” That’s the future Kingdom Come. HIS government is really a monarchy. He is the King of kings, Lord of lords, Master of us all.

Furthermore, we, as Christians, are called to “pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122). You’d think that could never happen with all the turmoil in Jerusalem between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Nevertheless, the Shalom that we pray for is a peace that will only occur when Jesus comes to rule in the Millennial Kingdom.

Can We Tap into this Shalom Now?

Before Jesus was crucified, He told us about His peace…

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

John 14:27 NLT

Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus said…

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NLT

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, because HE overcame the world, we do, too! Through His gift of the Holy Spirit, we receive that glorious SHALOM in our souls. That “peace that surpasses all understanding!” (Philippians 4)

Even after His Resurrection, He greeted His disciples twice with, “Peace be with you!” More than likely, He said, “Shalom!” (John 20)

One of the Bible Study plans in the Free, YouVersion Bible app explains it very nicely…

Peace of mind comes from our Master, Jesus. He is the master at putting our mind at ease with his eternal perspective. It is trust in Him that gives us tranquil thoughts. Without His peace we worry and fret. A peace-less mind is paralyzed by the thought of everything going awry. What can go wrong will go wrong because the odds are stacked against us. Without the peace of Christ we find ourselves with an overwhelming sense of dread, even despair. However, His peace transcends our tentative trust. It bolsters our belief in God. Our Savior extends a sweet sense of peace. In Christ we have peace of mind like a bee in a hive or a dove in the ark. His helmet of salvation produces peaceful thoughts.

Jesus is not stingy with His peace. He gives it liberally and lovingly (John 14:27). Beware of the fleeting peace the world offers. It is a very cheap substitute. The world’s peace is circumstantial. His peace transcends circumstances. The world’s peace is temporal. His peace is eternal. The world’s peace leads you to escape from God and reality. His peace leads you to engage with both. The world’s peace produces a limited perspective. His peace results in a robust and real view of life. The world’s peace has the residue of guilt and bondage. His peace leaves you forgiven and free. The world’s peace cannot remove fear. His peace overcomes fear with hope. The world’s peace is based on feelings. His peace is grounded in faith. Therefore, wisdom receives his peace. 

Once you apply the peace of Christ, you have peace of mind. Peace of mind gives you a platform for living purposely. Because you live purposely and peacefully you garner influence with others. People are attracted to the peaceful. They want to learn how to find and apply peace to their life circumstances. Your friends or family may not acknowledge it, but your peace is proof of God’s existence. Peace is a powerful apologetic for the Almighty. Your calmness during crisis can only be explained by Christ. Because you lean on Him, others want to lean on you. You are a “lean-to” for your Lord. So use prayerfully this platform of peace for ministry. People will line up for peace of mind.

Lastly, use your peace of mind as a gauge for God‘s will. If you have peace, proceed, but if you lack peace, heed. God‘s peace is a green light to go forward. The absence of His peace is a red light to refrain. Therefore be sensitive to the Spirit‘s peaceful prodding to go or stay. Either way you are ok as long as the Lord‘s peace is preeminent. Peace gives you a state of mind that is able to think clearly and wisely. Peace positions you for right thinking.

Wisdom Hunters

Here are some other quotes on Shalom:

“Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ.”

Sheila Walsh

“If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.”

Thomas Watson

James Strong defines the word shalom in his concordance as

“Welfare, wholeness, health, prosperity, and peace.”

James Strong

I recently heard in one of the podcasts I listen to…

“Sin blocks the shalom of God.

How true that is! If you are living in sin, you do not have the shalom of God! Seriously! I didn’t feel His Shalom until I surrendered my WHOLE LIFE to Him. While I tried to keep one foot in the world and another in the Kingdom, I did not feel shalom. While the world is dragging, tugging, pulling you away from His Kingdom, you will NOT feel Shalom! If you try and look for shalom in this world, you will NOT find it!

Isn’t about time you felt the Shalom of the Prince of Peace?

If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…

Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.

  • Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
  • Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
  • Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
  • Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.

Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…

Peace Like a River


Hymn of Heaven


My Testimony…

Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be The Glory!

Skip to content