Judges 6:22-24 The Lord is Peace

 22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”

23But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”

24So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace.f To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

“Why was Gideon afraid? Not because he was a coward-you will scarcely meet with a braver man in all Scripture than this son of Joash-but because even brave men are alarmed at the supernatural. He saw something which he had never seen before, an appearance celestial, mysterious, above what is usually seen of mortal men; therefore, as he feared God, Gideon was afraid.” (Spurgeon)

So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD: Gideon did this as an act of worship and consecration unto the LORD, whom he had just encountered face-to-face. He was no longer terrified of God, as demonstrated by the title given to the altar: The-LORD-Is-Peace. (Guzik)

“When Gideon is fully at peace, what does he begin to do for God? If God loves you he will use you either for suffering or service; and if he has given you peace you must now prepare for war. Will you think me odd if I say that our Lord came to give us peace that he might send us out to war?” (Spurgeon)

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Do you have the peace of God in Christ Jesus?

Peace be with you!