What does the Bible say about Peace?
द्वारा New Christian Bible Study Staff, John Odhner
Here's an extract from Swedenborg's explanation of the inner meaning of the Book of Revelation, in which he has collected a nice set of passages from the Word, about peace. It's powerful to read them as a set.
This is from Apocalypse Revealed 306:
"[In the Word,] Peace symbolizes everything whatever that comes from the Lord, and so everything pertaining to heaven and the church, and the blessings of life in them. In the highest or inmost sense, these are blessings of peace.
It follows from this that peace means charity, spiritual security, and inner rest, for when a person abides in the Lord, he is at peace with his neighbor, which is a state of charity, and he has protection from hell, which is spiritual security. And when he is at peace with his neighbor and has protection from hell, he enjoys an inner rest from evils and falsities.
Accordingly, since all these blessings come from the Lord, it can be seen what is symbolically meant by peace in general and in particular in the following passages:
...unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called... God, Hero, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end... (Isaiah 9:6-7)
(Jesus said,) "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you." (John 14:27)
(Jesus said,) "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace." (John 16:33)
In His days the righteous shall flourish, and much peace... (Psalms 72:3, 7)
Then I will make a covenant of peace... (Ezekiel 34:25, 27; 37:25-26)
How delightful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace..., who says to Zion, "Your King reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7)
Jehovah bless you and... lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
Jehovah will bless His people with peace. (Psalms 29:11)
(Jehovah) will redeem my soul in peace... (Psalms 55:18)
The work of (Jehovah) is peace, [and] the labor of righteousness, rest and security forever, that (they) may dwell in a tabernacle of peace, in secure tents, and in tranquil places of rest. (Isaiah 32:17-18)
(Jesus said to the seventy that He sent out,) "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it." (Luke 10:5-6, cf. Matthew 10:12-14)
The wretched shall possess the earth, and shall delight themselves in an abundance of peace... ...observe the upright man, for the final state for that man is peace. (Psalms 37:11, 37)
(Zacharias, prophesying, said,) ."..the Dayspring from on high has appeared..., to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:78-79)
Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Psalms 34:14)
Much peace have those who love Your law... (Psalms 119:165)
"Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river...." "There is no peace," says Jehovah, "for the impious." (Isaiah 48:18, 22)
(Jehovah) will speak peace to His people... Righteousness and peace will kiss. (Psalms 85:8, 10)
There is no peace in my bones because of my sin. (Psalms 38:3)
He has filled me with bitterness... ...moved (is) my soul far from peace; I have forgotten goodness. (Lamentations 3:15, 17)
And so on in many other places, from which it can be seen that the aforesaid blessings are meant by peace. Fix your mind on spiritual peace, and you will clearly see.
So likewise in the following places: Isaiah 26:12; 53:5; 54:10, 13; Jeremiah 33:6, 9; Haggai 2:9; Zechariah 8:16, 19; Psalms 4:6-8; 120:6-7; 122:6-9; 128:5-6; 147:14."
Numbers 6
1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2
"Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: 'When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh,
3
he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of fermented drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried.
4
All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.
5
"'All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
6
"'All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body.
7
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head.
8
All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.
9
"'If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it.
10
On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting.
11
The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day.
12
He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.
13
"'This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting,
14
and he shall offer his offering to Yahweh, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
15
and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings.
16
The priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering.
17
He shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering, and its drink offering.
18
The Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings.
19
The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the head of his separation;
20
and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
21
"'This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.'"
22
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
23
"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.' You shall tell them,
24
'Yahweh bless you, and keep you.
25
Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you.
26
Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.'
27
"So they shall put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them."
