What does the Bible say about Peace?
Door 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."
Lamentations 3
1
I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2
He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
3
Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all the day.
4
My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.
5
He has built against me, and surrounded me with gall and travail.
6
He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
7
He has walled me about, that I can't go forth; he has made my chain heavy.
8
Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9
He has walled up my ways with cut stone; he has made my paths crooked.
10
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
11
He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he has made me desolate.
12
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13
He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys.
14
I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
15
He has filled me with bitterness, he has sated me with wormwood.
16
He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he has covered me with ashes.
17
You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity.
18
I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Yahweh.
19
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20
My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
21
This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.
22
[It is of] Yahweh's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn't fail.
23
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24
Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
26
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.
27
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28
Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.
29
Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.
30
Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled full with reproach.
31
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32
For though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
33
For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
34
To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn't approve.
37
Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn't command it?
38
Doesn't evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
39
Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
41
Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
42
We have transgressed and have rebelled; you have not pardoned.
43
You have covered with anger and pursued us; you have killed, you have not pitied.
44
You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
45
You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
46
All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
47
Fear and the pit are come on us, devastation and destruction.
48
My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49
My eye pours down, and doesn't cease, without any intermission,
50
Until Yahweh look down, and see from heaven.
51
My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52
They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
53
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
54
Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
55
I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon.
56
You heard my voice; don't hide your ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57
You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said, Don't be afraid.
58
Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
59
Yahweh, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause.
60
You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
61
You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their devices against me,
62
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63
You see their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
64
You will render to them a recompense, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands.
65
You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
66
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.
