Christ in all the scriptures
The Peace offering Leviticus 3
PEACE (Heb. shelem)
The clue is in the word. The Hebrew Shelem is the plural of Shalam from which comes the beautiful Jewish greeting SHALOM! This courteous gesture does not only proclaims peace in the present, but also into the future, and on and on into eternity! The root of the word is restitution and recovery from a position of conflict to a state of universal harmony. So that when the Jew greets another with this word, he is pointing to the day when there will be peace on earth, and good will to all men. This is the meaning of this word for us today. This is what Christ did in the peace offering on the cross, He has brought universal peace conditions that will be enjoyed by all who believe. "And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him I say whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, and irreprovable in His sight"-Colossians 1v20-22. He is the Prince of peace, who will bring all conflicts to an end-Isaiah 9v6. In the colloquial language of scripture, when Christ rules this world, all conflicts will cease, and the weapons of war will be turned into tools of production ("...they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall the learn war any more..."-Isaiah 2v4). This is the meaning of biblical peace, accomplished by Christ at Calvary, the blissful results that are yet to be fully revealed. This is enhanced by the use of the plural form in the peace offering, meaning that EVERY ASPECT OF PEACE, NO MATTER FROM WHAT STANDPOINT WE VIEW IT, IS ACCOMPLISHED, WAITING THE DAY WHEN HE COMES! This is the peace offering, this is what Christ has done, this is the third aspect of the one offering of Christ. He is the One who gave His all to God in sacrifice (Leviticus 1); who lived a perfect life (Leviticus 2); and gave Himself to reconcile us to God (Leviticus 3). Scripture proclaims the extent of this:
Peace enjoyed with God Romans 5v1 "Therefore, being (having been) justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ". The book which opened with "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." now declares there is eternal peace between God and the believer. No more wrath, no fear of death, no rescinding of the promise of God, no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 5v10-11 "For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement (R.V. reconciliation).
Peace extended to all believers in Christ Ephesians 2v14-18, "He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off (Gentiles), and to them that were nigh (Jews-ceremonially). For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father". Not only has He reconciled us to Himself, He has reconciled us to one another in the body of Christ. It may not seem so now but it will be in the future. The work of the cross, the aspect of the peace offering, unites us to every believer in in dissoluble union.
The Peace of God experienced in the challenges of life Philippians 4v6-7, "Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep (guard as with a military garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." No circumstance in life need disturb our inner peace, for God is with us in every situation; note the language-in nothing be anxious...in everything pray! It is one thing to have peace with God in the matter of our standing; it is another to know the peace of God amid the troubled waters of life. The calm in which He dwells can be ours at all times! Before Him is a sea of glass; around Him are the angels of glory; beside Him is the Son of His love who has dealt with sin and its consequences. The new testament states it-"If God be for us, who can be against us"-Romans 8, and the extent of this is unfolded in the rest of that chapter. The eternal God dwells in everlasting peace, and this can be our portion here. Jesus declared, in the upper room, just hours before the trauma of Calvary, "Peace I leave with you, my peace give I unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"-John 14v27. This is the inner peace of Christ in harmony with God, His Father, even in the extremity of bitter sorrow. The hymn by W. D. Cornell (U.S.A 1858-1936) sums it up well
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial strains it unceasingly falls
O'er my soul like an infinite calm.
Refrain
Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!
What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll!
Refrain
I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus' control;
For I'm kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul!
Refrain
And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
Where the Anchor of peace I shall see,
That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
In that heavenly kingdom will be:
Refrain
Ah, soul! are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your Friend ere the shadows grow dark;
O accept of this peace so sublime!
Refrain
At His birth it was announced from above, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"-Luke 2v14. This is what separates the believer from the rest of the world for "There is no peace saith my God to the wicked"-Isaiah 48v22; 57v21. We have that inner peace that no trouble on earth can disturb; it is the peace of God in the soul, that nothing in this world can take away. Treasure it, live it, share it, wonderful, wonderful peace.
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