James Jacob PraschThe Moriel blog is a searchable database of articles, announcements, and teachings which have been variably published on our website since the inception of Moriel Ministries more than 25 years ago, and some articles come from sources even older than that. We issue no disclaimer for anything included in the articles at the time of publication. Unfortunately, there will always be a backlog of persons or things we once endorsed but due to later events we now consider unscriptural. We trust our readers will bear this in mind when reading what is posted here. From time to time we remove material we no longer consider relevant or scripturally sound.

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The Gospel of Peace

Let"s begin by defining our terms. €œThe Gospel in the Last Days." Again, we have to recap things you know, so I"m just touching on it briefly. First we"ll look at the Word €œGospel", what the Gospel in the Last Days means

The word €œGospel" in Hebrew is €œbisorah". It simply means, it could be translated as, €œglad tidings", but basically is €œgood news". €œHow lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings bisorah". (Isa 52:7) In Hebrew, €œto evangelize" €“ €œLevasar be"sorah". The infinitive of the verb comes from the noun. Greek, €œevangelion". It"s where we get the word €œevangelical". €œGood news". There is only one Gospel, but there are multiple aspects of it and therefore multiple descriptions. We will look at four. Turn to (Eph 1:13)

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—

Gospel of salvation.

(Eph 6:15)
paraphrasing from the Septuagint of Isaiah 52 €¦

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Everyone here, I assume, knows €œpeace" is €œshalom", yes? And I"ve explained we have shalom because He came to leshalem. The Hebrew word €œshalom" €“ €œpeace", does not mean the absence of conflict; that's the Greek idea. €œIrene", like the girl"s name is the Greek idea €œabsence of conflict" or as Samuel Johnson defined it, €œa period of separation and deception between two wars." Shalom is not that. Shalom comes from the Hebrew word €œsillum", €œTo pay" €“ €œlashalem" €“ €œto pay", €œto fill", €œto fulfill". Ultimately shalom will include the absence of war €“ the nations will beat their spears into pruning hooks and so forth (Isa 2:4, Micah 4:3) in the Millennium, but that"s not what it is. It is €œshalom". Jesus said, €œMy peace I give you, not as the world gives you". (John 14:27) His peace was not this absence of conflict. You can be in the biggest conflict of your life and have shalom. You can be facing a crisis in your life and have shalom.

It"s like sister Winnie here. Her son was tragically killed just before   I had to go abroad and I went to visit her in Manchester. It was devastating, and it still is, it"s just recent. Does she have €œpeace"? No. Does she have €œshalom"? Yes. There"s a brother in my church back there; he"s battling cancer, having major surgery. Does he have €œpeace"? No to €œpeace" but does he have €œshalom"? Yes. You can be in the biggest crisis of your life and have shalom. Peace, ultimately yes; meanwhile, not necessarily. We have shalom because the Messiah came to leshalem €“ €œto pay", €œto fill", €œto fulfill". We have shalom because He came to pay the price for our sin to fulfill the law that no man could keep, the Torah, and to fill us with the Spirit. We have shalom because the Messiah came to leshalem. That"s what the €œgospel of peace" means. It doesn"t mean the absence of  conflict. Ultimately it will lead to that, ultimately it will include that, but that's not what it is.