From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: Monday, December 1, 1997 1:08 AM
To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Re: Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
From: Howard Hickey
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Re: Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
When asked to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, it is wise to remember the
words that were used to express this thought. "Peace" is, obviously,
"shalom" but by translating it simply as "peace" leaves a hole in
understanding its depth. It means much more than just the absence of war.
Picture a lamp made of fragile pottery. If one were to smash that lamp into
a million irreplaceable pieces, that would be a tragedy. But if another were
to come along and pick up each of those pieces and seamlessly replace each
piece into its original spot, thereby restoring the fractured lamp... that
would be "shalom!" It is the restoring of that which has been ruptured.
When the Bible makes reference to "shalom" peace, it ultimately points to
the restoration, first of Jerusalem ("Jeru"= city; "salem"= peace) then
finally the whole world back to God from whence it was torn apart.
Do you remember the tragedy that took place in the Garden of Eden? First
there was perfect harmony of God, man and all of creation. Then there was
sin, which resulted in an unfixable separation that left God and man
hopelessly separated from each other. The deep, deep love of God for His
creation caused Him to repair the break by sending His own Son to pay the
price of that separation. "My peace I give unto you... not as the world
gives..." spoke our Lord. Plug that understanding of peace into your reading
of the scriptures and see if it doesn't bring to life a somewhat confusing
issue.
Shalom, In Christ
Howard
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From: Barbara Cohen
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Re: Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
Might I suggest that we expand our idea of Praying for the Peace of
Jerusalem. The following except from Richard J. Foster's Freedom of
Simplicity greatly broadened my prayerlife.
SHALOM
The vision for wholeness and peace, which shines like a beacon of
light through the Old Covenant, gives us important insights into
Christian simplicity. This theme is wonderfully gathered up in the
Hebrew word shalom, a full-bodied concept that resonates with
wholeness, unity, balance.
Gathering in (but much broader than) peace, it means a harmonious,
caring community with G-d at its center as the prime sustainer and most
glorious inhabitant. This great vision of shalom begins and ends our
Bible. In the creation narrative, G-d brought order and harmony out
of chaos; in the Apocalypse of John, we have the glorious wholeness of
a new heaven and a new earth. The messianic child to be born is to be
the Prince of Peace (Isa.9:6). Justice and righteousness and peace
are to characterize his unending kingdom (Isa 9:7). Central to the
dream of shalom is the wonderful vision of all nations streaming to
the mountain of the temple of G-d to be taught his ways and to walk in
his paths; to beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into
pruning hooks (Isa 2:2-5; Mic 4:1-4).
Shalom even carries the idea of a harmonious unity in the natural
order; the cow and the bear become friends, the lion and the lamb lie
down together, and a little child leads them (Isa 1:1-9). We are in
harmony with G-d - faithfulness and loyalty prevail. We are in
harmony with our neighbor - justice and mercy abound. We are in
harmony with nature - peace and unity reign. Economically and
socially, the vision of shalom is captured in what Bishop John Taylor
calls `The Theology of Enough.' The greed of the rich is tempered by
the need of the poor. Justice, harmony, equilibrium prevail.
`It meant a dancing kind of inter-relationship, seeking something
more free than equality, more generous than equity, the evershifting
equipoise of a life-system.' Excessive extravagance, vaunting ambition,
ravaging greed - all are foreign to the complete contented brotherhood
of shalom. Under the reign of G-d's shalom the poor are no longer
oppressed because covetousness not longer rules. In a particularly
tender scene, Jeremiah lamented the fraud and greed of prophet and
priest, saying, `They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, `Peace, peace,' when there is not peace' (Jer 6:14). In
essence Jeremiah had filed a malpractice suit against the self-styled
religious quacks. They had put a Band-Aid over a gaping social wound
and said, Shalom, shalom - all will be well.' But Jeremiah thundered,
in effect, `En shalom all is not well. Justice is spurned, the poor
oppressed, the orphan ignored. There is no wholeness or healing here!'
But the healing peace of G-d will not be spurned forever. Isaiah saw
a day when the reconciliation between people will be a reality, a day
when justice and righteousness will reign, a time when the wholeness
of G-d's peace will rule and people will `walk in the light of the
L-rd' (Isa 2:4-5). In an especially poignant passage, Scripture brings
together the three Hebrew concepts we have studied; justice,
compassion, and peace. The Psalmist points to the day when `Steadfast
love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace with kiss
each other' (Ps 85:10).
I long for the day when the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah are united
and Jerusalem once again has'wholeness!.
Barbara
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To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
From: Beth Ferguson
Subject: Re: Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rains;
so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them
showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Zech 10 KJV
May our prayers for the peace of Jerusalem please you, G-d our Father,
and bid you to bring bright clouds of truth, love and peace upon Your
chosen people. Thank You for the rain of grace you have bestowed on
all those who seek You, may they continue to increase the harvest of
your own in Yeshua Ha Massiach, our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
Happy Anniversary to Hebraic Heritage Ministries! Congratulations
Eddie! May G-d continue to bless and inspire you (and everyone)
through another great year.
Beth
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