From: "Hebraic.Heritage.Newsgroup@hydra.host4u.net"
<Hebraic.Heritage.Newsgroup@hydra.host4u.net>
To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>, Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup 2 <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Gospel of Peace
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 17:26:33 -0800
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From: Howard Hickey
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Re: Re: Gospel of Peace

The key to the issue of "the gospel of peace" is in the word 'Peace". Good
news is not good news unless it addresses a well understood issue. Our
general concept of the word "shalom' (translated peace) instantly focuses our
attention on physical peace... i.e. the absence of war. It has a much more
important meaning however... especially as it relates to the 'good news".

Imagine a vase that has been hurled to the ground. Picture those broken
shards of pottery somehow miraculously gathered together and restored to the
vase from which they came... seamlessly and with no trace of ever having been
separated. That image is a perfect illustration of "shalom". It means peace
but in the sense that it is the restoration of something that was once in
unity but was somehow separated... and then wonderfully restored. Plug that
definition into the angel's message in Luke 2 when he said "peace on earth,
goodwill towards men" and you're beginning to catch the excitement of the
"good news of peace."

In Genesis 1, we are introduced not only to a perfect creation, but a perfect
unity... God and His creation. God and man had perfect harmony in their
relationship and were able to have instant and complete communication. Sin
disrupted that harmony and the unity was instantly broken by the rebellion of
Adam. Isaiah reminds Israel of this fact when he says: Isa 59:2 But your
iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his
face from you, that he will not hear. God and man are hopelessly separated
unless God does something about it.

The cross, and the miraculous events that surrounded it, combined with faith,
produce an immense reconciliation for men that have been separated from God
because of their sin... and a wonderful reconciliation for Jews and Gentiles
who have been separated from each other because of their own pride. This
reconciliation... or "peace"... is found only in Jesus the Messiah. That is
the "Gospel of Peace!"

Shalom, In Christ,
Howard

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