“May the LORD lift up his face upon you and give you peace” (Num. 6:26). That is, may the LORD “lift up his face” (יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו) toward you in welcome, and may his countenance be radiant with joy over you. May his face be “toward you,” not turned away or hidden… When God turns toward you, he imparts the blessing without which all other blessings are beholden, namely, his peace (i.e., shalom). After all, what good is worldly prosperity or temporal pleasure apart from God’s blessing of peace? To have shalom (שָׁלוֹם) is to be made shalem (שָׁלֵם) – made whole, complete, secure, happy – and therefore the peace of God (שְׁלוֹם הָאֱלהִים) is assuredly the most essential blessing.
Let me add that there is objective, God-established peace found in our Savior: “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through Adoneinu Yeshua Mashiach” (Rom. 5:1). This is the reconciliation that God effected through the cross of Yeshua for our atonement (Rom. 5:11). God’s love makes our eternal peace real, secure, and finished… There is also a subjective side of peace, however, that is a fruit of the Spirit of God: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” (Gal. 5:22). This is the inner peace that we experience by trusting in God’s care for our lives, despite our struggles; such peace comes when we allow the Spirit of God to reign within our hearts by faith (Phil. 4:7; Col. 3:15).
Hebrew Lesson:
