Kruse Kronicle

Prosperity: Shalom

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by

mwkruse
in , ,

What do we mean by the word shalom? We typically equate shalom with the English word "peace." Unfortunately, we often insufficiently equate peace to the absence of war or anxiety. Shalom means so much more. Here are just a few ways shalom is used in the Old Testament. The words representing shalom are in bold.

Absence of War

And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. (Joshua 9:15, NRSV)

Harmonious relationships

Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." (1 Samuel 16:4-5, NRSV)

Personal welfare of people and animals

So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me." (Genesis 37:14, NRSV)


Prosperity

And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. (Jeremiah 33:9, NRSV)

Justice

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD. (Zechariah 8:16-17, NRSV)

Peace of mind

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. (Psalms 119:165, NRSV)

These are just a few samples of the many shades of shalom. There are other more nuanced meanings as well. All seem to point toward a combination of wholeness, wellness, and harmonious relationships.

Three more shalom passages merit our special attention. These passages show the centrality of shalom to God's vision for humanity. The first passage is the Old Testament Priestly Prayer, and the other two are messianic prophecies.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NRSV)

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NRSV)

For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Ezekiel 37:24-28 (NRSV)

My servant David shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall follow my ordinances and be careful to observe my statutes. They shall live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your ancestors lived; they and their children and their children's children shall live there forever; and my servant David shall be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will bless them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary among them forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations shall know that I the LORD sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is among them forevermore.

Shalom is the best descriptor of life at the end of Genesis 2. Shalom is also the best descriptor for the state of affairs at the end of time, as evidenced in the last two passages. Shalom has many facets, including an economic facet. Economic issues are integral to the concept. Economics is about our interaction with matter, energy, and ideas. Our work, interacting with the created order, is integral to who we are. Given the opening chapters of Genesis, God's primary mission for us is to care for creation and enhance it in ways that reflect God's values. Human work is of God. The development and distribution of resources are integral to God's mission for humanity. There can be no shalom without God honoring economic enterprise.

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Comments

6 responses to “Prosperity: Shalom”

  1. Peggy Avatar
    Peggy

    Love this post, Michael!
    Shalom is another multifaceted Hebrew word I appreciate … like my favorite: Hesed.
    I would say that shalom is the consequence, the result, the fruit of hesed … all very perichoretic!

    Reply
  2. Michael W. Kruse Avatar
    Michael W. Kruse

    Thanks Peggy.
    The connection with hesed is important and that raises some interesting questions with the topic I’m discussing. How closely can we move things toward shalom without hesed? What does it mean to pursue shalom in a world where God is not truly worshiped? Is seeking greater shalom a way of drawing people into the hesed of God?

    Reply
  3. Kasey Avatar
    Kasey

    I find these statements and scriptural passages delightful that you are embracing for others on this post. Especially the one on “JUSTICE”….”Speak The Truth to one another”-not leaving out details either; render in Your gate judgements that are of the “Truth”….and make for Peace-this IS critical…..etc. Zechariah 8:16-17….these are of serious matters before God. Without the whole truth of matters we render under false pretence…and therefore, fall severely at the way side in waits of God’s judgements……peace matters to God; as it does before other believers in Christ, and so on….. An audience is watching–the innocent waiting to bear witness of the good things they’ve seen, too foretell their heirs–the good news–I think????? hummmmmmm… Great Passages…..”R”

    Reply
  4. Ted M. Gossard Avatar
    Ted M. Gossard

    Good post, Michael.
    “There can be no shalom without God honoring economic enterprise.”
    I just think we have to be careful to see the roots of American economic enterprise and how it’s built at least partially on self-gain and even historically, self-aggrandizement.
    If you havent’ heard of the recent book by Michael Babcock who actually teaches at Liberty University, entitled Unchristian America: Living with a faith in a nation that was never under God”, you ought to get a copy and give it a read. Not a long book and while I don’t think I agree or would quite put it like he does, yet his reflections on America, and in this connection with America’s materialistic ethic is quite interesting. Mark Noll gives it a nod as going in a good direction, at least. http://www.amazon.com/UnChristian-America-Living-Faith-Nation/dp/141431860X

    Reply
  5. Ted M. Gossard Avatar
    Ted M. Gossard

    Also, I know you’re not talking about American economic work towards shalom here, and elsewhere you have quoted how it’s God’s people who need to make the difference and not governments.
    Yet Kuyper’s model does assume that Christian influence should impact government to act in ways to help the poor, correct?

    Reply
  6. Michael W. Kruse Avatar
    Michael W. Kruse

    Kuyper believed Christians should influence every aspect of life including government.
    I think righteous government aids the poor first and foremost by assuring that the poor receive justice in the courts and from law enforcement. I think government has the responsibility to play referee between the various spheres of society and sometimes within spheres. When there are actions that government can take on behalf of the poor that no other entity in society take or take as well as government, that is legit as well.
    However, when government begins to see itself as the manager of the economy by doing things like setting prices or picking winners and losers in the economy it is on destructive path.

    Reply

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